“Qualified for professional drawing in 1939, military internee in Germany from 1943 to 1945, he taught in this Institute from 1946 to 1950”. So says the plaque placed this morning, Thursday 24 April 2024, at the entrance to the Traversi secondary school in Meda, in memory of the second lieutenant from Meda Renzo Rhowho after returning from the war had been a teacher in the professional school housed in the structure that now houses the middle school.
A plaque for the second lieutenant
And the Traversi students were present at the short but intense ceremony, made even more exciting by their contribution: they played and sang “Imagine” by John Lennon. Mariarosa, one of the second lieutenant’s daughters, and her nieces were present Louise And Nicolettathe mayor Luca Santambrogio, the councilor Mara Pellegatta, the commander of the city Carabinier station, Giuseppe Vantaggiato, the president of the local Anpi, Amos Badalinthe Alpini Group and the principal of Traversi, Maria Grazia Perego.
Renzo Rho, teacher and designer
Medese doc, born on 7 June 1913 by Antonio Rhowood craftsman, e Rosa Verganistraw worker, at the age of 18, after the loss of his father, he took care of his mother and younger sisters, Lucia And Josephine. He obtained a diploma from the high school of art, enhancing his artistic skills, but also that of a professional school teacher, which allowed him to teach in the local “Arti e mestieri” professional school, a hotbed of talented wood craftsmen, now Traversi middle school. As a freelancer he worked in the field of furniture and design in prestigious furniture companies in Meda, in particular «Giorgetti Luigi fu Giulio».
The experience of war and internment
Called up to arms, in 1941 he went to Albania and Samos, then to other islands of the Dodecanese archipelago, where he worked as a cartographer with the rank of second lieutenant of the infantry complement. In this period he began correspondence with Luigia Giorgetti, who from “war godmother” would later become his wife. After 8 September 1943, having sided against the Germans, he was deported to Germany. Having returned home on 27 July 1945, he resumed his work as a designer and interior designer in Cantù and in September 1946 he married Luigia. A marriage cheered by the birth, in ’47, of Juliana, and in ’48 by Mariarosa. Due to his body weakened by the suffering of imprisonment, he passed away at just 37 years old.
In 2017 he received the Medal of Honor
Precisely to remember his sacrifice in 2017 he was awarded the Medal of Honour, after also receiving the War Merit Cross from the Documentary Center of Milan.
The homage of his Meda
And today the tribute of his Meda arrived, with a ceremony that should have been held on 13 June 2019, as also indicated by the date shown on the plaque, but which due to some vicissitudes was postponed. And finally, after almost five years, it happened.
Santambrogio: “This is a sort of stumbling block”
“Let’s consider it a sort of stumbling block, it was placed outside so it is visible to everyone and anyone who passes by can read and understand why it was placed here – the mayor intervened – Despite the difficulties experienced, once he returned to Meda he was able to pass on his knowledge to young people, teaching in this school, which was then of arts and crafts, and trained those who would later become the greatest furniture makers. Unfortunately he left us very early, in 1950, due to the consequences of his imprisonment. Thank you a beautiful book has been created from the letters he left and the work of the Anpi with the students, which recounts the vicissitudes he experienced”.
Mariarosa: “Thank you all”
“Thanks to all those who worked passionately to create this ceremony in memory of my father, the mayor, the Anpi and the principal – said Mariarosa – I address a thought to you guys: always remember those women and men who like my father, with simplicity and generosity they were able to resist the power of dictatorships and allowed all of us to live in a free and democratic country. Never forget that.”
