In a move considered a nod to the 20th anniversary of the collapse of communism, Herta Müller has won the 2009 Nobel Prize in literature.
The Romanian-born German novelist, poet, and essayist noted for her works depicting the harsh conditions of life in Romania under the criminal Ceauşescu regime, made her literary debut in 1982 with “Niederungen,” a collection of short stories which was censored by the communist government.
Mueller’s works, mostly written in German, have been translated into English, French and Spanish.
The 56-year-old author becomes the 12th woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature.