Figure 1.--Here we se Italians in Marseilles. The boys are working as cireurs (shoeshine boys). Note that they are identified as cireurs Napolitains -- meaning from Naples. This is interesting as some sources suggest that most of the Italian migrants werevfrom northern italy. The postcard is dated May 17, 1903. We are not sure what the writing in French says.

France and Italy share a Mediterannean border. A common border of course makes population movement easy. This was especially the case with the advent of railrods in the mod 19th century. France was the most important European destination, in part becuse it was close and Catholic. The fact that France had annexed areas with Itlalian populations was another factor. A major factor in emigration is having alreasy existing friendly communities already existing. Italian migration into France has been occuring in different cycles for years, actually beginning in prehistoric times if you want to go back that far. As far as we know rhe population in modern times has been orimarily from Italy to France with Italians seeing more economic opportunity in France than what was available to them in Italy. In addition to migration there havevbeen territorial changes that brought Italian populations under French control. Corsica was transferred from from the Republic of Genoa to France (1768). This of course is how France acquired of all people Napoleon Bonaparte with his Italain accent. The Kingdom of Sardinia transferred Nice and Savoy to France (1860). There was some limited emmigration (late-18th centurty. Really large numbers of Italians did not begin to emigrate until the late-19th century. This is the same time that italains begabnto emograte oversas to the United States and South America, only the overseas emmigrants were primarily from southern Italy. Emigration to the United tates ended with World War I. First because of German U-boats and then American restictions on immigration. Emigration to France, however, increased hugely substantailly after the War. Fremch companies needed workers bcause of the massive mumber of men killed and badly wounded. This was not a short term issue as the French birth rate declines, creating a long term shortage of workers. The 18th- and 19th centuey emigrants came primarily from northern Italy (Piedmont, Veneto) and subsequently from central Italy (Marche, Umbria). Many settled in the bordering southeastern region of Provence. After World War II, large numbers of immigrants from southern Italy began emograting to France. They began settling in industrialised areas deep into France, such as Lorraine, Paris and Lyon. Some 5 million French nationals are believed to be of Italian ancestry. That would be something like 8 percent of the population.

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Created: 12:57 AM 8/12/2020
Last updated: 12:58 AM 8/12/2020