My Family
This was an Italian postcard in the 20's.
Run by Cav. Silvio Magnani, grandfather of Gabriele, the Salumificio
was really vital for the economy of the small town near Parma,
because employed many persons in that period.
In those years, there was not a great welfare.
Mussolin got the political power in 1922.
The Salumificio Magnani was active also during the war period.
The Factory sent many containers of food at the italian army troops in North Africa.
The Sala Baganza town at the time was quite small, and the only postacard available were this one, and others three: the Rocca Sanvitale, the Roman Aqueduct and the residence of the 'Imperatrice Maria Luigia d'Austria' in 'Boschi di Carrega'. The 'Imperatrice di Francia Maria Luigia' was second wife of Napoleone Bonaparte in 1810, and Duchessa del Ducato di Parma, Piacenza e Guastalla in the first half of the Nineteenth Century.
Business Card, Salumificio Magnani.
How it's possible to see in this card,
the Factory, in the late 20's , was Industry of 'Food Products' as well . The Cav. Silvio Magnani's Industries , was one of the biggest in that field; and not only in Italy. The Industries in Sala Baganza made, pigs slaughtering and production of all kinds of salumi,and the new industries in Medesano (always near Parma) produced all the tomatos products for the market. All these industries belonged to the Magnani Family until 1955.
In this notebook, its' possible to see the change of the Factory in s.p.a. That's happened in the 30'-40's. As permitted by law in the beginning of the 20th Century, the Factory before was 'Società Anonima'. After 1955, until to the end of 1900,and in part up today, all the industries was run in different periods, by three-four very known international Food Company Holding.
Great grandfather Antonio Magnani and Great grandmother Adele - Italy
Giuseppina , Gabriele's grandmother.
Vittorio Magnani in 1919. Gabriele's father at the age of 1 year.
All the activity in food business of the Magnani Family, were already known at the end of the Nineteen Century, with the Gabriele great-grandfather Antonio Magnani.
Gabriele's father Vittorio. Year 1939.
Gabriele's mother Olga Venturini. Year 1938. She was 16 years old. She was born 1922.
Gabriele's grand father Romeo Venturini. He was Olga's father.
He was very known in Parma town, as one of the most important owner, around Parma,
of 'caseifici' to produce the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
His portrait photograph was taken in the year 1944.
He married Giuseppina Giavarini, and they had 5 childrens: Gisella,Alba,Virginia,Olga e Alberto. Giuseppina died young in 1949. At the end of the fifties, Romeo married Anna Greci, widow of founder of the Greci Tomato Industries.
Olga, Gabriele's mother. Year 1940.
Olga, in 1942 at 20 years old.
Vittorio Magnani in the army. Year 1939.
Vittorio Magnani, year 1943.
Vittorio Magnani, year 1944.
At the back of this photograph-postcard, there is written:
Alla mia cara Olga con infinito ed immutabile amore. Signed, Vittorio 1944.
Olga in Riviera ligure 1942.
Olga just before getting married.
Ines Bertelli, Cav. Silvio Magnani wife. Photograph of the Fifties. Ines gave birth to two sons: Piero born in 1915 e Vittorio born 1919.
There is a real incredible story behind this card, 'Cartolina Postale Per Le Forze Armate' in the age of Mussolini regime. Gabriele's father Vittorio, from the italian front, sent this card to his family in april 1942, but the postcard never arrived to his family. In the 2002, a person who live in Parma, went for holiday in London and in a market in central London, found this card. He bought the card for £ 6.50. He knew the name of Gabriele' father. When he back at home in Parma, he went to Sala Baganza and he met Vittorio. Vittorio couldn't believe that when he saw the postcard. Yes the postcard now was really delivered. After 60 years!
In the army, Vittorio sent this Postcard (this arrived to his family!) from Mercenasco (Torino) in June 1940.
Vittorio Magnani and Olga Venturini Magnani in april 1952; three years after they get married. Here they are just after the cerimony wedding of Vittorio's cousin Luisa Magnani. From left Vittorio, Olga, Luisa, Enrico. In the background of the photograph, you can see Italy just after the war. Italy that start again, to build a new life after the disaster of the II World War.
Forte dei Marmi (Lucca- Tuscany), summer 1953, Gabriele's mather Olga, with her first son Silvio, born in February 1949.
Forte dei Marmi, Olga summer 1954. This photograph shows Olga very happy; happy because she had just known that was pregnant again. She was expecting Gabriele.
Palazzo Magnani, Sala Baganza. From Left Silvio,Gabriele, the nanny Mariuccia, Olga.
Year 1957, Gabriele's birthday. Gabriele is 2 years old.
Gabriele's father Vittorio, was in Venezuela. One of the biggest international food company,
wanted him in a factory in Caracas. At the time, in Italy, Vittorio was one of the leader specialist
about the production of pork cured meat.
Olga at home: Palazzo Magnani in the Sixties. Her so sweet smile, means that everything is fine. Silvio and Gabriele are growing very well. Vittorio is Back from Venezuela, and he is doing well. Now he is an independent business agent, who works especially with one big name company specialized in the market retail of the cured pork meat, and in the meantime he is starting to create a new industry only about production of cured ham. His brother Piero remained in the Sala Baganza factory, now under a new company.