World War I



December 13th 1900 is an important date for Elba's economy, which, thanks to the opening of the blast furnaces of Portoferraio, begun an important but short industrial activity. Up to this time the economy of Elba was focused on both iron and granite mining and agricultural resources.

The birth of the blast furnaces is bound to a couple of important men of the past century: Ubaldo Tonietti and Pilade del Buono, who on July 28, 1899 founded in Genoa the company Elba operating into the mining and smelting industry. The aim of their project was the same wished by Napoleon: to smelt in Elba the ore extracted on the island.

The new factory in Portoferraio was born upon the salinas area, which, after secular activities of salt extraction, were no longer profitable. The plant produced mainly cast iron, tough for a short time also steel had a significant production. Despite the activity had weaknesses such as its location (on an island) and its limits in expansion, which would have not allowed to develop new sections of work, it contributed to the urban, demographic and economic growth of the town of Portoferraio.

The working class of Elba begun to claim their working rights and created some organizations. In 1901, 350 miners found the first Union of Improvement in Capoliveri, and the following year Rio Marina inaugurated a socialist section. In 1907, three workers died during an accident by the blast furnaces. This fact led to the first workers strike in the history of Elba. Not much later, in 1911, despite it didn't bring any real results, took place the most important strike lasted for more than 135 days, which still remains in the memories of the Italian history.

With the beginning of the First World War came perhaps the most flourishing period of the foundry, which sped up its production to its highest levels. Fortunately the First World War was being fought far from the island of Elba, where families were getting with apprehension the news of their children in the war front.

May 23, 1916 was the only war day that touched Elba: a German-Austrian submarine torpedoed the blast furnaces of Portoferraio, causing serious damage and two victims. Offshore the islet of Palmaiola the submarine steamer Washington sank.

The First World War ended with an estimation of 374 dead soldiers from Elba.

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