Page 6 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 59 Spring 2026

The Gammerino
The Gammerino
by Bobbie Borne

FIREWORKS FAMILY

In the previous issue of the Walling-
ford Magazine, I wrote about the
Backes fireworks family in Walling-
ford operating from the 1870s to the
1960s. They were nationally known
for their novelty fireworks products.
But they weren’t the only pyrotech-
nicians in town! The following story
focuses on the Gammerinos, another
fireworks family in Wallingford at a
similar time. Whereas the founder of
the Backes and Sons Fireworks Com-
pany, Michael Backes, was from Ger-
many, the Gammerinos originated in
Italy and specialized in aerial fireworks
displays.

A SMALL TOWN IN ITALY
Only a few notable people hail from
the small town of Montella, Italy. The
grandparents of actress Maria Bello,
the serial killer Leonarda Cianciulli
(who turned her three murder victims
into soap!), and our own Geno Au-
riemma, coach of the UCONN Huskies
women’s basketball team. Saint Fran-
cis of Assisi founded a monastery near-
by where people could stay to avoid
the leprosy rumored to be rampant in
Montella in the 13th Century. Located
in the province of Avellino, near Na-
ples, Montella was also home to the
Gammerino family. Though the name
may be unfamiliar today, the Gam-
merinos were well-known in Italy as
the Fireworks Family. For at least four Rose Raimo, and his aunt Anna Ma- Along with his extended family, Dona-
generations Gammerinos, both wom- ria were respected and admired for to Gammerino acquired the skills to
en and men, put on elaborate displays their professional work and in much produce and display splendid aerial
with the many intricate fireworks they demand. Their fame spread outside fireworks. He had no formal education
created. Few facts about the family in of Avellino and they were hired to put but at an early age worked hard at the
Italy exist—at least that I could discov- on shows all over southern Italy. They business. When Donato turned 20 in
er without traveling there. The follow- were especially known for the elabo- 1886, he married a girl from his town,
ing story is constructed mostly from rate finales they created and were fa- Irene Masucci, said to have been only
the scraps of information I gathered vored by King Umberto I who enjoyed 14 years old—and soon after he was
from local newspapers, Ancestry.com observing the pyrotechnic displays conscripted into the Royal Italian
and FamilySearch.com, along with in Rome outside his palace window. Army to serve for three years, ending
communications with Gammerino de- Aunt Anna Maria, earned a national his service as a sergeant. Donato and
scendants. reputation as Anna Maria of Montella, his unit were probably employed put-
Donato Gammerino was born in 1866 no surname necessary, also dubbed ting down peasant revolts in Sicily.
“La Batteria di Anna Maria” [batteria
in Montello into the fireworks busi- means drums].
ness. His father Matteo, his mother

6 WALLINGFORD MAGAZINE - SPRING 2026