Italian Chilean - History

History

Italian emigration in Chile was limited to a few tens of Italians during the centuries of the Spanish colony.

After independence, the Chilean government encouraged European emigration, but without getting the results of nearby Argentina.

However, there was a substantial flow of migration of Liguria to the area of Valparaíso, which came to control 70% of the city. These immigrants founded the "Body of Fire" (called "Cristobal Colon") of the city and its "Italian School", whose building the Government of Chile has declared a National Historic Monument (Spanish: "Monumento Histórico Nacional").

At the end of the 19th century, many Italian merchants were rooted in the northern part of Arica, where they began exploiting the rich mines of saltpetre. Meanwhile, many Italian families settled in the capital Santiago, Concepción and Punta Arenas.

In 1904 was planned an emigration of 700 immigrants of Emilia to a town of the Araucanía Region, which was named "Colonia Nueva Italia" and now called Capitán Pastene.

Throughout the central-southern zone of Chile, 7,740 Italians were transplanted to the early 20th century.

Some Italian-Chileans voluntarily returned to Italy, like the aviator Arturo Dell'Oro, who died in the skies of Belluno in 1917, which was head to Valparaíso one of the main Italian schools in Chile. Giulio Ravazzano (medal of honor) went back to Italy to defend his country during the Great War, to return later on where he married.

After World War I, it had exhausted major migration from Italy, and in Chile currently there are only 39,650 Italian citizens (including those with dual passports).

Many Italian Chileans, have reached positions of leadership in the society of Chile, like the president Jorge Alessandri.