Europe’s oldest man, Italian Vitantonio Lovallo, has died at the age of 112.
Lovallo, a former farmer, lived in Avigliano in the southern Italian region of Basilicata. Born in March 1914, just months before the outbreak of World War I, he witnessed more than a century of extraordinary historical change.
Known affectionately as “Ziton,” Lovallo remained remarkably active even in old age, continuing to tend his vineyard and look after sheep.
“Today, Avigliano lost a piece of its history,” Mayor Giuseppe Mecca wrote on Facebook. “Ziton was one of us.”
Lovallo was married and had four children. His wife died several years before him.
During World War II, Lovallo initially served on the front. According to Italian media reports, he was held as a prisoner of war by German forces between 1943 and 1945.
His connection to farming remained strong throughout his life, and he reportedly continued working in his vineyard even after turning 100.
According to data from the Gerontology Research Group, the title of Europe’s oldest living man now passes to Portugal’s Joaquim Varela, who is 111.
However, Varela ranks behind 31 women on the list of Europe’s oldest living people. British woman Ethel Caterham, aged 117, is currently recognized as the oldest living person in both Europe and the world.
