Miriam Akavia

Miriam Akavia was born in Cracow, Poland, in 1927. During World War II, she was interned in the Cracow Ghetto, Plaszow, Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. She arrived in pre-state Israel in 1946. Akavia, a licensed nurse, also studied literature and history at Tel Aviv University. She has worked in the Jewish Agency, has served as Israel`s cultural attache in Stockholm and Budapest, and is a translator of Polish and Hebrew literature.
Akavia began publishing in 1975, describing her childhood as well as her Holocaust and post-war experiences. She has published one novel, a collection of stories, three books for children, and a book of non-fiction. She has received the Yad Vashem Prize (1978), the Sec Prize (1985), the Korczak Prize (Germany, 1988) and the Prime Minister`s Prize (1993). Her work has been published abroad in eight languages.

Books Published in Hebrew

An End to Childhood (youth), Tamuz, 1975 [Neurim Be-Shalechet]; Yad Va-Shem, 1998; 2000

The Price (stories), Sifriat Poalim, 1977; 1988 [Ha-Mehir]

Galia and Miklosh: Severance of Relations (youth), Sifriat Poalim, 1982 [Galia Ve-Miklosh: Nituk Yahasim]

My Own Vineyard (novel), Dvir, 1984; 1996 [Karmi Sheli]

Bus Adventure (children), Dvir, 1986 [Harpatkah Be-Otobus]

The Other Way: The Story of a Group (novel), Yedioth Aharonoth, 1992 [Ha-Derech Ha-Aheret: Sipur Ha- Kevutza]

Build a House with Love (children), Kibbutz Dalia, 2001 [Bait Bonim Be-Ahava]

In the Land of Janusz Korczak (Travel stories), Carmel, 2006 [Be-Artso shel Janusz]

My Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust (autobiography), Gvanim, 2006 [Hayai Ve-Sfarai Be- Tsel Ha- Sho`a]

Books in Translation

An End to Childhood
Dutch: Bussum, Strengholt`s Boeken, 1980
English: Essex, Vallentine Mitchell, 1995; rev.ed. 2003
Swedish: Stockholm, Prisma, 1981
German: Guetersloh, Guetersloher, 1983
Polish: Cracow, Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1989;
Expanded ed: Auschwitz, Panstwowego Muzeum Oswiecim, 1996
Hungarian: Budapest, Belvarosi Konyvkiado,1999
Russian: Jerusalem/Moscow, Gesharim/Mosti Kulturi, 2006

My Own Vineyard
French: Montricher, Noir Sur Blanc, 1991
Polish: Warsaw, Panstwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, 1990; Crakow, C&D Pubs., 2000
English: London/Portland, Vallentine Mitchel, 2006

Short Stories
German: Guetersloh, Guetersloher, 1985
Polish: Wroclaw, Wydawnictwo Dolnoslaskie, 1992; Poznan, Zysk&Ska, 2000; Cracow, PIW, 2005

Galia and Milkosh: Severance of Relations
Polish: Poznan, CIA svaro, 1992; Cracow, Stabill, 2000
Russian: Jerusalem, Aliya, 1991

Last updated: 20.10.2009