Profile

Daughter of Georges Maire and Fernande Kampmann, she was born in France, where she met Peppino Caprotti during his study stay in her hometown, later following him to Albiate. The couple had three children — Bernardo, Guido, and Claudio. Thanks to her American cousin, Alfred M. Ellinger, son of her aunt Lucie Kampmann, she helped the Manifattura Caprotti secure Marshall Plan funding, which revitalized the company’s fortunes in the postwar years.

Read 23 articles about Marianne Maire

History of Esselunga History of the Caprotti and Venosta families Local History

Peppino Caprotti – Final tragedy, honours to the Mayor

In June 1952, grandfather Peppino died in a car accident while returning from a deer hunt in Austria. Peppino had been elected mayor of Albiate only a year earlier. A few days later, the whole town attended the mayor's funeral. Peppino was also remembered in the first of the annual pamphlets that the municipal administration published at the end of each of its terms. The story of Peppino and his family has always intersected with that of his village, and in "Le Ossa dei Caprotti" I have narrated it.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

The character of Grandpa Peppino

Caprotti's men were sanguine, quarrelsome characters, easily ignited, competitive and sometimes ruthless. But they could also be cheerful, enthusiastic, vital, and feel a deep affection for the family, although this same powerful vitalism and strong competitiveness often led to misunderstandings and jealousies that were difficult if not impossible to reconcile. Grandpa Peppino's story is not very different from the general picture.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families Local History

Caprotti’s ‘extended family’ between Albiate and Milan

There is a long list of closely trusted people with whom the families of yesteryear surrounded themselves and filled their homes, people who called their employers by name ('scior Bernardo', 'sciora Bettina', 'scior Peppin'), knew more about their lives sometimes than themselves, and were always there at every important family event, with pride and sometimes even emotion.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families Local History

Around the Caprottis: the beloved villa in Albiate

Since the end of the 19th century, when the Caprotti family bought the villa, much of the family history passed through that house, and continues to do so. Many photographs recount it, many memories that have remained in the letters and in the souls of those who lived them, and bring back serene photos among the trees, the games in the courtyard, the animals that once were, even the old carriages that the family used for a long time, even after the advent of cars, and which still exist.

History of Esselunga History of Italy History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

Peppino and Peppino Caprotti: America’s uncles and the Marshall Plan

In 1893, Lucie Amélie Kampmann, one of the sisters of my great-grandmother Fernande – the mother of my grandmother Marianne Maire Caprotti – married Julian Ellinger, who was born in Baltimore, and moved with him to the United States. Their son Alfred, my grandmother’s cousin, would be instrumental in securing Marshall Plan funds for the Caprotti factory.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

Marianne’s early years

My grandmother Marianne Maire, daughter of Georges Maire, who went from being a clerk to an executive in a textile industry, and Fernande Kampmann, heir to a family tradition in the fine craft of straw hats, met Peppino Caprotti in 1922 as a young student in her hometown. Two years later she married him and together they began their life in Italy.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

The Caprotti family female: my grandmother Marianne Maire, 1920s

Marianne Maire, a Frenchwoman from Épinal, was Grandpa Peppino's wife, whom he met while studying in France. She was not an easy character, but I remember most of all the sweetness with which she treated us grandchildren. When, in the 1960s, her three sons decided to take over their share of Supermarket (the future Esselunga) from the Americans of IBEC, she came to their rescue with 300 million lire at the time and the relinquishment of most of her rights over Manifattura Caprotti and the family assets she had inherited from her late husband, helping them in no small measure to achieve their goal.

History of Esselunga History of the Caprotti and Venosta families Local History

Peppino Caprotti – Final tragedy, honours to the Mayor

In June 1952, grandfather Peppino died in a car accident while returning from a deer hunt in Austria. Peppino had been elected mayor of Albiate only a year earlier. A few days later, the whole town attended the mayor's funeral. Peppino was also remembered in the first of the annual pamphlets that the municipal administration published at the end of each of its terms. The story of Peppino and his family has always intersected with that of his village, and in "Le Ossa dei Caprotti" I have narrated it.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

The character of Grandpa Peppino

Caprotti's men were sanguine, quarrelsome characters, easily ignited, competitive and sometimes ruthless. But they could also be cheerful, enthusiastic, vital, and feel a deep affection for the family, although this same powerful vitalism and strong competitiveness often led to misunderstandings and jealousies that were difficult if not impossible to reconcile. Grandpa Peppino's story is not very different from the general picture.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families Local History

Caprotti’s ‘extended family’ between Albiate and Milan

There is a long list of closely trusted people with whom the families of yesteryear surrounded themselves and filled their homes, people who called their employers by name ('scior Bernardo', 'sciora Bettina', 'scior Peppin'), knew more about their lives sometimes than themselves, and were always there at every important family event, with pride and sometimes even emotion.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families Local History

Around the Caprottis: the beloved villa in Albiate

Since the end of the 19th century, when the Caprotti family bought the villa, much of the family history passed through that house, and continues to do so. Many photographs recount it, many memories that have remained in the letters and in the souls of those who lived them, and bring back serene photos among the trees, the games in the courtyard, the animals that once were, even the old carriages that the family used for a long time, even after the advent of cars, and which still exist.

History of Esselunga History of Italy History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

Peppino and Peppino Caprotti: America’s uncles and the Marshall Plan

In 1893, Lucie Amélie Kampmann, one of the sisters of my great-grandmother Fernande – the mother of my grandmother Marianne Maire Caprotti – married Julian Ellinger, who was born in Baltimore, and moved with him to the United States. Their son Alfred, my grandmother’s cousin, would be instrumental in securing Marshall Plan funds for the Caprotti factory.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

Marianne’s early years

My grandmother Marianne Maire, daughter of Georges Maire, who went from being a clerk to an executive in a textile industry, and Fernande Kampmann, heir to a family tradition in the fine craft of straw hats, met Peppino Caprotti in 1922 as a young student in her hometown. Two years later she married him and together they began their life in Italy.

History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

The Caprotti family female: my grandmother Marianne Maire, 1920s

Marianne Maire, a Frenchwoman from Épinal, was Grandpa Peppino's wife, whom he met while studying in France. She was not an easy character, but I remember most of all the sweetness with which she treated us grandchildren. When, in the 1960s, her three sons decided to take over their share of Supermarket (the future Esselunga) from the Americans of IBEC, she came to their rescue with 300 million lire at the time and the relinquishment of most of her rights over Manifattura Caprotti and the family assets she had inherited from her late husband, helping them in no small measure to achieve their goal.

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History of the Caprotti and Venosta families

The Caprotti family: Bernardo Caprotti and Giorgina’s wedding, November 1958, Uncle Claudio and Grandmother Marianne

"Grandma has a weakness: she is madly in love with her third son, my uncle Claudio. Some friends told me that Claudio was allowed to have breakfast and lunch in bed when he was in Albiate. Bernardo suffered from this unique relationship and I am convinced that jealousy between the two brothers was one of the causes of the quarrels that shook our family.