"SIBERIAN" FEBRUARY 1929 IN THE ISTRIAN PROVINCE A REVIEW OF THE SOCIAL, HEALTHCARE, ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC CONSEQUENCES

The present paper discusses the short-term social, health, demographic and economic implications of the coldest winter in Istria in the twentieth century with reference to archival material and newspaper sources. From the 10th to the 15th of February 1929, Istria was gripped by an extraordinarily cold winter front; temperatures in the north of the peninsula dropped to -22 degrees Celsius, which, together with a snow layer of an average height of one meter and strong north wind, created considerable problems for residents. These harsh winter conditions were primarily reflected in the complete interruption of traffic communications, leading to an inability to supply basic foodstuffs. While streets and squares in Pula were being cleaned by military units on the order of the Prefect, this work was carried out in other cities by hired labour and smaller towns while villages were forced to rely on their own resources. However, the severe weather conditions caused much more serious consequences for the local healthcare policy; the snowed-up roads prevented the admission of patients to Pula hospital and it was impossible for municipal doctors to provide medical assistance to the residents of nearby villages. In combination with other social factors, this led to an increased overall mortality. Far-reaching consequences were also visible in the economy, particularly in livestock farming and crop production, which were at that time still recovering from a major drought that had afflicted the region in 1928. The conditions were hardest in northern Istria, where frost had ruined most of the seed potatoes - a significant resource for the agrarian population - and on the island of Cres, where thousands of sheep died under the snow. The damaged olives and grapes - the main crops in the lstrian region - brought a low yield and forebode a hard autumn.