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Eugen Ruge

b. 1954

German writer and translator

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About Eugen Ruge

Born 1954. Eugen Ruge is a German geophysicist, writer, playwright, screenwriter, translator and film director.

Eugen Ruge (born 24 June 1954 in Sosva, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Soviet Union) is a German writer, director and translator from Russian. In 2011 he won the German Book Prize for In Times of Fading Light.

Life and work Ruge is the son of the East German historian , who had once been deported to Siberia by the Soviet state. At the age of two, Ruge came to East Berlin with his parents. After studying mathematics at Humboldt University, he worked as a research assistant at the GDR Academy of Sciences. In 1986, he began his career as a writer, documentary filmmaker and screenwriter. In 1988, he emigrated to West Germany. Since 1989 he has worked mainly as a writer for theatre, radio and film. In 2011 he debuted as a novelist with the title In Times of Fading Light, which won the German Book Prize and the Alfred Döblin Prize. The novel has been translated into English by Anthea Bell.

As a translator from Russian, Ruge has translated Chekhov among others. He is the father of four children and divides his time between Berlin and Rügen.

Works In Zeiten des abnehmenden Lichts. Roman einer Familie , In times of fading light : the story of a family, Minneapolis, Minnesota: Graywolf Press, 2013. , Cabo de Gata , Cabo de Gata a novel, Minneapolis, Minnesota Graywolf Press 2016. ,

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Awards
German Book Prize; Alfred Döblin Prize; Aspekte-Literaturpreis; Mainz resident writer

People in Eugen Ruge's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Eugen Ruge's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Eugen Ruge?

German writer and translator

When was Eugen Ruge born?

Eugen Ruge was born on 24 June 1954 in Sosva.

What is Eugen Ruge's occupation?

Eugen Ruge is a geophysicist, writer, playwright, screenwriter, translator and film director.

What nationality is Eugen Ruge?

Eugen Ruge is German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Eugen Ruge

· Wikidata: Q1372851

· DBpedia: Eugen Ruge

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Eugen Ruge. https://biography.guide/eugen-ruge/

MLA: "Eugen Ruge." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/eugen-ruge/.

Chicago: "Eugen Ruge." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/eugen-ruge/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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