50 years

On 30 September it was exactly 50 years since the first Director of Villa San Michele, Josef Oliv, retired. The anniversary was marked by the unveiling of a newly restored oil portrait which had been stowed away and forgotten in one of the villa’s storerooms. The location was Café Casa Oliv, which back then served as the Director’s private living quarters. The current Director, Allan Klynne, recited the contents of the old letter of acknowledgement signed by the Chairman of the Board at the time, the professor of ancient Greek Hjalmar Frisk, and everyone present toasted Josef Oliv’s memory with a glass of prosecco. Two visitors, Carin Orback Milton and Elisabeth Bava, who during the summers from 1965 to 67 worked as guides at the Villa San Michele, shared their fond memories of Josef Oliv and saluted his portrait bust by the artists Willy Gordon.