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Gaito Gasdanow's 'Schwarze Schwäne' Reveals Exile's Paris

publication · 2026-06-16

A new German translation of Gaito Gasdanow's stories, 'Schwarze Schwäne' (Black Swans), offers brilliant autobiographical fictions from exile. The collection, praised as comparable to Nabokov, depicts a magical Paris through night taxi rides. Gasdanow, a Russian émigré writer, is being belatedly discovered in German-speaking countries, fulfilling the promise of excellence signaled by earlier translations. The stories explore the experience of suffering Russia in Paris, blending autobiography with fiction.

Key facts

  • Gaito Gasdanow's 'Schwarze Schwäne' is a new German translation of his stories.
  • The collection is described as brilliant autobiographical fictions from exile.
  • Gasdanow is compared to Vladimir Nabokov.
  • The stories depict a magical Paris through night taxi rides.
  • Gasdanow is a Russian émigré writer being belatedly discovered in German-speaking countries.
  • The translation fulfills the promise of excellence from earlier translations.
  • The theme is suffering Russia in Paris.
  • The collection blends autobiography with fiction.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Neue Zürcher Zeitung

Locations

  • Paris
  • France
  • Russia
  • German-speaking countries

Sources