Hilda Werena Kuhn

BIOGRAPHY

Hilda Werena Kuhn was born on 10 February 1916, in what is now the municipality of São José do Sul, near Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul. The region was colonized by German immigrants, and she herself was the great-granddaughter and granddaughter of German immigrants. She aspired to study to become a doctor or a teacher, but the culture of the time didn’t permit women to pursue such careers. From an early age, she had to pause her education to assist her elders with various activities, as was customary in rural communities at the time. Despite this, she managed to make the most of her free time by playing with her cousins.

Her family life was very happy, with both parents and eight siblings, until she lost her father at the age of 17. As the eldest daughter, she had to assume leadership of the household when her mother became pregnant and fell into a state of depression.

At the age of 20, she got married. At the age of 32, with three children and her husband, she moved to Porto Alegre. The couple owned a warehouse. She enjoyed working and interacting with people. Despite working 12 hours a day, she still managed to take care of her household and children. At the age of 43, she gave birth to her fourth child. With the emergence of supermarkets, the warehouse lost customers and had to close. Afterwards, her husband started working in real estate. She devoted herself entirely to her home and family.

Her family described her as a remarkably dynamic, intelligent, and active individual who made every effort to assist anyone and anything that relied on her. Even in her old age, she dedicated herself to cooking and hosting gatherings for her children and grandchildren on Sundays, Easter, and Christmas. Additionally, she cared for her young grandchildren when their parents were at work. She lived independently until the age of 99.