Ivo Andric (9 October 1892 – 13 March 1975) was a Yugoslav novelist, poet, and short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961.
Life and Career
He was born on 9 October 1892, in Travnik, Austria-Hungary. He received his primary and secondary education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He attended high school in Sarajevo and later studied at the University of Zagreb in Croatia, where he received a degree in philosophy in 1919.
After completing his studies, he worked as a teacher and journalist before entering the diplomatic service of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1920.
In 1920, his collection of poems titled ‘Nemiri’ and the short story, ‘Put Alije Djerzeleza’ was published.
He is best known for his novels and short stories, many of which explore the history and culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina. His most famous work is the novel “The Bridge on the Drina” (Na Drini ćuprija), which was published in 1945 and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961.
Andrić continued to write throughout his life. His literary works, which are primarily written in Serbo-Croatian, include novels, short stories, essays, and poetry. His writing explores the themes of identity, history, and cultural traditions, often with a focus on the Balkan region.
Andrić also had a distinguished diplomatic career, he served in several European capitals, including Vienna, Bucharest, Graz, and Madrid. He also served as the Yugoslav ambassador to Germany and to the Vatican.
In 1958, he was appointed as a member of the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Through the 1950s, he published a number of short stories including, ‘Bife Titanik’, ‘Znakovi’, ‘Zeko’ and ‘Pod grabicem’.
His book ‘Omer-Pasha Latas’ was published posthumously in 1977.
He died on 13 March 1975, in Belgrade, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia.
Award
He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961, for his novel “The Bridge on the Drina” (Na Drini ćuprija), which was published in 1945.