“My dreams for the future are simple: to be able to get out of bed and spend time with my grandson, remembering the past, reading stories, and talking.”
Oscar Remonda is born in 1920 in Bellinzona. His father, Peppino, originally from the Onsernone valley, works at the State Bank; his mother, Irene, comes from Faido. He grows up with his three siblings and keeps fond memories of his childhood: summers in the mountains and the gift of a little dog.
After primary school and gymnasium, Oscar Remonda attends high school in Lugano. Every morning, he takes the 7 a.m. train and runs to Ciani Park, sometimes even climbing onto the moving train with his classmates, their bags passed through the window. The outbreak of the war and military service, however, disrupt his plans. As a soldier, he hoped to become a nurse, but he is first assigned as a carabiniere. The long marches on the Gesero cause him severe back pain, which he suffers from throughout his life. Due to his vision problems, he is later transferred to the medical service, where he serves at the Chiasso lazaret. There, Oscar tends to refugees, smugglers, British aviators, deportees returning from Nazi camps, and even encounters Mussolini turned back at the border. He also accompanies Mussolini’s daughter, Edda Ciano, by train to Bellinzona, not knowing who she is, and only discovers it upon arrival. He also vividly remembers April 27, 1945, when German soldiers threatened to blow up a truck to enter Chiasso.
After the army, Oscar Remonda works in Bern for the State Bank, handling contacts with Italian clients and helping, with his colleagues, to organize one of the first pension funds. In a Bern restaurant, he meets Erika from Interlaken, whom he affectionately calls Eki. They marry in 1949 in Lucerne, halfway between their two families. They settle in Cassarate and then Breganzona, where their children are born, before finally moving to Viganello. Their life is marked by work and family commitments, but they often go to the mountains for long walks.
At 65, Oscar Remonda retires. He remembers very large eyes watching him at the birth of his grandson Federico. The same eyes that now allow him to see what he can no longer distinguish himself due to his vision loss. With his grandson, he shares stories, readings, political discussions, and tales of Don Camillo. It is through these conversations that Federico chooses to become a teacher.
At 103, Oscar Remonda still lives at home in Viganello. His dreams are simple: to be able to get out of bed despite his back pain and spend time with his grandson, remembering, reading, and discussing what is happening in the world.