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ItinerarioSabaENG_Layout 1 13/09/13 11.16 Pagina 1

Umberto Saba was born Umberto Poli on 9 March 1883in the old Jewish ghetto of Trieste. his father, Ugo Poli, wasborn in Trieste in 1853 but his own parents were fromMontereale valcellina in Friuli. Saba’s mother, RacheleFelicita Coen, was a Jew born in Trieste. Ugo left his family and fled to Italy for his involvement inthe irredentist movement seven months after the wedding,right before his son was born. Saba started writing poetryas an adolescent and his early production is found in thefirst part of the Canzoniere (Songbook) titled Poesiedell’adolescenza e giovanili (Poems of adolescence and youth),1900-1907. After discontinuing his studies he was taken onby a small company. In 1903 he enrolled at the Universityof Pisa. It was around this time that the early symptoms ofneurasthenia appeared - a condition that will lead him tocontemplate suicide and for which he would be repeatedlyhospitalized and treated throughout his life. Saba was bornon Austrian soil but he was an Italian citizen. As such in1907 he served in the military in Salerno, an experiencethat inspired his Versi Militari (Military Verses). Afterreturning to Trieste in 1909 he married Carolina (Lina)Wölfler who, one year, later gave birth to his only daughterLinuccia. In 1912 he moved to Bologna with his wife whenthey reconciled after serious marital problems. hecollaborated with the daily “Il resto del Carlino” and wrotethe collection of poems La serena disperazione (SereneDesperation). he then moved briefly to Milan, where heworked as secretary for a cabaret theater. During the FirstWorld War he worked behind the frontlines in severaladministrative posts, an experience that inspired his Nuoviversi militari (New Military Verses). When he returned to hishometown, he took over a second-hand bookshop that herenamed “Libreria antica e moderna” (Ancient and ModernBookshop) to which he would devote most of his lifetogether with his poetry. At that time he self-published alimited edition of the collection of his poetry and in 1921the first version of his acclaimed Songbook appeared inprint: it brought together his entire production and thecollection would be further enriched throughout his life.The first, invaluable manuscript known as Il Canzonieredated 1919 is preserved at the Civic Library of Trieste.Between 1938 and 1945 the anti-Jewish laws forced himto leave Trieste and to find shelter first in Paris and then inRome (at Ungaretti’s home), Florence (where he also livedat Montale’s) and Milan. In 1945 the second edition ofSongbook was published by Einaudi (to be followed byother expanded and revised editions), followed a year laterby his prose works Scorciatoie e raccontini (Shortcuts andSmall Tales). his prose production also includes Ricordi –Racconti, Storia e cronistoria del Canzoniere (Recollections,History and Chronicle of the Songbook) and the unfinishednovel Ernesto. Saba died of a stroke on 25 August 1957 inthe same hospital in Gorizia where he had been admittedon the day when his wife died, 26 November 1956.

SABA’S BIRThPLACE Via di Riborgo, 25 (no longer in place; today correspondsapprox. to via del Teatro Romano)

Via di Riborgo started from piazzetta San Giacomo (nolonger in place) facing via del Corso (today Corso Italia) andran through the Jewish ghetto, across fetid streets and run-down buildings with no plumbing and common toiletfacilities. Between 1934 and 1938, the fascist regime forcedthe inhabitants of the ghetto out of their homes andhundreds of buildings were brought down, including Saba’sbirthplace. Via di Riborgo was replaced by Corso del Littorio,

today via del Teatro Romano.

When I was born my mother wept over it, / alone at night in herempty bed./For me and for her, being destroyed by grief as she was, / herdear relatives were buying and selling in the ghetto. – Autobiography (1924) –

hOUSE OF SABA’S WET NURSE Via del Monte, 15

For the first three years of his life Saba was raised by a Slovenianwet nurse, Peppa Gabrovich, who was a Catholic peasant.Some poems from Il Piccolo Berto (Little Berto) refer to Saba’spain when his mother suddenly dismissed the nurse, allegedlybecause she was jealous and because the nurse had tried toraise the baby as a Catholic.

The house of my wet-nurse sits/quietly facing the old Chapel,/andfrom a hillside where goats love to browse/it gazes down and lookspensive. – The house of my wet-nurse ( 1901)–

SABA’S SECOND hOUSE Piazzetta San Giacomo, 1(no longer in place, it opened on the corner between via diRiborgo and corso Italia, approx. corresponding today with largoRiborgo)

In 1888 Saba and his mother moved in with one of her sisters,aunt Regina, first in via degli Artisti 7 and in 1891 in piazzettaSan Giacomo, first at number 3 and later at number 1. In his poem Dedica a mia zia Regina (To my aunt Regina), 1921,Saba describes his love for this aunt, in spite of her “acutepassion for economy and thrift”. Aunt Regina was the only personwho showed enthusiasm when reading his poetry and his earlyshort stories and concern for his education. It was thanks toher that in 1903 Saba could study in Pisa. When she died, sheleft him 100,000 crowns.

Often, so as to make my way home / I take a dark street in theold town. / Here and there the lamplight glitters / yellow in theoccasional puddle, and the street is crowded – Old town (1910-12) –

hOUSE OF LINAVia Domenico Rossetti, 28 (today 24)

Saba met his future wife Carolina Wölfler, who lived in via delleAcque 18 (today via Ruggero Timeus 12), in 1904 when one ofher cousins introduced her to him. They would not meet againuntil 1907-1908, after Saba completed his military service. Atthe time Carolina and her family lived in via Domenico Rossetti,28 (today 24). Saba, who knew the street where she lived butnot the exact number, was walking walk up and down viaRossetti in the hope of seeing her when she appeared at thewindow to water a vase of geraniums.

Via del Monte is the street of devout sentiments, / but the street ofjoy and of love / remains Via Domenico Rossetti. – Three streets (1910-12) –

JEWISh TEMPLE KNOWN AS SCUOLA VIVANTEVia del Monte, 3

On 28 February 1909 Umberto Saba took Carolina Wölfler ashis wife in the Jewish Temple known as Scuola Vivante, today theseat of the Carlo and Vera Wagner Museum near the ancientJewish Cemetery at the foot of the hill of San Giusto. In thatsame year the Jewish remains buried here were ordered to betransferred to the new cemetery in via della Pace since the areawas expropriated by the local government to be convertedinto the Park of Remembrance (Parco della Rimembranza).

In Trieste where there are many sadnesses, / and beauties of sky

and country road, / there is a step climb called Via del Monte. / Itbegins with a synagogue, / and it ends at a cloister. – Three streets (1910-12) –

hOUSE OF SABA FROM 1909 TO hIS DEAThVia Chiozza, 56 (today via Francesco Crispi, 56)

The first house where Saba and his wife Lina lived was locatedin the countryside near Montebello in Strada di Fiume, probablyaround number 141.As Saba himself noted, it was here that he composed A miamoglie (To my wife).In February 1919, at the end of the war, Saba was dischargedfrom the army and he returned to Trieste, where he moved tovia Chiozza, 56 on the second and later the fourth floor.

“ITALIA” CINEMA-ThEATER Via Dante Alighieri, 3

Saba had always lived on a private income, but after the war,when Trieste became Italian, the bequeath left by his auntRegina was no longer enough. Thus in 1919, before opening theantique bookshop, Saba worked for several months at the“Italia” Cinema - Theater managed by his brother-in-law EnricoWölfler. Here he wrote promotional texts to advertise films.

I love the Sunday crowd here, / that erupts onto itself, and if only /they can find a seat, they sit in admiration to enjoy / a littleAmerican optimism. – Song of Love (Sunday after lunch at the cinema) (1925-1930) –

ANTIQUE BOOKShOP Via San Nicolò, 30

In September 1919 Saba and his friend Giorgio Fano boughtfor 4,000 liras the second-hand bookshop of GiuseppeMayländer. Initially they intended to clear the place and sell itto make a profit, but Saba was so deeply fascinated by thoseold books (more than 28,000) that he talked his friend intoreopening as an Antique Bookshop. Saba would work here formore than thirty-five years: in Primavera d’Antiquario (Springtimeof an Antique Dealer), 1926, he declared himself to be the“custodian of the noble dead”.During the Second World War the racial laws forced him topretend that he had sold his business to Carlo Cerne, hisemployee since 1924, who would remain his business partnerwith a fifty percent stake. After Saba’s death, Cerne continuedto work at the bookshop that he left to his son Mario, whocontinues to manage the shop to this day.

I used to have a lovely city set between craggy / mountains andthe luminous sea. Mine / because I was born there, more minethan others’ / for I discovered It as a boy, and when I grew up / Imarried it to Italy for ever with my song. / One had to live. And forthat / I chose the most dignified of maladies: it was the discreet /little antiquarian bookshop. / The inept Fascist, the guzzlingGerman, / took everything away from me. – I use to have (1944) –

STATUE Via Dante

In 2004 a bronze statue by Nino Spagnoli was erected at thecorner of via Dante and via San Nicolò. It portrays Saba walkingtowards his beloved bookshop. The pipe between his lips - thathad been a staple throughout his life - was repeatedly stolenand it was eventually decided not to replace it.

WALTER’S CAFE AND DAIRY Via San Nicolò, 31

The dairy in front of the bookshop was Saba’s favorite place

for a break. He could be found at Walter’s several times a dayand visitors would stop by and chat with him at the table inthe front, near the shop window. At times, when Saba was composing poetry and neededconcentration, Carlo Cerne had to leave the bookshop andstayed at Walter’s until the poet had finished.

OFFICE OF EDOARDO WEISS Via San Lazzaro, 8

Between 1929 and 1931 Saba was treated by Edoardo Weiss,a doctor born in Trieste who introduced Sigmund Freud’spsychoanalytic theory to Italy. Saba stated that meeting Weissmarked the beginning of a new chapter in his life, when hefinally realized the important role played in his life by the wetnurse, whom he contacted and visited frequently.

A child’s cry / rings out in the stairwell. a woman, leaving, / alsoweeps. and in that moment someone’s / heart is broken for alltime. / Forty years / have passed since then. / The child / is nowa man, / almost an old man, and versed / in many thing, bothgood and bad. / That child / is Umberto Saba./ And, in search ofpeace of mind, / he’s gone to talk with his wet nurse. / She too,on leaving him, felt bad or worse / than he, and did not leavehim voluntarily. – Little Berto (1929-1931) –

CAFFè MUNICIPIO (LATER GARIBALDI)Piazza Grande 4-5 (today piazza dell’Unità d’Italia, 5)

Since 1905 Saba and his friends would meet at CaffèMunicipio in Piazza Grande. Here Saba met Silvio Benco, awriter, journalist and critic for the local daily “Piccolo”, whoread his poems and immediately understood the originality ofSaba’s work and the main themes of his poetics. After the First World War the café was renamed CaffèGaribaldi and others joined the intellectuals who wereregulars there, including the writers Svevo, Joyce, QuarantottiGambini, Stuparich and the poet Virgilio Giotti.

CAFFè DEI NEGOZIANTI(TODAY CAFFè TOMMASEO)Piazza dei Negozianti, 3 (today piazza Nicolò Tommaseo, 4C)

Caffè Tommaseo is one of most ancient and prestigious cafésin Trieste. It was one of the first to use gas lighting and the firstto serve ice-cream. Saba himself, in a letter to his friend NoraBaldi dated 21 December 1953, recalls: “I have eaten the mostdelicious pistachio ice-creams, that I am afraid are found nowhereelse in the vast world.” The café was the meeting place of anactive group of intellectuals from Trieste’s middle class, as wellas actors and singers working in the nearby Teatro Comunale(today Teatro Verdi).You see, my heart, after so many / years spent outside of that olddream, / I now return to Caffè dei Negozianti.

– Caffè dei Negozianti (1921) –

BIBLIOTECA CIvICA ATTILIO hORTISVia Madonna del Mare, 13

Ph. +39 040 6758200 Fax +39 040 6758199bibcivica@comune.trieste.itwww.bibliotecacivicahortis.it

The itinerary is also based on:Umberto Saba: Itinerari triestini / Umberto Saba: TriestineItineraries by Renzo S. Crivelli and Elvio GuagniniMGS press, Trieste 2007

Translation of the poems are from U. Saba, Poetry and Prose,selected and translated by V. Moleta, Bridgetown, Æolian Press,2004

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