Vitomil Zupan

Vitomil Zupan (1914–1987) was one of the most extraordinary and charismatic Slovenian artists of the 20th century. A writer, poet, playwright, screenwriter and essayist, he left an indelible mark on literature while also making notable contributions in the fields of film, TV and radio. His restless spirit took him to places all over the world and into all sorts of jobs and activities: he was a sailor, a boxer and a skiing instructor, as well as a culture editor and painter. He was a prisoner at two concentration camps and joined the partisan movement after the capitulation of Italy. After the war, he was sentenced at a show trial to 18 years of prison and forbidden to write, however, his sentence was commuted after seven years. He began writing again, initially under a pseudonym, and remained an independent writ- er until his death. Zupan received several awards for his writing, among them two Prešeren Awards, Slovenia’s highest award for artistic achievement: the first in 1947, the year when the Prešeren Awards were instituted, and the second in 1984, for lifetime achievement.