The Silos of Trieste. A Human Hub at the Border Between Conflicting Memories, Displacement and Heritage

After World War I, Trieste’s port buildings were used by fascist and Nazi authorities to process refugees, emigrants, and deportees. During the Nazi occupation, the site housed partisans and Jews, many of whom were deported to Auschwitz. After the war, it became a refugee camp for exiles from Istria and Dalmatia. Over time, the Silos faded in the city’s memory. Today, it is protected as industrial heritage and serves as an informal shelter for asylum seekers and a space for civic activism. Given its historical significance, the Silos stands as a key example of cross-border heritage, where the struggle for memory—often contested—remains a central element in contemporary societies.