Dora Gabe Biography

Dora Gabe was a renowned poetess from Bulgaria who wrote and translated for most of the 20th century. She was born to a journalist father and was given a strong foundation by him. She went to university to study Natural Sciences and, in consecutive years, travelled abroad where she learned to speak many languages. Starting at a young age, she was asked to translate many works by renowned authors and government officials alike. She carried these works along the way with her as she went on a grand tour of Europe, lecturing about Bulgarian literature and the political turmoil of the time. She also wrote many original pieces -- poetry was her main focus; she published works such as ‘Spring’ and ‘Don’t Come Near Me!’ which were received very well at the time. They have endured the test of time, still being read and studied in Bulgarian schools. She also wrote a lot for children, publishing books and editing a couple of magazines designed for schools. She teamed up with other authors in Europe and founded the Bulgarian PEN Club, which was aimed to improve creative communication during the difficult times of the world wars. She is still remembered for this and for serving as chairman of this organization. She also worked for the Bulgarian Embassy in Poland as their counselor for cultural affairs, a major position for a woman to hold during that time.