Dragica Rajčić Holzner  was born in Split, Croatia in 1959. 1980 she come ferst time to Switzerland. In 1991, the Yugoslav Wars forced her to flee to Switzerland, where she worked in various service sector jobs and began writing in German, developing a distinctive style that allowed her to challenge notions of identity and belonging. She has published more than ten works of poetry, theater, and both short and longform prose. Her writing in both Croatian and German has been translated into multiple languages and been met with countless awards, including the renowned Adelbert von Chamisso Prize and most recently, the 2021 Swiss Literature Award. More information can be found on her website:  https://www.dragicarajcic.ch/ 

Books

  • “Liebe um Liebe” (Novel) Matthes & Seitz, Berlin, DE 2020
  • “Glück” (Longform Poem) Der Gesunde Menschenversand, Luzern, CH 2019
  • “Glück” (Theatre Piece), Basel and Zürich, CH 2018/19
  • “Warten auf Broch” (Prose) Studia Verlag, Innsbruck, AT 2011
  • “Buch von Glück” (Poems) edition 8, Zürich, CH 2004
  • “Post Bellum” (Poems) edition 8, Zürich, CH 2000
  • “Aufliebeseen” (Theatre Piece), St. Gallen Theater, St. Gallen, CH, 2000
  • “Nur Gute Kommt ins Himmel” (Short Prose) edition8, Zürich, CH 1994
  • “Lebendigkeit ihrer Züruck” (Poems) edition 8, Zürich, CH 1992
  • “Ein Stück Sauberkeit” (Theatre Piece), Theater im Fass, Schaffausen, CH 2992
  • “Halbgedichte einer Gastfrau” (Poems) Narzis & Ego Gallen, CH 1987
Official website
Slobodna Dalmacija

Honors, Awards and Recognition

  • Swiss Literature Award 2021 for longform poem, “Glück,” publ. Der Gesunde Menschenversand
  • Literary Recognition Award for longform poem, “Glück,” Canton of Zürich, Department of Culture, 2020
  • Literary Work Grant for 2020, Pro Helvetia Cultural Foundation
  • Premio Ciampi, Valigie Rosse for Poetry, Livorno, IT, 2015
  • Literary Work Grant for first novel, Liebe um Liebe, City of Zürich, 2015
  • Literary Work Grant, Canton of St. Gallen, 2012, 2005, 2000
  • Text of the Month Award, Prose, Literaturhaus Zürich 2009
  • Work Scholarship, Robert Bosch Foundation, 2009
  • Silvije Strahimir Kranjcevic: First Prize for Prose in Croatian, Hrvatska Matica iseljenika, Zagreb, HR, 2008
  • Writer in Residence, International Writing Program (IWP) at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA, 2009
  • Writer in Residence, Max Kade Kulturhaus at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA, 2008/9
  • Literary Work Grant, City of St. Gallen, 1999, 1994
  • Promotion Prize, City of St. Gallen, 1995
  • Literary Work Grant, Pro Helvetia Cultural Foundation, 1995
  • 2nd place, Promotion Prize for Merano Poetry Award, Merano, IT 1994
  • Winner of the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize, Robert Bosch Foundation, 1994
  • First Prize, “Fremd in der Schweiz” (Foreign in Switzerland), University of Bern, 1987
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