Gregor von Rezzori
Gregor von Rezzori is the most widely read and celebrated Austrian-Jewish author of the twentieth century. He is best known for his autobiograpical novel Memoirs of an Anti-Semite (1979) which won him widespread critical praise, as well as his post-Holocaust novel The Snows of Yesteryear (1977). Born in Rastatt, Germany in 1914, Rezzori spent much of his life writing and traveling as he experienced the rise of the Nazis and the Holocaust.
Throughout the years, Rezzori had achieved success not only with his books but also with his other works in the literary world, including collaboration with director Max Ophuls and German poet Gottfried Benn. Rezzori's work has been translated into more than twenty languages and he is the subject of 3 doctoral dissertations. As a result, he has achieved an international fan base and is recognized as an important figure of German literature.
Rezzori's works intertwine themes of Jewishness and his lifelong experience of being an immigrant to Germany. He often explores the conflicts between Jewish and German identities and addresses victimhood and guilt, as well as his own identity as a German, Romanian and Jewish man. Memoirs of an Anti-Semite tells the story of an unnamed narrator's years between 1914 and 1941 and the changes brought about by World War II. His post-Holocaust work, The Snows of Yesteryear, is a collection of twelve vignettes all inextricably linked to a fictional Eastern European city. Rezzori draws on both his own knowledge of European history and folklore to create vivid characters.
Rezzori's writing reflects his experience of living in a time when Jews were considered outsiders and perceived with fear. He portrays the negative attitude of the time in his work and the effects it had on his family, friends, and himself. Rezzori’s unique style of writing reflects the complex nature of Jewish-German identity while simultaneously highlighting the universalities of human experience. With Memoirs of an Anti-Semite and The Snows of Yesteryear, Rezzori has seared into our consciousness the prejudice and pain that Jews endured in Nazi Germany as well as showing the resolve of people to move forward and survive in spite of it all.
Rezzori is one of the most celebrated Austrian-Jewish authors and a master craftsman of literary prose. His mastery of the English language has been widely praised and his evocative style has moved many readers. His works are essential reading for anyone interested in exploring the aftereffects of the Holocaust on Jewish identity. His insightful perspective on Jewish-German tensions and his commitment to giving a voice to those who suffered through the Holocaust has earned him well deserved recognition and admiration.
