Rino Della Negra, despite never having played an official match for Etoile Rouge de Saint-Ouen, holds a unique status within the club. His story is still prominent, 80 years after he fell to the bullets of the Nazi army on February 21, 1944, at the age of 20.
His life was sacrificed in the name of anti-fascism and universal values, similar to 22 of his comrades from the “Manouchian group”. They will all be honored this Wednesday with the transfer of the ashes of Missak Manouchian and his wife Mélinée to the Pantheon, where their names will be inscribed on a wall surrounding vault number 13.
A born sprinter, a resistance fighter from the start
Rino Della Negra, originally from Argenteuil (Val-d’Oise), joined the Audon club at the end of the 1942-1943 season. He was considered a promising footballer and a natural sprinter. However, his footballing career was interrupted as he joined a group of partisans led by the Armenian poet Missak Manouchian to resist the German enemy.
Della Negra was involved in around fifteen armed operations between May and November 1943. He was a prominent figure of the internal resistance until his capture during an attack by German cash couriers in the Opera district.
Despite being fired from Red Star, he remains a respected figure among his teammates. His story came back in force in the early 2000s, with the Bauer Stadium’s historic stand now unofficially bearing his name.
Italian origins and anti-fascist beliefs
Rino Della Negra’s commitment to anti-fascism was deeply rooted in his family history. Born to Italian parents, he grew up in a neighborhood of Argenteuil inhabited by Italians who had fled Mussolini’s regime, which significantly influenced his anti-fascist beliefs.
Before his execution, Della Negra wrote a final letter to his loved ones, in which he expressed his affection for all those he knew and his love for Red Star. His words reflect the spirit of a young man who, despite the circumstances, maintained a zest for life.
