Supercentenarian Profile

Matilde Pedernera de Gnaden

Born:

1915-11-26

Cruz del Eje, Córdoba Province

Argentina

Current Residence:

Córdoba City, Córdoba Province

Argentina

✔ Age Certified by LongeviQuest

Matilde Pedernera is an Argentine supercentenarian whose age has been validated by LongeviQuest.

BIOGRAPHY

Matilde Pedernera was born in Cruz del Eje, Córdoba, Argentina, on 26 November 1915 into a large family deeply involved in the cultural and journalistic life of northwestern Córdoba. The daughter of Nicolás Pedernera, a prominent businessman and founder of the historic newspaper La Idea in 1923, Matilde grew up surrounded by ink, paper, and work. From a young age, she and her ten siblings helped fold copies of the newspaper that circulated throughout the region.

From a young age, she displayed a marked artistic sensibility. She trained as a piano teacher and developed a solid career as a music teacher in various schools in her hometown, where she stood out for her dedication and talent.

Her life took a decisive turn in 1944 when, at a dance, she met Erich Gnaden, a young German man who was working on the construction of the local dam. Despite the cultural and language differences, the connection between them was immediate and profound. At just 19 years old, Erich had been a crew member on the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee, sunk in 1939 after the Battle of the River Plate by order of its captain, Hans Langsdorff. Following this event, he and his shipmates were resettled in different parts of Argentina.

On 11 July 1945, Matilde and Erich were married in Cruz del Eje, in a ceremony witnessed by the then rural doctor Arturo Illia, who years later would become President of Argentina. However, shortly after the wedding, the United Kingdom demanded the deportation of the German sailors. Erich was sent to Europe as a prisoner of war, and Matilde, in a gesture of courage and unwavering love, decided to accompany him on the same journey, though as a civilian.

In Germany, Erich remained imprisoned for nearly a year. After his release, the couple reunited and decided to stay to contribute to the country’s reconstruction after the war. Their first two children, Erich and Alfredo, were born there, in 1947 and 1948. In 1949, they returned to Argentina, Erich joined the Military Aircraft Factory in Córdoba thanks to his experience as a carpenter and builder, while Matilde continued her teaching career in educational institutions in the provincial capital.

In 1955, their third daughter, Ana, was born, completing their family. At the end of the 1960s, the couple returned to Europe and lived for a time in Germany and Austria before finally returning to Córdoba, Argentina.

After almost six decades of marriage, Erich passed away in 2005. Since then, she has continued to live in their home in the Alto Vélez Sarsfield neighborhood, Córdoba City, Córdoba Province, Argentina, surrounded by the love of her three children, seven grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.