Helene Hegemann

Helene Hegemann in 2013

Helene Hegemann (born February 19, 1992, in Freiburg im Breisgau) is a German writer, director, and actress. As a young writer her work was highly praised, but her first novel, Axolotl Roadkill, sparked a plagiarism controversy.^[1][2] The book has since been translated in various languages.

Life

She was raised by her divorced mother, a graphic artist and painter. After her mother's death, Hegemann moved in with her father.^[3] She began writing and first gained attention with her blog. On 6 December 2007, her play, Ariel 15 premiered in Berlin at Ballhaus Ost, directed by Sebastian Mauksch. Hegemann called her play a literary fairy tale piece.^[4] Deutschland Radio adapted it as a radio drama in 2008.^[5] That same year, a screenplay she wrote at 14 was developed. It was underwritten by the Federal Cultural Foundation.^[6] The resulting film, Torpedo, a youth drama, premiered in 2008 at the Hof Film Festival and ran in German cinemas in summer 2009. It won the Max Ophüls Prize.^[7] Hegemann credits the Jean-Luc Godard film Weekend as a major influence on her writing style.^[8] In 2009, Hegemann played a role in the episodic film Germany 09, by Nicolette Krebitz. Hegemann appeared in the segment "Die Unvollendete", where Ulrike Meinhof and Susan Sontag meet.

Hegemann lives in Berlin^[9] with her partner Andrea Hanna Hünniger and studies at a high school for non-traditional students.^[10]

In 2013, her second novel Jage zwei Tiger was published.

Works

• Axolotl Roadkill, Ullstein, 22 January 2010, ISBN 978-3-550-08792-9
  • Axolotl Roadkill / druk 1, Translator Marcel Misset, Arbeiderspers, 2010, ISBN 978-90-295-7359-7
  • Roadkill, Translator I. Amico Di Meane, Einaudi, 2010, ISBN 978-88-06-20507-2
  • Axolotl Roadkill, Constable & Robinson Limited, 2012, ISBN 978-1-84901-054-2
• Jage zwei Tiger, Hanser, 26 August 2013, ISBN 978-3-446-24367-5

References

Sources

• Daniel Stich, Axolotl Roadkill und die Plagiatsdebatte: Welche erzählerische Funktion haben die unausgewiesenen Zitate im Roman Helene Hegemanns?, GRIN Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-640-96776-6