Branka Jurca (24 May 1914 – 6 March 1999) was a Slovene writer, principally for children and young adults. Jurca was born in Kopriva in the Karst region of what is now Slovenia in 1914. After the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

the family moved to Maribor where she grew up. She worked as a teacher until the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

when she moved to

Ljubljana Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center. During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the are ...

. She participated in the Slovene Liberation Front but was arrested and sent to

Gonars concentration camp The Gonars concentration camp was one of the several Italian concentration camps and it was established on February 23, 1942, near Gonars, Italy. Many internees were transferred to this camp from the other Italian concentration camp, Rab concen ...

and then Ravensbrück concentration camp. After the end of the war she worked as teacher for a while and then as an editor of the children's journal . She wrote 35 stories for children, novels and collections of short stories. She died in

in 1999. She won the

Levstik Award The Levstik Award ( sl, Levstikova nagrada) is a literary award in Slovenia awarded for achievements in children's literature. It has been bestowed since 1949 by the Mladinska Knjiga Publishing House, making it the first literary award established ...

twice, in 1960 for (Round and Round) and in 1966 for (The Snoopers and Forbidden Secrets). She was married to the writer and playwright

Ivan Potrč Ivan Potrč (January 1, 1913 – June 12, 1993) was a Slovene writer and playwright. Biography Ivan Potrč was born on January 1, 1913, in a poor peasant family in Štuki near Ptuj,Koblar, France. 1949. "Potrč, Ivan." In: France Kidrič et a ...

and their daughter

Marjetica Potrč Marjetica Potrč (pronounced ; born 1953) is an artist and architect based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Potrč's interdisciplinary practice includes on-site projects, research, architectural case studies, and series of drawings. Her work documents and ...

is an architect.

Published works

; Adult Prose * (Under the Whip (Images from Concentration Camps), 1945 * (... Then Life Won), 1953 * (The Glass Castle), 1958 ; For Children and Young Adults *, 1955 *, 1956 *, 1958 *, 1960 * *, 1962 *, 1962 *, 1963 *, 1965 *, 1965 *, 1966 *, 1967 *, 1967 *, 1969 *, 1970 *, 1972 *, 1972 *, 1974 *, 1974 *, 1976 *, 1977 *, 1977 *, 1977 *, 1978 *, 1978 *, 1980 *, 1980 *, 1980 *, 1981 *, 1983 *, 1983 *, 1984 *, 1985 *, 1986 *, 1986 *, 1987 *, 1990 *, 1993 *, 1994

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jurca, Branka Slovenian writers Slovenian children's writers Slovenian women writers Slovenian women children's writers 1914 births 1999 deaths Ravensbrück concentration camp survivors Levstik Award laureates People from the Municipality of Sežana Yugoslav writers