Viera Benková

Viera Benková was born in April 23, 1939 in Bački Petrovac. She finished elementary and high school (1957) in her birth town. In the Philological faculty, University of Belgrade she studied and graduated Czech and Slovak languages and literature (1971). As a student she worked on contract in Association of journalists of Yugoslavia. In the year 1962 as a grantee of the county of Bački Petrovac she was employed in the newspaper Hlas ľudu (Voice of People), where she worked as a permanent member of the redaction until the year 1967, later however (until the year 1975) as an external co-worker. She was a member of the Nový život (New Life) redaction in the years 1965 until 1978. Because she moved to Belgrade in the year 1969, since the year 1975 lived as a free lancer. In the year 1980 she got employment in the Slovak redaction of the Novi Sad broadcast, where she worked until the year 1992, when she retired.

In the year 1967 she was admitted to the Association of writers of Yugoslavia and in the year 1985 also to the Association of writers of Vojvodina, from where she stepped out because of politicization of this writing organization (she returned in the year 2003). Since the year 1971 she is a member of the Association of the journalists of Yugoslavia and since the year 1986 a member of the Assembly of the writers and co-workers of the publishing company Stražilovo in Irig and Novi Sad. Since the year 1990 she is a member of the Association of the Slovak writers in Bratislava. She works as the vice president of the Local branch of the Slovak Matica in Yugoslavia in Bački Petrovac. In the years 1983-1993 she worked also in the Culture-artistic community Pavel Jozef Šafárik in Novi Sad.

She published these books: May stupor (1964), Slovenska laska – Slovačka ljubav – Slowakische Liebe (Slovak love) (Zagreb, 1965), Variations (1969), Rituals (1971), Ark of certitude (1975), Saloma (1975, to Serbian language translated by Anna Dudášová), Isolde’s ring (1978), Day among roses (1979, written in Serbian language), Minuet (1979, selection by Víťazoslav Hronec, to Serbian language translated by Anna Dudášová and Branislava Romová), Obelisk (1982), Rose brightness (1986, author’s translation of Serbian book from the year 1979), Chamber evening (1989), Heroica slovaca (1997), Book of admonition, (2001, editor Adam Svetlík), Yellow country, black ouzels (2004) and Reliquary (Nadlak, 2005).

She published two collections of stories and one novel, also two books about journalism. She also occupies herself with prose and poetry translation. About her poetry Zuzana Čížiková wrote the book Poetic work of Viera Benková (2005). Two times she won the Prize of the magazine Nový život (New life) (1964, 1968), Republic Prize Neven (1982), the Prize of Vojvodina Slovakists association for lifetime achievement (1999) and the Prize of publisher Kultúra for the book Heroica slovaca (2000).