Giuseppina Martinuzzi’s Political Activities Involvement Struggle Women Suffrage

Abstract

Giuseppina Martinuzzi (Labin, 1844 – Labin, 1925), pedagogue, teacher, poet, social and political activist, was one of the most prominent figures in Istrian history. A member of a bourgeois family and educated at home, her desire for further education led her to earn the title of teacher. She was employed in schools in Istria, Muggia and Trieste in working-class districts among the poorest classes of society. Teaching in these schools shaped Martinuzzi’s personality and encouraged her to become a political activist and fighter for social change. Her active involvement in politics began at the onset of the 20th century, initially advocating for irredentist positions, but she then turned to socialism and stood out as one of the first Istrian socialists. Although she had a bourgeois background, she was dedicated to the fight for workers and peasants, especially the Labin miners, and called for their right to education, equal rights for all citizens and women’s suffrage. Using the existing bibliography and sources (Martinuzzi’s manuscripts), the paper presents her achievements with emphasis on her activism for women’s suffrage.