Ruth Aleksandrovna Zernova (; 1919–2004) also known as Rufʹ Zernova and Ruth Zevina, was a Soviet-born Israeli author and interpreter. She wrote short stories and novels.

Early life and education

Ruth Zernova was born in

Călărași Călărași (), the capital of Călărași County in the Muntenia region, is situated in south-east Romania, on the banks of the Danube's Borcea branch, at about from the Bulgarian border and from Bucharest. It is one of six Romanian county se ...

Bessarabia Bessarabia () is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Bessarabia lies within modern-day Moldova, with the Budjak region covering the southern coa ...

, in 1919. She was Jewish and grew up in

Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...

."Ruth Zernova (1919–2004)". Voices of Jewish-Russian Literature: An Anthology, edited by Maxim D. Shrayer, Boston, USA: Academic Studies Press, 2018, pp. 817-826. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781618117939-090 She attended

Leningrad State University Saint Petersburg State University (SPBGU; ) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the Great, the university from the be ...

in 1936, where she studied literature. She also took Spanish classes. As a result, in year two of university, she was sent to

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

to work as an interpreter for Russian military leaders during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

Career and midlife

After returning from the Spanish Civil War, she worked for the Naval Reconnaissance Office. During World War II, she worked for

TASS The Russian News Agency TASS, or simply TASS, is a Russian state-owned news agency founded in 1904. It is the largest Russian news agency and one of the largest news agencies worldwide. TASS is registered as a Federal State Unitary Enterpri ...

. Zernova married Ilya Serman. The couple had two children together. They were arrested in 1949 and charged with spreading "anti-soviet propaganda." Both were sentenced to prison, with Zernova being sentenced to fifteen years. Their children were sent to live with grandparents. Zernova was released in 1954, after the death of

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...

. During her time in prison, she wrote about the experiences she had, including stories of the women she interacted with while imprisoned. After her release from prison, Zernova translated novels from French and Spanish into Russian at home. She did not have her work published until the 1960s. She published her first original short story, "Skorpionovy Yagody" in ''

Ogoniok ''Ogoniok'' ( rus, Огонёк, Ogonyok, t=Spark, p=ɐɡɐˈnʲɵk, a=Ru-огонёк.ogg; pre-reform orthography: Огонекъ) was one of the oldest weekly illustrated magazines in Russia. History and profile ''Ogoniok'' was first issue ...

'' in the early 1960s. Her published original work included stories of life in the Soviet labour camps and everyday Soviet life.

Later life and legacy

Zernova eventually moved to Israel. In 1991, her book ''Mute Phone Calls'' was published by

Rutgers University Press Rutgers University Press (RUP) is a nonprofit academic publishing house, operating in New Brunswick, New Jersey under the auspices of Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Pub ...

. She died on November 15, 2004. In 2005, a memorial event was held for Zernova at the

Bowery Poetry Club The Bowery Poetry Club is a New York City poetry performance space founded by Bob Holman in 2002.Aptowicz, Cristin O'Keefe. (2008). ''Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam.'' Chapter 26: What the ...

in New York City. Collections of Ruth Zernova are held at the

Hoover Institution The Hoover Institution (officially The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace and formerly The Hoover Institute and Library on War, Revolution, and Peace) is an American public policy think tank which promotes personal and economic ...

Writings

*Mute Phone Calls (1991)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zernova, Ruth 1919 births 2004 deaths Moldovan writers Odesa Jews Writers from Odesa 20th-century Israeli Jews Soviet Jews in the military Soviet emigrants to Israel Interpreters 20th-century Russian translators Soviet translators Jewish translators Translators to Russian Women in the Spanish Civil War Soviet people of the Spanish Civil War Gulag detainees Soviet women novelists Soviet novelists Soviet short story writers Soviet Navy personnel Saint Petersburg State University alumni Russian women literary critics Soviet literary critics