Janina David
Encyclopedia
Janina Dawidowicz better known as Janina David, is a holocaust survivor and a British writer and translator.
in 1939. After she escaped from the Warsaw Ghetto
in 1943, taking refuge with a German-Polish family and then in a convent, and her parents had died as victims of the holocaust, she left Poland in 1946 and moved to Paris
with an uncle. She then emigrated to Australia
where she completed school and studied at the University of Melbourne
, gaining a B.A.
. She then took Australian citizenship. In 1958, she moved to London
, where she was a social worker in some hospitals. In 1959 she began to write her three-volume autobiography, A Square of Sky, A Touch of Earth and Light over the Water. Since 1978, she has been working as an author and translator of children's and young people's books, and of radio plays, for the BBC
and others.
and the leading actress Dana Vávrová
became popular in Germany
in the role of Janina David.
Biography
Janina David was born as the only child to a Jewish Polish family, and moved with them to WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
in 1939. After she escaped from the Warsaw Ghetto
Warsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all Jewish Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It was established in the Polish capital between October and November 15, 1940, in the territory of General Government of the German-occupied Poland, with over 400,000 Jews from the vicinity...
in 1943, taking refuge with a German-Polish family and then in a convent, and her parents had died as victims of the holocaust, she left Poland in 1946 and moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with an uncle. She then emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where she completed school and studied at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, gaining a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
. She then took Australian citizenship. In 1958, she moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where she was a social worker in some hospitals. In 1959 she began to write her three-volume autobiography, A Square of Sky, A Touch of Earth and Light over the Water. Since 1978, she has been working as an author and translator of children's and young people's books, and of radio plays, for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and others.
Books
- 1964 A Square of Sky: A Jewish Childhood in Wartime Poland ISBN 978-0907871736
- 1966 A Touch of earth. A wartime childhood
- 1995 Light Over the Water: Post-war Wanderings 1946-48 ISBN 978-0903431149
- 1969 Part of the Main ISBN 978-0090960408
Film
Franz Peter Wirth filmed Leo Lehman's adaptation of the book A Square of Sky as the mini-series Ein Stück Himmel for the ARDARD (broadcaster)
ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
and the leading actress Dana Vávrová
Dana Vávrová
Dana Vávrová was a Czech-German film actress and director.-Biography:Vávrová was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia and played her first main film role in Ať žijí duchové! in 1976, having played a minor role in Jak se točí Rozmarýny...
became popular in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the role of Janina David.
Theatre
Janina David's autobiography A Square of Sky was the basis for a theatre show with the same title.Honours
- 1982 - Goldener Gong for Ein Stück Himmel, together with Dana VávrováDana VávrováDana Vávrová was a Czech-German film actress and director.-Biography:Vávrová was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia and played her first main film role in Ať žijí duchové! in 1976, having played a minor role in Jak se točí Rozmarýny...
and Franz Peter Wirth