Adele Racheli facts for kids

Adele Racheli (1897 - 1992) was an amazing Italian engineer. She helped start a very successful company in Milan in 1925. This company protected new ideas and inventions for Italian professionals. It's still a thriving business today!

Adele Racheli's Early Life and Education

Adele Racheli was born on July 14, 1897, in Piacenza, Italy. Her parents were Maria Carolina and Vitorio Racheli. She had seven younger brothers and sisters. To help her learn, Adele would copy her school notes by hand every night. Then, she would sell these notes to her classmates!

She went to high school and two years of university in Piacenza. Later, her family moved to Milan. There, Adele became one of the first women to study at the Polytechnic University of Milan. In 1920, she graduated with a degree in industrial mechanical engineering. She was the very first woman to complete this course!

A Passion for Fixing Things

In an interview in 1985, Adele shared her early love for mechanics. She said it came from her passion for fixing bicycles. Back then, bicycles often broke down. She also mentioned that her family thought she was "crazy" for her interests. But for Adele, it didn't matter. She was proud of her life's achievements.

Building a Career in Engineering

One of Adele Racheli's first jobs was at a patent office in Milan. This job changed her life. It taught her how important it was to protect new ideas and inventions. These are called "intellectual property."

Starting Her Own Business

In 1925, Adele decided to open her own patent protection office. It was in Milan and called the Racheli & Bossi Patent Office. She started it with a colleague named Rosita Bossi. Today, the company's name is simply Racheli. It has two other offices in Italy, besides the main one in Milan. The company helps businesses and inventors protect their ideas both in Italy and around the world.

Supporting Women in Engineering

Adele Racheli also helped other women in technical fields. On January 26, 1957, she helped create a new group. It was called the Italian Association of Women Engineers and Architects (AIDIA). She worked with other engineers like Emma Strada and Anna E. Armour. They also worked with architect Vittoria Ilardi.

The idea for this group actually started in 1948. Electrical engineer Maria Artini first suggested it. She wanted to help women working in technical jobs. Sadly, Maria Artini passed away before AIDIA could officially begin. Adele and her friends made sure the idea came to life.

Working Hard, Even at 91

In that 1985 interview, Adele Racheli was 91 years old. She was still working eight hours a day in her office! She didn't even go home for lunch. A plaque in her office showed she had been a member of the Order of Engineers for 50 years. The interviewer described her as someone who started as a simple clerk. But she became the owner of one of Milan's most successful patent offices. Even at her age, she didn't want to stop working. She asked, "Should I stop prematurely?"

Adele Racheli's Family Life

On February 22, 1923, Adele married an engineer named Constante Domenighetti. He had gone to the same university as her. He also started his own company. After marrying, Adele changed her name to Adele Racheli Domenighetti. In 1985, she proudly said she always earned more money than him!

Adele and Constante had five children: Domenico, twins Dafne and Diana (born in 1929), Daria, and Delfina.

During World War Two, their home and offices were destroyed by bombs in 1943. To stay safe, the family moved to Switzerland.

Adele Racheli Domenighetti passed away on January 3, 1992.