Albert Cohen, born Abraham Albert Cohen on August 16, 1895, in Corfu, Greece, was a Swiss novelist of Greek origin, descending from a Sephardic Jewish family. His family moved to Marseille, France, where they owned a soap factory. Cohen attended a private Catholic school and later Lycée Thiers, graduating in 1913. In 1914, he moved to Geneva, Switzerland, for further studies and became a Swiss citizen in 1919. That same year, he married Elisabeth Broch.

His most acclaimed work is the novel Belle du Seigneur (1968), which received the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française. Another significant work is Comeclavos (1938), which many consider his masterpiece. Cohen often explored themes of love, identity, and cultural belonging in his works.