The discovery that her paternal grandmother, whom she believed to be of English origin, was in fact from a Jewish family, albeit converted, inspired the author to research her origins, starting with her surname, Wildt, which originated in Eastern Europe. Archival research reveals that the family had arrived in Milan in the early 19th century, where they had settled and evidently converted. This concealment of Jewish origins, even in a family of converts, demonstrates the difficulties of being accepted and the need to defend oneself with lies.
Was nonna Lucia aware of her Jewish roots? We will never know, but she certainly kept them secret from her children. How many other Jewish emigrants converted, driven by fear and necessity? How many of us, looking back on the past, might discover hidden traces of our Jewish origins?
Lucetta Scaraffia's research extends to the complex issue of the transmission of Jewish identity, which is often erased. It is a story shared by many families.