Cattaneo Lidia (Gelmi)

Cattaneo, Lidia Lidia Cattaneo (born Gelmi), a mother of two boys and two girls, lived in Bergamo. Twenty-six-year-old Irene Weiss (later Herskowitsh), originally from Abbazia, first contacted Cattaneo after September 1943, by which time she and her family had left Abbazia and moved to Trieste. She was given a letter addressed to Cattaneo, written by Cattaneo’s brother, an Italian officer posted in Abbazia whom she had met by accident. This officer assured her that his sister would be willing to help her and her family. Indeed, shortly after they arrived in Trieste, Irene went to Bergamo to look for Cattaneo. Upon reading the brother’s letter, Cattaneo and her family decided to help Irene and her relatives. Cattaneo was a rich woman with good contacts, and she used her influence to help Irene’s family – her immediate family as well as other relatives, all refugees who were escaping deportation. She personally went to Trieste to bring Irene’s family to Bergamo, and then she helped them hide in the mountains. She also used to bring them food. Irene’s family consisted of her parents, Zvi and Fanny; sisters Jolanda, Giuditta, Rosina, Erna, Etta; and brother Alessandro. Cattaneo accompanied them to their hiding places, making sure they were in good hands. At the same time she also negotiated with smugglers and paid them. Due to a serious leg injury, Irene did not join her family. Instead, she moved into Cattaneo’s home in January 1944. She stayed under her protection until May 1945, and was treated as if she were Cattaneo’s own daughter. The house was searched several times, and it was very risky to keep Irene; nevertheless, Cattaneo managed to stay in control of the situation. In one of the groups she organized for transfer to Switzerland, one old lady, Irene’s aunt, Laura Weiss, could not make it and was left behind in the mountain area. For one month Cattaneo took care of her, bringing her food. Later she paid the smugglers once again to take her over theborder. Lidia Cattaneo’s generosity was manifested also by the experience of the Jakobowits and Galandauer families who were helped by her to escape to Switzerland. Cattaneo’s readiness to extend help as she did reflected her beliefs and human values. It was also a clear protest against the persecution of innocent human beings. On April 28, 1974, Yad Vashem recognized Lidia Cattaneo as Righteous Among the Nations.