Helena Bochořáková’s, Z Mého Dětství (“From My Childhood”), is regarded as the first wordless novel by a female artist. It is a memoir of the artist’s girlhood in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic.
1929 Z Mého Dětství – click here with an introduction in Czech by Arne Novák. This was republished as:
- 1930 Enfance – click here; a French edition with an introduction in French by the artist.
- 1931 Childhood -click here; an English edition with an introduction in English by Arne Novák.
DOES A GERMAN EDITION EXIST??
In a Turkish journal* Professor Dr. Açelya B . Gönüllü published a 14 page article titled AĞAÇ BASKI-YAZISIZ ROMAN’ SANATINDA ĠLK KADIN SANATÇI: HELENA BOCHOŘÁKOVÁ-DITTRICHOVÁ where at p.349 of the Journal she states “Helena‟nın bu ilk ağaç baskı romanı, İngilizce, Fransızca ve Almanca olarak da basılır.” Translation: Helena’s first woodcut novel is also published in English, French and German (my emphasis). *The Journal of Social Science; Year: 4, Issue: 12, August 2017, p. 339-353
When asked as to the basis for saying a German edition existed, in an email dated 2021-09-07 (Gönüllü to Martens) Prof Gönüllü advised she relied solely on the thesis of a Czech student (Juga, D. (2010) Helena Bochořáková-Dittrichová a Meziválečná Sociální Graphica na Moravě. Magisterská diplomová práce) where at page 106 of his thesis Juga stated, “Díky francouzskému, německému a anglickému vydání knihy Z mého dětství se kniha dostala také do povědomí zahraničních criticalů a bibliofilů.” Translation: “Thanks to the French, German and English editions of the book, Z Mého Dětství, the book also became known to foreign critics and bibliophiles.”
If anyone has contact information for David Juga or any information about a German edition – please contact me at wn@wordlessnovels.com