Deep-dive

Identity: bilingualism, language groups, autonomy

German, Italian and Ladin are official languages in the province; in Bolzano public offices communicate in German and Italian and place names are bilingual. The ten-yearly census of language groups sets the proportional share of public posts and some resources. Autonomy stems from the 1946 Paris Agreement.

Sections: Geography · History · Population · Languages · Time zone · Public holidays

Languages in public life

The province's official languages are German, Italian and Ladin. Public administrations and local authorities based in South Tyrol must guarantee the use of German and Italian in written and oral communication with citizens; Ladin speakers may choose Italian or German. Place names are a provincial matter with mandatory bilingualism: place names, starting with Bolzano/Bozen, are bilingual. The right to use one's mother tongue is one of the four pillars of the balance between groups, together with participation, proportional representation and the protection of fundamental interests.

Language groups and proportional system

The size of the three language groups is measured every ten years by the language census required by the Statute; the latest edition, run by ASTAT, has 30 September 2023 as reference date, with online participation between December 2023 and February 2024 and paper forms collected until June 2024. The results are used to calculate the proportional system, which governs political representation, access to public employment and the allocation of resources such as culture funding or social housing, applied flexibly.

1946: Paris Agreement (Degasperi–Gruber) between Italy and Austria.
1948: first Autonomy Statute, joining the provinces of Bolzano and Trento in one region.
1957: the Castel Firmiano rally ("Los von Trient").
1969: approval of the "Package" of 137 measures.
1972: second Autonomy Statute, in force from 20 January, ensuring equality and protection of the three language groups.
1992: Austria's release declaration, with all Package measures implemented.
2009 and 2014: Milan Agreement and guarantee pact on provincial finances (nine tenths of tax revenue stay in the province).
2026: a reform of the Autonomy Statute is under way.