Nora Strejilevich

“I only started writing in Canada, when I attended a course devoted to autobiography. A teacher gave us a choice to write an essay or an autobiography. I chose the latter option and got encouraged to keep writing. So I finished a short autobiography documenting scenes from various moments of my life and also my own genealogy, which I later included into the Single numerous death; but mainly the knowledge that my story creates a part of a much larger process, which goes beyond me encouraged my writing, and the fact it had an impact on all my generation. I consider that essential as I believe, that our society is a society of survivors, as the dictatorship had an impact of each and every one of us.”

“At the period of amnesty I participated at a pieta act together with other survivors at a certain place of a former illegal capture location of the Club Atlético. Organisers asked us to present at the event and I read the first page of my book capturing my kidnapping. The book was already awarded, but not published yet and the meeting left me with a huge impression so I changed the rest of the book. I felt that the story actually only ended with that moment. I realised that I am no longer a victim, but due to formulation and presentation at this place I became a witness and a survivor and won over the fate, which they tried to enforce on me and so many others.”