Turrini Adele

Bortolameotti, Monsignor Guido Turrini, Adele Don Guido Bortolameotti, born in Vattaro (Trento) in 1904, was the village priest in Cloz in Trentino province. His housekeeper, Adele Turrini, was born in Lover (Campodenno) in Trentino, in 1910. Dr. Augusto Rovighi, an engineer, owned an office in Bolzano prior to the racial laws of 1938. However, with the promulgation of the anti-Jewish laws, he was no longer able to practice his profession. After September 8, 1943, when the Germans started to round up the Italian Jews for deportation, Rovighi fled to Cloz, where his wife Margherita had been born. She was already there with their two daughters. At first Rovighi was sheltered in the home of a relative, but this hideout was not safe. The family had many children, and the house was always full of people. While Rovighi was considering other options, the village priest, Don Guido Bortolameotti, approached him with the offer that he move into his house. After two weeks of hiding with the relative, Rovighi left and went to stay with Bortolameotti and his housekeeper, Adele Turrini. He stayed with them safely until May 2, 1945. Since Rovighi had neither financial means nor ration cards, Bortolameotti provided him with food from his own meager food rations. The clergyman and his helper risked their lives and positions to save Rovighi. They had to watch their steps at all times so as not to arouse suspicion. Searches were a matter of daily routine. Margherita taught in the local elementary school and would come to visit her husband in hiding. In order to justify her presence, the priest appointed her to be the librarian of the parochial library. Whenever the Rovighis mentioned to Bortolameotti that they were aware of the risks and danger to which he was exposing himself for their sake, his answer was: “If I will be arrested, another priest will take my place.” He consistently refused to receive any compensation from them. In the face of public indifference,Bortolameotti and Turrini believed in adhering to the duties of their religion and the dictates of their conscience. On December 14, 1981,Yad Vashem recognized Monsignor Guido Bortolameotti and Adele Turrini as Righteous Among the Nations.