After meeting him, the Alpha was no longer "Anonymous". Today Elvira tells the story of a great man: Nicola Romeo.
In the history of Alfa Romeo, the Neapolitan engineer had a decisive influence. Despite a promising start, the A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili) went into crisis on the eve of the First World War, so much so that on 28 September 1915 it was put into liquidation.
It was saved by the Discount Bank which owned the majority of the shares and passed it to the "Accomandita Semplice Ing. Nicola Romeo & C." on December 2 of the same year, decreed the historic marriage.
Nicola Romeo with his wife Angelina, in the photo kindly granted by Giuseppina Maglia.
At the end of the war it was complicated and laborious to return to civilian production after building artillery bullets, but even on this occasion the engineer Romeo demonstrated his talent as an entrepreneur by restarting automotive production.
Another confirmation of Nicola Romeo's far-sightedness came from the impulse that he was able to give to the sporting activity. Alfa Romeo cars won prestigious races, but what he was aiming for was success in the World Championship. And he also won the World Championship in 1925, with the P2 designed by Vittorio Jano.
In December of the same year, H.A. Ing. Nicola Romeo &C broke up. General Manager was appointed Pasquale Gallo while Nicola Romeo, to compensate him for his partial ousting, was offered the position of President, a position he held until 1928 when he moved to his villa in Magreglio, above Lake Como, where he lived his last years of life and where he died on 15 August 1938.
Elvira Ruocco, historical memory of Alfa Romeo, thanks to her more than twenty years of experience at the Alfa Romeo Centro di Documentazione Storica, has become part of the Museum team and in the column "Elvira Racconta" she will share curiosities and anecdotes that you may not know or remember. We will retrace the legendary history of Alfa Romeo with her.
