© Sergei Gavrylov-Haudring
"Born in 1955 in Sande, Lower Sawony, Olaf Kühl is a German writer, translator, and cultural mediator celebrated for his work bridging Polish and German literary traditions. He earned a degree in Slavic Studies and East European History before founding the Ost-West-Büro (OWB) for Eastern European consultation and translation in Berlin. He earned his doctorate in 1995 and worked as an interpreter and translator for the governing mayor of Berlin.
His most recent non-fiction book, Z. Kurze Geschichte Russlands, von seinem Ende her gesehen (Rowohlt, tl: Z. A brief history of Russia, seen from its end) was published in 2023. Within the book, he shows how Russia has developed since the collapse of the Soviet Union – how brighter, freer minds were gradually replaced by functionaries loyal to the regime before a mafia-like secret service elite seized power. All of this becomes tangible in the fates of the people Kühl tells us about, including a successful entrepreneur who was tortured and killed in prison because he refused to be blackmailed by the secret service
Kühl is renowned for his translations of Polish literary giants, including Witold Gombrowicz, Dorota Masłowska, and Szczepan Twardoch. His translation of Twardoch’s The King of Warsaw earned critical acclaim, exemplifying his skill in capturing the nuance and rhythm of Polish prose. In addition to his literary endeavors, Kühl has served as an advisor on Central and Eastern European affairs for the Berlin Senate, lending his expertise to foster cultural and political understanding.
His earlier works, such as Tote Tiere (2011, tl: Dead Animals), reflect his penchant for blending psychological depth with intricate storytelling. A key figure in contemporary German literature, Kühl continues to explore the intersections of history, identity, and language, solidifying his reputation as a literary and cultural bridge between Germany and Poland."
(Source: International Literature Festival Odesa 2025)
Olaf Kühl, born in 1955. PhD in Slavic literatures; literary translator (Polish, Russian, Ukrainian) and writer.
Senior advisor on Russian affairs to the Governing Mayor of Berlin 1996 - 2021.
German Youth Literature Award for the translation of Dorota Masłowska’s Snow White and Russian Red in 2005.
Karl
Dedecius
Prize
for
his translation
oeuvre in 2005.
“Border Crossers” grant from the Robert Bosch Stiftung for a research trip in the footsteps of jailed oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky in Siberia in 2008.
August Wilhelm von Schlegel Visiting Professor at Freie Universität Berlin in 2011/12.
His debut novel, Dead Animals, appeared in 2011.
His second novel, The True Son (2013), was nominated for the German Book Prize (both Rowohlt Berlin).
Polonicum Prize of the University of Warsaw in 2015 for the dissemination of Polish culture abroad.
Brücke Berlin ("Berlin Bridge") Prize for "the exceptional translation into German" of an "important contemporary work of Central and Eastern European literature" - Szczepan Twardochs novel Drach - in 2016.
Honoured for his translation of Szczepan Twardochs Król (Der Boxer) and for his own lifetime achievements as a literary translator with the Helmut M. Braem Prize in 2018.
In 2019, the political thriller "Last Game Berlin" was published, whose plot draws on the multicultural milieu of the German capital.
In 2021/22, Kühl held a guest lectureship at the Technical University of Berlin on the topic of "Literary Translation and Artificial Intelligence".
2023 saw the publication of his book "Z. A Short History of Russia, Seen from its End." In it, the author examines Russia's development since the collapse of the Soviet Union and explores the reasons for the Russian attack on Ukraine.
The book was ranked No. 1 in the list of the best non-fiction books of several major newspapers and broadcasters in July 2023.
The Russian translation of Z was published in spring 2024 by STEIN Publishing in Hamburg.
