Laives


Laives, also known as Leifers, is a town and a comune in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. It is located about south of the city of Bolzano. Laives is one of only six mainly Italian-speaking municipalities in South Tyrol, and is the fourth-largest municipality in the province.
The town's main language fluctuated severely in the 19th and 20th centuries as part of Austria-Hungary and then the Kingdom of Italy. Laives' population is noted as being especially proficient in both Italian and German linguistic codes.

Names

The town was first mentioned as Leiuers in 1237.
As it is more than 70% Italian-speaking, the town is usually known in English by its Italian name, Laives. It is also known by its German-language name, Leifers; South Tyrol is mainly German-speaking. The municipality is officially bilingual in Italian and German.

Geography

As of 30 November 2010, Laives had a population of 17,168 and an area of.

Subdivisions

The municipality contains four urban centers:
  • Laives
  • Pineta
  • San Giacomo
  • La Costa
Laives is the seat of the town hall, Pineta and San Giacomo are two frazioni, while La Costa is – according to the municipal statute – a località, but it is often referred to as a frazione also in the official documentation. The Brantental valley connects it with Deutschnofen.

History

Laives' population was highly affected by political changes in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and, after World War I, by the Italianization of South Tyrol.
In 1890, Peterlini records that the town had a slight majority of Italian-speakers compared to German-speakers. Rapid population changes in the Austro-Hungarian Empire caused Laives/Leifers in 1910 to have far more German-speakers than Italian- and Ladin-speakers.
After World War I, South Tyrol became part of the Kingdom of Italy. A 1923 order by the fascist government led to the province's forced Italianization including through migration, particularly in areas around Bolzano. After World War II, Italian-speakers comprised 75% of Laives' population by 1971.

Coat-of-arms

The emblem consists of an argent pile, with concave sides on azure and a chapel on a mountain of gules. The sign, similar to that of the Counts of Lichtenstein who lived in the castle on Mount Köfele, represents the church of Peterköfele. The emblem was adopted in 1970.

Society

Laives has had the youngest population for a town in South Tyrol since 1985, and the municiplity has had some of the province's largest population increases.

Linguistic distribution

According to the 2024 census, 74.47% of the town's population speak Italian, 25.16% German and 0.36% Ladin as first language.
The complex linguistic history of Laives has caused the traditional population there to be especially adept at code-switching, according to the linguist. Locals have traditionally been fluent in four dialects: standard Italian, German, the Tyrolean dialect of German, and the Italian Trentino dialect. The Trentino dialect's presence has weakened with the arrival from Bolzano of Italian-speakers who do not use that dialect; "paradoxically, the Trentino dialect is currently still part of the repertoire of the community". Due to population shifts, this linguistic repertoire is expected to become more simplified.
Language200120112024
German29.07%27.99%25.16%
Italian70.42%71.50%74.47%
Ladin0.51%0.51%0.36%

Culture

The is one of the most important carnivals in Trentino-South Tyrol.
The city is also the headquarters of the Coro Monti Pallidi, an all-male a cappella chorus founded in 1967 by Sergio Maccagnan and conducted since 2004 by Paolo Maccagnan.

Notable people