National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe in Italy Date in the current year: February 10, 2024

The killings of the local Italian popularion were committed mainly by Yugoslav Partisans, the most effective anti-Nazi resistance movement in Europe. The word foiba (plural foibe) refers to a type of karst sinkhole. Many victims of the massacres were thrown into the foibe, and some of the bodies were never extracted because the foibe are too deep.

The exact number of victims is still unknown, as well as the main motive for the killings because no official investigation of the crimes has been carried out. The estimated number of people who were killed by the partisans or died in the Yugoslavian camps is between 7.000 and 11.000.

After WWII, the foibe killings had been a neglected subject until Silvio Berlusconi became the Prime Minister for the second time in 2001. He brought the issue back to discussion and encouraged the parliament to establish National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe. On this day, observances and exhibitions are held throughout the country in memory of those who were forced to leave their homes or killed.