Alda Costa
(Ferrara 1876- Copparo 1944)
She was a socialist, antifascist teacher who constantly worked to make education better for the lower classes, opposing to the fascist regime following ideals of freedom.
She was born in Ferrara in 1876, studied to get her degree in primary teaching and started her carreer in 1895, immediately realizing the importance of education for the lower classes. She felt the need to dedicate her time to politics in favour of the lower class. In 1907 she signed up to the Ferrara Federation of the Italian Socialist Party and was particularly active in the feminist struggle. She was named responsible for the province of Ferrara of the propaganda for peace and the party's female organization. During the regime years she was accused of antipatriotism and persecuted because she refused to partecipate with her students to public manifestations that emphasized the cruelty of the war. In 1926 she refused to pledge alliegance to the regime and moved to Milan, where she was arrested and confined to the Tremiti islands and later to a small town in Basilicata.
Once back in Ferrara, she started teaching privately, especially to the lower class, and kept on working against the regime. She was arrested and interrogated multiple times until her liberation on July 25th 1943: she never betrayed her companions. She was then arrested again and moved to Copparo hospital because of her health problems caused by the beatings and inhumane condititions she endured.
She died on April 30th 1944.
The Primary School in Largo Antonioni in the Rationalist neighbourhood is dedicated to her.
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