Sette Giugno

• Sette Giugno


  1919
• Malta's situation after WW1- 1918

  Malta didn't fight in WW1 but the effects could still be felt:

  • German submarines attacked vessels in the Mediterranean which led to food shortages
  • The price of bread doubled but wages did not increase
  • The British government introduced new taxes
• In 1916, the first Maltese workers union was introduced- the Malta government union and consisted of around 4000 members

  • They went on strike and demanded a pay rise. The british gave them a 50% rise.
  • due to the end of the war, These workers started being dismissed
  • From 15,000 workers in 1916 to 7,000 workers in 1919
• with the end of the war...

  • Emigration closed
  • Many shortages and people living in poverty
  • took a while for prices to be reduced
  • People were dismissed from their jobs
• In November 1918, Dr. Fillipo Sciberras told the Maltese politicians to meet at the Giovane Club in Valletta.

  • They drafted a constitution and gave it to the British government
  • The first meeting took place at the National Assembly ( a meeting for all Maltese politicians) in February 1919
• the period of February- June 1919

  • A protest in May in Valletta by University Students
  • Fear of riots against the British government
  • The political situation became worse
  • people where dismissed from their jobs
• What happened on 7th June 1919?

  • A crowd of people entered Valletta to show support for the Second national assembly in Giovane Malta
  • the crowd Violent and started damaging houses, shops and houses of Maltese business men who where pro- British
  • a british printing press was set on fire
  • British soldiers where called in and shots where fired
  • 3 youths where injured- Wenzu Dyer, Manwel Attard and Giuseppe Bajada
• What happened on 8th June, 1919?

  • The crowd went back to Valletta to protest the killing of 3 Maltese youths
  • The fourth victim, Karmenu Abela, was injured but later died on the 14th of June
  • There were other small riots around Malta against business men and importers of wheat
  • The 7th & 8th of June where the only days that the British opened fire on the Maltese
• Governor Plumer declares a state of emergency...

  • Censorship of newspapers
  • No political demonstrations could take place
  • subsidise bread so that the price would decrease
  • arresting the leaders of the riots
• What was done so poverty could be reduced?

  • Renovation of gardens
  • construction of schools
  • road works
• govenor Plumer a hero?

  • plumer supported the Maltese in front of the Secretary of State for Colonies. ​
  • He insisted that the Maltese were to be given a constitution with a government elected by the people.  ​
  • The British gave us the 1921 Constitution – Constitution of a responsible government (a government that takes care of its local matters).​

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