Ronco above Ascona – From the Peasant to the Artist Village
Posted Thu Nov 27 20:38:00 UTC 2008
Ronco – the name means vineyard – once a small and poor peasant village became more and more an artist village in all those years. We do not know if this came because of the amazing views from several places in the village or cause of the charm of the old Ticino houses and full of nooks and crannies streets in the old core of the village. However it attracted a lot of famous people like for example the painter Richard Seewald and the film director Kurt Hoffmann, who produced quite all films of Erich Kästner, and Erich Maria Remarque, who became world famous over night by his roman “All Quiet on the Western Front”. They all chosen also Ronco’s cemetery as their last resting place. 1932 Remarque moved to Switzerland and took residence in the “Casa Monte Tabor” in Porto Ronco. He maintained a relationship with Marlene Dietrich of several years and the letters between Porto Ronco and Beverly Hills in the book “Sag mir, dass du mich liebst” is the report of this long passion. Remarque had friendship with different gallery owners, booksellers and antiquarian in Ascona as with Wladimir Rosenbaum for example, the former husband of the writer Aline Valangin. He was in third marriage with the American actress Paulette Goddard, previously married to Charlie Chaplin. Together with her and her mother he is entombed on the cemetery of Ronco above Ascona. His villa, the “Casa Monte Tabor” was sold by Wetag some years ago to the present owner. There are a few rare opportunities to live in one of Ascona’s great properties. The experts at Wetag can find you rare gems within the very sought-after location.
Posted By: 
Claudia Starck
