Utz Rachowski

Biography

Born 1954 in Plauen/Vogtland, East Germany. 1979 arrest for “subversive agitation” for copying and distributing own poetry as well as texts by Jürgen Fuchs, Wolf Biermann, and Reiner Kunze. 1980 expatriation and release through Amnesty International to West Germany. Study of art history and philosophy in West Berlin. Since then, freelance writer of prose, poetry, and radio plays. From 1993-1999, co-editor of the literary journal Ostragehege. Since 2003 part-time rehabilitation advising to victims of the GDR dictatorship under the auspices of the Saxony State Commission for the Stasi Files. Readings and lectures throughout Germany, the U.S.A., Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Senegal, Kenya, Lithuania, and Poland. Works translated into English, Polish, French, Spanish, Serbian, and Finnish.

Books

Targ Łakoci (Stories and short prose in Polish translation, 2018)

Die Dinge, die ich vergaß. Gedichte aus fünf Jahrzehnten (2018)

Poesiealbum (Nr. 339) (2018)

Miss Zuki czyli Ameryka jest całkiem blisko! (ATUT edition Wroclaw 2015, Polish Translation of:

Miss Suki oder Amerika ist nicht weit! (Mironde Verlag 2013)

Beide Sommer (Leipziger Literaturverlag, 2011)

Meine Sommer, meine Winter, und das andere (edition erata, 2006)

Red’ mir nicht von Minnigerode (Dresden Thelem, 2006)

Namenlose (BasisDruck Berlin, 1993)

Erinnerungen an eine Jugend (Chemnitzer Verlag, 1995)

Mein Museum (Hellerau-Verlag Dresden, 1995)

Die Stimmen des Sommers (Oberbaum, Verlag, 1992)

Sieben Jahre (1991)

Der letzte Tag der Kindheit (Oberbaum Verlag, 1986)

Erzählungen: So traurig wie Sie (Verlag Europäische Ideen, 1983)

Translation into German

of the book by Jorge R. G. Sagastume:

"Im Schatten der Sehnsucht nach Freiheit. Argentinische Geschichten"

Poetry published in:

Wanderbühne

Signum

Ostragehege

Ort der Augen

Poetenladen.de

Sirena (USA)

Seminary Ridge Review

The Literary Review

Reunion: The Dallas Review

SAND (the English Literary Journal of Berlin)

No Mans Land (Berlin)

Documentary Films about Utz Rachowski and exiled writers

Jeder schweigt von etwas anderem (dir. Marc Bauder, Dörte Franke, 2006)

Die gefrorene Zeit: Vier Dichter über ihre Stadt (MDR u. WDR 1994)

Awards and Prizes

Prose-Prize from the Society for Contemporary American Literature in German (SCALG) (2017)

Nikolaus Lenau Prize (2014)

Nomination for a Pushcart Prize (USA 2013)

Writer in Residence at the Gettysburg College (USA 2012)

Hermann Hesse Stipend (2008)

Reiner Kunze Prize (first recipient, 2007)

Alfred Döblin Stipend (1989)

Andreas Gryphius Grant (1987)

Eduard Mörike Grant (1991)

Hermann Sudermann Foundation Prize (1988 and 2009)

Numerous stipends from the Free State of Saxony / Cultural Foundation Saxony (1993-2006)

A Small Selection of Readings and Performances

• Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (Central Germany Radio); since the fall of the Wall ca. eight prose and poetry productions, among others the radio essay on Utz Rachowski „Mir aber blieb ein Blaues Wunder“ (2009) and the live broadcast on prominent figures: „Figaro trifft…“ (2011)

• Deutschlandfunk (Radio Germany); radio play 1984

• Saarländischer Rundfunk/Süddeutscher Rundfunk/Bayerischer Rundfunk/Westdeutscher Rundfunk (Saarland Radio / Southern German Radio / Bavarian Radio); separate literary productions

• Sender Freies Berlin (Radio Free Berlin); numerous productions up to 1989

• Rias Berlin; numerous productions and interviews up to 1989

• Berlin Brandenburg Radio; ca. six productions, including “Poem des Zorns” 2003

• Konrad-Adenauer Foundation; thoughout Germany since 1986

• Goethe Institutes in Denmark (Apenrade 1987); Sweden (Uppsala u. Stockholm 1989); Lithuania (Vilnius 1992); Poland (Wroclaw on several occasions and Krakow 2007); Senegal (Dakar 2008); Kenya (Nairobi 2013); Spain (Malaga 2013)

• Kulturstiftungen der Länder (State Cultural Foundations); throughout Germany, regularly fifteen readings and lectures yearly for students and school children

• Berlin Literature Seminar of Loyola College in Berlin (2010 and 2011)

• Semana Poetica, Dickinson College (2008)

• Gettysburg College (2007, 2008)

• Johns-Hopkins-University (2007)

• St.-Josephs-University (2008)

• Denison University (2012)

• Fairleigh Dickinson University (2012)

• Loyola University Baltimore (2012)

• Goethe-Institute Nairobi (2013)

• University of Malaga (2013)

• University of Łódz (2014)

• University of Mostar (2014)

• Goethe Institute Sarajevo (2014)

• University of Wroclaw (2014 and 2015)

. University of Gdansk (2017)

. Steven F. Austin University Texas (2018)

. Texas Christian University (2018)

. University of Arizona (2018)

Literary Memberships

Association of Independent Writers Dresden, the Writers’ Circle of the Federal Republic of Germany

Exil-P.E.N. London (until its dissolution in 2002)

P.E.N. Centre of German-speaking Writers Abroad (German Exil-P.E.N.) since 2002

Society for Contemporary American Literature in German (SCALG)

Websites

www.utzrachowski.de

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utz_Rachowski

http://www.exilpen.de/HTML/Mitglieder/DA/rachowski.html

http://www.exilpen.de/HTML/Texte/rachowski_060318.html

http://www.poetenladen.de/utz-rachowski.htm