ABSTRACT
Gorizia and Nova Gorica are two towns divided by the border between today's Italy and the Republic of Slovenia. The region had a complex historical development, where Latin, Germanic and Slavonic ethnic groups were in contact and often also in conflict. This chapter presents the first results of field work conducted in these communities, focusing on the narratives from three distinct groups of people: the Italian-speaking community in Gorizia, and the Slovenian-speaking communities in Gorizia and in Nova Gorica on either side of the Italian/Slovenian border. It shows that collective memories of a traumatic past, namely that of Fascism and its repercussions for the relationship between these groups, give rise to contrasting interpretations of the historic events. These in turn play a significant role in the experiences of everyday life and the construction of separate ethnic and 'national' identities.
