Sherko Fatah

Sherko Fatah (Sorani Kurdish: شێرکۆ فەتاح) is a German writer of descent from Iraqi Kurdistan. A novelist, his stories often address the violence in the Middle East, especially in Kurdish areas. Fatah has won many awards for his contributions to German literature, including the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize.

Sherko Fatah
Sherko Fatah in 2013
Born	28 November 1964 (60 years old) East Berlin, Germany
Occupation	Writer
Language	Deutsch
Period	21st century CE
Notable awards	Adelbert von Chamisso Prize

Life

Born in East Berlin on 28 November 1964 to an Iraqi-Kurdish father, Sherko Fatah studied philosophy and art history in West Berlin before he completed his studies with a master's degree in philosophical hermeneutics.^[1][2][3] Today, Sherko Fatah lives in Berlin as a freelance writer, while also being a member of the PEN Centre Germany.^[4] He is married as well.^[5]

Works

Sherko Fatah's autograph on a copy of Das dunkle Schiff (2008)

Sherko Fatah's novels touch on topics based on the violent conflicts in the Kurdish parts of Iraq, Iran and Turkey, including the genocidal attacks against Kurdish people by the Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein.^[2][6][7]

Novels

• Im Grenzland (2001)^[8]
• Donnie (2002)^[9]
• Onkelchen (2004)^[10]
• Das dunkle Schiff (2008) later translated into English by Martin Chalmers (2015)^[11]
• Der letze Ort (2014)^[12]
• Schwarzer September (2019)^[13]

Academic work

Fatah contributed to parts of the book and journal Die neue Weltliteratur und ihre großen Erzähler in 2014 under direction of Austrian cultural commentator Sigrid Löffler.^[14]

Reception

Sherko Fatah at the Internationales Literaturfest lit.COLOGNE, a German literature festival

In 2005, the Lire literary magazine named Sherko Fatah in their list 50 Writers of Tomorrow.^[15] Fatah's novel The Dark Ship was also adapted into a radio play which was broadcast on the Norddeutscher Rundfunk.^[16]

Awards

• Stadtschreiber von Bergen –2017
• Adelbert von Chamisso Prize – 2019^[2]

Book awards

• Aspekte-Literaturpreis – 2001^[17]
• Hilde-Domin-Preis für Literatur im Exil – 2007^[18]
• German Book Prize – 2008^[3]

References

1. "Sherko FATAH | The International Writing Program". iwp.uiowa.edu. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
2. "Sherko Fatah". international literature festival berlin. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
3. "Sherko Fatah | Seagull Books". www.seagullbooks.org. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
4. Sherko Fatah; Munzinger Online/Personen - Internationales Biographisches Archiv.
5. Paul Jandl; Ernstfall Literatur. Die Welt, 3 January 2015, page 7
6. "A Portrait of Sherko Fatah: Reality Is an Adventure | Qantara.de". qantara.de. 2008-06-19. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
7. "Warschauer Aufstand - Loyal bis hin zu Verrat und Mord | Cicero Online". www.cicero.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
8. Fatah, Sherko (2001). Im Grenzland. Germany: Jung und Jung. ISBN 3902144017.
9. Fatah, Sherko (2002). Donnie: Erzählung. Jung und Jung. ISBN 3902144475.
10. Fatah, Sherko (2004). Onkelchen. Germany: Jung und Jung. ISBN 3902144777.
11. Chalmers, Martin (2015). The Dark Ship. Kolkata, India: Seagull Books. ISBN 9780857420367.
12. Fatah, Sherko (2014). Der letze Ort (in German). Random House GmbH. ISBN 978-3630874173.
13. Fatah, Sherko (9 September 2019). Schwarzer September. Germany: Luchterhand Literaturverlag. ISBN 978-3641162160.
14. Löffler, Sigrid (2014). Die neue Weltliteratur und ihre großen Erzähler. Germany: C.H. Beck. ISBN 9783406653513.
15. Lire Magazine, published in Die Welt, 25 May 2005, page 25
16. Andres, Beate (24 April 2024). "Hörspiel: Der letzte Ort". Norddeutscher Rundfunk.
17. "Contributor: Sherko Fatah". Words Without Borders. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
18. Hilde-Domin-Preis für Fatah. Die Welt, 9. July 2007, page 23