5. An Italian Monk
Blame history for me being so nebulous. The past pays testimony to the fact that it was an unnamed Italian monk who did the world the favour of inventing pretzels in 610 A.D. This servant of God called them 'pretiola,' which is Latin for 'little reward' and gave them to kids who learned their Bible verses. Since then a forty-pound, five-foot version of this delicious delight has featured in a movie, received a museum in its honour and has a National Pretzel Day in Pennsylvania, on April 26 every year. The unfortunate Italian monk got nothing in return not even a name.
4. Pellegrino Turri
Here's a blighter that no one's even heard about, but everyone used a device that he rightfully created before the little babies called computers came about. The typewriter, that is. The credit for inventing the typewriter in usually given to Christopher Sholes, an American inventor. Though the entire debacle is shrouded in more mystery than the Bermuda Triangle, born and bred Italian, Pellegrino Turri, was the man who first invented typewriter that was proven to work. Reason? Turri had a blind Countess-friend whom he wanted to help. And he thought 'Oh! What better way to do that than by inventing a typing machine and NOT get it patented?' Though Turri was clearly not the smartest man when it came to dealing with inventions, he deserves respect for having gone to such an extent to help a friend, while revolutionizing typing in the world at the same time.