Sabine Lingenauber 
The women and the schools of Reggio Emilia
part 1
dvd video (runtime: 42 minutes)

ISBN 978-3-89733-529-5

From 1943 to 1973, hundreds of women in Reggio Emilia struggled collectively for day nurseries and nursery schools. They did so as partisans, activists, and politicians, together with male and female citizens. Women activists of various generations were united by values, goals, and friendships. Some protagonists continued the struggle as municipal, provincial, and regional councillors, or as members of the national parliament. In this way they continued the work of the “Women’s Defence Groups” (GDD) and the “Union of Italian Women” (UDI). These women translated their values into decisions and actions, thus helping the establishment and spread of day nurseries and nursery schools in Reggio Emilia: Ione Bartoli, Eletta Bertani, Giacomina Castagnetti, Loretta Giaroni, Lidia Greci, Marta Lusuardi, Carla Nironi.

“Every single municipal nursery school was the result of a struggle. I call it a struggle because that is what it was, on the part of parents and citizens who wanted to have municipal nursery schools. Every nursery school, each of these 21, came into being like this. Each of them has its own distinct characteristics, let’s say, but each nursery school was won through the participation of parents, of citizens, and of the district committee.”