Ugnė Karvelis (13 June 1935 – 6 March 2002, in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

) was a writer, a translator and a member of the UNESCO Executive Board from 1997 to 2002.

Biography

Karvelis was born in Noreikiškės, Kaunas district on 13 June 1935, to Lithuanian politician Petras Karvelis (1925-1929 Foreign Minister of Lithuania) and Veronika Bakštytė, a cultural activist. Following the 1940 incorporation of Lithuanie into the Soviet Union, the Karvelis family emigrated to Germany in 1944. In 1940 Karvelis enrolled in ''Sacre Coeur'', a private school in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

. She continued her studies at Kaunas ''Aušra'' Gymnasium (1943-1944) and

Tübingen Tübingen (, , Swabian: ''Dibenga'') is a traditional university city in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, and developed on both sides of the Neckar and Ammer rivers. about one in thr ...

French school (1945-1950). Karvelis studied at the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

(1951-1952) and then in the international relations department at

Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris , motto_lang = fr , mottoeng = Roots of the Future , type = Public research university''Grande école'' , established = , founder = Émile Boutmy , accreditation ...

from 1952 to 1956. Karvelis furthered her studies overseas at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in New York in the history and economics departments from 1957 to 1958. In 1955 Karvelis began working for Express magazine in the international relations department. From 1959 to 1983 she worked as a publisher and editor for

Editions Gallimard Edition may refer to: * Edition (book), a bibliographical term for a substantially similar set of copies * Edition (printmaking), a publishing term for a set print run * Edition (textual criticism), a particular version of a text * Edition Recor ...

, beginning as an international department manager, and later managing the Latin America, Spain, Portugal and Eastern Europe departments. Thanks to her, many renowned writers such as

Julio Cortázar Julio Florencio Cortázar (26 August 1914 – 12 February 1984; ) was an Argentine, nationalized French novelist, short story writer, essayist, and translator. Known as one of the founders of the Latin American Boom, Cortázar influenced an ent ...

(her partner between 1967 and 1970),

Pablo Neruda Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto (12 July 1904 – 23 September 1973), better known by his pen name and, later, legal name Pablo Neruda (; ), was a Chilean poet-diplomat and politician who won the 1971 Nobel Prize in Literature. Nerud ...

, and

Octavio Paz Octavio Paz Lozano (March 31, 1914 – April 19, 1998) was a Mexican poet and diplomat. For his body of work, he was awarded the 1977 Jerusalem Prize, the 1981 Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the 1982 Neustadt International Prize for Literature, and ...

were published in France. Karvelis also worked as a literary critic publishing in ''Le Figaro'' and ''Le Monde''. In 1988 Karvelis visited Lithuania and in 1991 helped Lithuania to join

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

. In 1993 she became

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

's permanent delegate to UNESCO. In 1991 Karvelis directed two documentary movies about Lithuania. She translated many Lithuanian authors into French, most notably novels by Saulius Tomas Kondrotas (''Gaze of the Viper'' lt, Žalčio žvilgsnis)), Ričardas Gavelis, Bitė Vilimaitė, and

Jurga Ivanauskaitė Jurga Ivanauskaitė (14 November 1961 – 17 February 2007) was a Lithuanian writer. She was born in Vilnius, Lithuania. While studying at the Vilnius Art Academy, she wrote her first book, ''The Year of the Lilies of the Valley'', published ...

. She translated classic poems by

Kristijonas Donelaitis Kristijonas Donelaitis ( la, Christian Donalitius; 1 January 1714 – 18 February 1780) was a Prussian Lithuanian poet and Lutheran pastor. He lived and worked in Lithuania Minor, a territory in the Kingdom of Prussia, that had a sizable Lithuani ...

Maironis Maironis (born Jonas Mačiulis, ; – 28 June 1932) was a Lithuanian Roman Catholic priest and the greatest and most-known Lithuanian poet, especially of the period of the Lithuanian press ban. He was called the Bard of Lithuanian National Reviv ...

Balys Sruoga Balys Sruoga (February 2, 1896, in , Kovno Governorate – October 16, 1947, Vilnius) was a Lithuanian poet, playwright, critic, and literary theorist. Early life He contributed to cultural journals from his early youth. His works were publishe ...

Salomėja Nėris Salomėja Bačinskaitė-Bučienė, mostly known by her pen name Nėris (; 17 November 1904 – 7 July 1945) was a Lithuanian poet. Biography Salomėja was born in Kiršai, Suwałki Governorate (current district of Vilkaviškis). She graduated ...

Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas Vincas Mykolaitis, known by his pen name Putinas (literally '' Viburnum'') (6 January 1893 in Pilotiškės, Suwałki Governorate – 7 June 1967 in Kačerginė), was a Lithuanian poet and writer. He was also a priest, but renounced his priesthoo ...

, and Jonas Aistis. Additionally she translated poems by modern authors:

Marcelijus Martinaitis Marcelijus Teodoras Martinaitis (1 April 1936 – 5 April 2013) was a Lithuanian poet, essayist, translator. Biography Marcelijus Martinaitis born in a peasants family in Paserbentys village (now liquidated) in Raseiniai District Municipality. His ...

(''Passerelle de nuages'' lt, Debesų lieptais),

Eduardas Mieželaitis Eduardas Mieželaitis (3 October 1919 – 6 June 1997) was a Lithuanian Soviet poet, translator, essayist and public figure. He was awarded the Lenin Prize in 1962. Biography He was born to the family of a village teacher. In 1923 he moved with ...

Justinas Marcinkevičius Justinas Marcinkevičius (10 March 1930 – 16 February 2011) was a prominent Lithuanian poet and playwright. Life and career Marcinkevičius was born in 1930 in Važatkiemis, Prienai District. In 1954, he graduated from the Faculty of His ...

Sigitas Geda Sigitas Geda (full name - Sigitas Zigmas Geda; 4 February 1943 – 12 December 2008) was a Lithuanian poet, translator, playwright, essayist, critic and a member of the Lithuanian independence movement, Sąjūdis, and of the Lithuanian parliament, S ...

, Antanas A. Jonynas, Gintaras Patackas, and Almis Grybauskas among others.

Works of note

* ''Demain, il n'y aura plus de trains'', 1991, novel ( lt, Traukinių daugiau nebus, 1997).

References

External links

* 1935 births 2002 deaths Lithuanian translators Columbia University alumni Permanent Delegates of Lithuania to UNESCO Translators from Lithuanian Translators to French Lithuanian women diplomats Lithuanian women ambassadors 20th-century Lithuanian women writers 20th-century Lithuanian writers Julio Cortázar 20th-century translators {{translator-stub