Teodoro Mayer

Teodoro Mayer is the pseudonym of Biniamin David Vita, born in Trieste in 1861 from a Jewish family.

As a young man he reveals his talent as journalist and founder of newspapers. In 1875 he launches the “Corriere dei francobolli” which he manages up to 1879 when he opens and manages till 1884  another newspaper called “Inevitabile”.

During the 19th century Trieste saw the birth of a number of newspapers, almost all of them concerned with political issues. Mayer on the other hand wanted a cheap and simple paper to become point of reference for the Italian speaking population.

On December 29, 1881 he launches “Il Piccolo di Trieste”, the daily newspaper bound to become the major Trieste paper in Italian language which in a very short time boasts the highest circulation. Even if it is not siding with any particular political ideology, it is quite close to irredentism. Mayer is a follower of the liberal-national movement and succeeds in convincing Gabriele D’Annunzio to come to Trieste to strengthen the irredentist patriots in their belief. Because of his political conviction, in 1915 the headquarters of his journal are set on fire together with the headquarters of the main pro-Italian associations.

Mayer maintains management and ownership of “Il Piccolo” until 1938 when he is forced to resign due to racial laws. Teodoro Mayer dies in Rome in 1942.