Rewritten content:
Vanessa Springora, a French writer and editor, has recently released ‘El nombre del padre’ in both Spanish and Catalan, delving into the secret past of her grandfather. She has sounded a warning about the current political situation in Europe, stating, «We are currently facing a wave that threatens to sweep everything away in Europe.»
‘El nombre del padre’, published by Lumen in Spanish and Empúries in Catalan, recounts how the author, following the death of her father shortly after the publication of ‘El consentimiento’, discovered two youth photographs of her paternal grandfather adorned with Nazi symbols in the apartment where her grandparents had lived. This revelation was a shock to her, seeing the «symbol of absolute evil.»
These images raised doubts about the family history that her grandfather was a Czech citizen forcibly recruited by the Nazi Army, who later defected and worked for the Americans after the liberation. This discovery has led her to reevaluate her previous perception of her grandfather and father.
In an interview with Europa Press, Springora (Paris, 1972) explained that she embarked on an «archaeology of intimacy» after this discovery, collecting and categorizing documents found in the apartment. This process revealed clues about her grandfather’s past, uncovering stories like those of the Sudetenland in former Czechoslovakia.
After the initial shock of seeing those symbols on her grandfather, she understood that this was the family «secret» and began to find answers to questions she had been asking for years about her grandfather’s origins and surname, providing a sense of relief.
When asked why she believes her grandfather did not dispose of that photograph, she noted that it seemed contradictory given his efforts to conceal his past. However, she speculated that destroying those photographs would have been akin to erasing a part of himself, suggesting a sense of pride.
«THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE 20TH CENTURY»
Springora shared that she found in her grandfather’s apartment «the entire history of the 20th century,» demonstrating the intertwining of the personal and the political through her grandfather’s and father’s stories.
She expressed her belief in not using literature as a message but in the commitment to what one writes, especially in a time when there are «threats to democracy and the future of the EU.» Springora mentioned contemplating parallels with the situation in Ukraine.
Recalling how diplomats were sent to Germany during the Nazi regime and believed that the only grievance was the Sudetenland, she questioned to what extent one should believe in those who do not respect international law.
«We must be very cautious and aware that fascism is becoming increasingly tempting for many people, similar to how my grandfather was seduced by Nazi ideals,» she remarked.
As an independent editor of a feminist collection giving voice to other authors, Springora mentioned finding it challenging to envision another project at the moment due to her deep involvement in this one. She expressed an interest in exploring a more fictional book, drawing inspiration from autobiographical elements.