The Demuth family lived in João Monlevade from 1954 to 1958.

Emile Demuth

Emile Demuth is a 54-year-old engineer from Luxembourg sent to Belgo Mineira in 1954 to double the steel production of the Monlevade plant.

Torn away from his family while his only son Roby completed his secondary education, Emile finds comfort in writing 68 letters to his wife Elly. Through the letters, we discover first-hand accounts on various aspects of daily life in João Monlevade in the 1950s.

Elly Demuth

Elly Demuth is Emile Demuth's wife. The couple had a long-distance relationship from May 1954 to September 1955, when Emile Demuth was sent to João Monlevade as a chief engineer and their only son still had to finish his secondary school in Hostenbach, near the Luxembourgish border.

As soon as their son Roby earned his degree, Elly, her mother and her son eventually joined Emile Demuth in João Monlevade.

Roby Demuth

Roby Demuth is the only son of Emile and Elly Demuth. After his graduation, he joins his father in João Monlevade together with his mother and grandmother.

In 1957, Roby returns to Europe without his parents to study engineering in Zurich.

Elisabeth Massion ("Bomi")

Elisabeth Massion, was Elly's mother.

She lived with the Demuth family in João Monlevade.