European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 16, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 16 the stars and stripes tuesday july w modern living re pea editor s note carefully shielded from publicity and each living individual lives the Diligence quintuplets of Argentina have now reached 25. By parental wish they have been apart most of their lives and have rarely visited together. A by roman Jimenez a staff writer the diligent quintuplets celebrated their25th birthday monday in typical fashion with out Celebration and without the three girls and two boys were born in Buenos Aires Argentina in 1943, their father Franco an italian immigrant who had made a Fortune in textiles decided to spare the children what he Felt was the circus like publicity which surrounded Caha a s famous Dionne first he tried to keep the birth a secret. When word leaked out he refused to let newsmen or any one else see the quilts. Mrs. Diligenti a former italian opera Singer Dis agreed with her husband s passion for anonymity but Diligenti persisted and the children grew up although they Are the world s Only living set of adult quintuplets Only occasional news items remind the world of their existence Diligenti told friends that to wanted the infants to become individuals and to Lead fully Independent lives. That s exactly How we grew up As individuals said Maria Fernanda one of the quilts. We always had the feeling we were Normal youngsters never dressed alike and they at though apart from her Brothers and Sisters most of the time Maria Christina was introduced to husband Bruce Zimmerman by her older Stepbrother. A phots the Diligenti quintuplets 15th birthday in Buenos Aires was the occasion of a rare family photograph Only As babies were the quilts together. As they began to grow up they were sent to separate schools. Tended separate High schools. They were sent to col lege abroad. To avoid publicity Diligenti built a special class room and play area for the children on the grounds of his sprawling estate in the fashionable Belgrano suburb. But when they started growing up i had to Sepa rate them Diligenti said in an interview. I Only allowed them to get together for quilts have visited together Only rarely since College clays. Today two of them Franco or. And Maria Fer Nanda live in Buenos Aires Carlos is an Engineer ing student in Vancouver Canada Maria Ester live with an elder sister in Rome and Maria Cristina is a resident of St. Paul Minnesota with her american husband or. Bruce Zimmerman. She married last May. Their 68-year-old father half crippled since 1966because of a circulatory ailment complains loudly these Days about his offspring. I m not on Good relations with them he have suffered a lot on account of them. Now i m too old too sick too tired to have them or my grand children romping around Franco or. And Maria Fernanda the two twins Liv ing Here dismissed their father s words As just one of those he grumbles a lot but we Are on very Good terms Maria Fernanda said. It s the same Story All Over the world said fran co or. Parents and children complain about each other Ami but we really get along very Well with or. Is an executive in one of the several textile plants his father owns or. Described the boy As his latest head ache. Franco or. Dropped his studies of Industrial engineering at Vancouver Canada Early this year and returned Here to get married again ins father wishes. I wanted him to wind up his career before ailing married the father gave his son a Job but he did not attend the boy s wedding Here three months daughter. Maria Ester divorced i 1 Argentine husband Carlos Vum res three yers Aio now lives with her three children in Fernanda also the Mother of three. Here with her husband Fernando Boero an Are Law student and Public relations Cristina was studying to become an Anne stewardess until she met and married or. I Miner Man. They were introduced by an elder Dilia nl1 Soll who is a Friend of Zimmerman Carlos studying at Vancouver is us Only Uii nun ried Quint. Diligenti had one son from a first Marna after his first wife died he married Isabel ave san " italian opera Singer from rome.1the couple settled Here More than 30 years am Diligenti set up a Small textile business Wim a w developed into a successful Industrial comp the diligent is had two children a son awl � r before the quilts came in 1943. They did not Liau jmj More children. Of to avoid publicity Diligenti built a special classroom and play area for the children on the grounds of his sprawling when they started grooving up i had to separate them.9
