Ravera, Camilla (1889–1988)

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Ravera, Camilla (1889–1988)

Italian feminist and social reformer. Name variations: resistance names, Silvia and Micheli. Born 1889 in Acqui Terme, in province of Alessandria, Italy; died 1988 in Rome, Italy.

Worked as teacher in Turin before joining Socialist Party and becoming active in group Ordine nuovo; joined Communist Party at its inception and had a feminist column in the newspaper Ordine nuove; became editor of periodical La compagna; after meeting Zetkin and Lenin, became secretary of Communist Party and traveled with Togliatti to Moscow to work in Comintern; arrested upon return to Italy (1930), was imprisoned until 1935, then held under house arrest (1943); resumed political work (1945) and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies; nominated senator for life for work in politics and on behalf of women. Writings include La donna italiana dal primo al secondo Risorgimento (1951), Diario de trenti anni, 1913–43 (1974), and Breve storia del movimento femminile in Italia (1978).