Linda Kohen / Uruguay 2022
Linda Olivetti Colombo, known as Linda Kohen, is an Uruguayan painter, draftswoman and visual artist of Italian origin and descendant of Piedmontese Jews.
Born on October 28, 1924 in Milan, her family fled Nazi Germany in 1939 and settled in Buenos Aires and finally in Montevideo.
In 1946 she married Rafael Kohen, adopted his surname and settled again in the Argentine capital.
In 1977 she emigrated from Uruguay, in 1979 she settled in San Pablo where she lived until 1985, year in which she returned to Montevideo.
Linda Kohen, has been a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother; she continues to paint in her studio in Montevideo, she is a restless soul, studious, kind and of an exquisite sensitivity.
Testimony:
"We were an Italian-Jewish family. We found out about a newspaper that began to circulate with the first anti-Semitic laws, defaming and highlighting non-existent defects of the Jews. We began to receive refugees from Germany, there was a very sad atmosphere and my father who was a man who had traveled and lived in Argentina said "I am not going to continue living in my country as a second class citizen" and began all the procedures to leave Italy. We suffered morally, we could not go to school, we could not have contact with non-Jewish employees.
We were lucky to leave early in September 1939 before we were persecuted and captured".
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Linda Olivetti Colombo, conocida como Linda Kohen es una pintora, dibujante y artista visual uruguaya de origen italiano y descendiente de judíos piamonteses.
Nació un 28 de octubre de 1924 en Milán, su familia huyó de la Alemania nazi en 1939 y se radicaron en Buenos Aires y finalmente en Montevideo.
En 1946 se casó con Rafael Kohen, adoptó su apellido y se instala nuevamente en la capital Argentina.
En 1977 emigra de Uruguay, en 1979 se radicó en San Pablo donde vivió hasta 1985, año en que retorna a Montevideo.
Linda Kohen, ha sido madre, abuela y bisabuela; continua pintando en su estudio de Montevideo, es un alma inquieta, estudiosa, bondadosa y de una sensibilidad exquisita.
Testimonio:
“Éramos una familia Italiana - judia. Nos enteramos por un diario que comenzó a circular con las primeras leyes antisemitas, difamando y resaltando defectos inexistentes de los judíos. Empezamos a recibir prófugos de Alemania, había una atmósfera muy triste y mi padre que era un hombre que había viajado y vivido en Argentina dijo “Yo en mi país, como ciudadano de segunda categoría no voy a seguir viviendo” y empezó todos los trámites para irnos de Italia. Sufrimos moralmente, no podía ir al colegio, no podíamos tener contacto con empleados que no fuesen judíos.
Tuvimos la suerte de irnos temprano en septiembre de 1939 antes de ser perseguidos y capturados”.