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Helena Janeczek

ヘレナ・ヤネチェク

Herena Yaneczek

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1964-01-01 （Munich, Germany）
Nationality
Italian
Languages
Italian, Polish
Religion
Judaism
Residence History
Germany (Munich) → Italy

Career

Occupations
novelist
Active Years
1989-2024

Awards

Zerilli-Marimò Prize for Italian Fiction
2010
Work: Le rondini di Montecassino
Result: winner
Strega Prize
2018
Work: La ragazza con la Leica
Organization: Fondazione Maria Bellonci
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Lezioni di tenebra

1997 autobiographical novel

Retelling of her family history, journey with mother to Auschwitz.

Holocaustfamily history

Le rondini di Montecassino

2010 historical fiction

Story of soldiers in the Battle of Monte Cassino during WWII.

warWorld War II
Translations
  • The Swallows of Monte Cassino (English)

La ragazza con la Leica

2017 biographical novel

About photographer Gerda Taro who died in the Spanish Civil War.

Spanish Civil Warphotographywomen
Translations
  • The Girl with the Leica (English)

Bibliography

  • Ins Freie: Gedichte (1989)
  • Lezioni di tenebra (1997)
  • Cibo (2001)
  • Le rondini di Montecassino (2010)
  • Bloody Cow (2012)
  • La ragazza con la Leica (2017)
  • Il tempo degli imprevisti (2024)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Multiple perspectivesHistorical fiction based on facts
Recurring Motifs
memory of warHolocaustfemale perspective

Legacy

Italian novelist of Polish Jewish origin. Known for winning the Strega Prize, first woman in 15 years. Acclaimed for works on historical events.

Trivia

  • Of Polish Jewish origin, family survived the Holocaust.
  • Moved to Italy at age 19 and has lived there since.
  • First woman to win the Strega Prize in 15 years since Melania Mazzucco in 2003.