Fumiko Ishioka (Japanese: 石岡史子; Hepburn: Ishioka Fumiko, born 1970) is a Japanese translator.[1]

Fumiko Ishioka
石岡史子 (Japanese)
Ishioka Fumiko (Hepburn)
Born1970 (age 53–54)
NationalityJapanese
Occupation(s)Translator
Teacher
Years active1999-present
Known forHana's Suitcase

Biography

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After finishing an MA in Development Studies at Leeds University in England in 1995, Ishioka spent two years working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[2]

In 1999 she was appointed executive director of the Tokyo Holocaust Education Resource Center.[2] Visiting Auschwitz in 1999, Ishioka requested a loan of children's items that would convey the story of the Holocaust to other children. The museum loaned her a child's suitcase, which had a name, a birthdate and the German word, Waisenkind (orphan) written on it.[3][4] Ishioka began researching the life of the owner of the suitcase, Hana Brady, and eventually found her surviving brother in Canada.[5] The story of Brady and how her suitcase led Ishioka to Toronto became the subject of a CBC documentary.[3]

Karen M. Levine, the producer of the documentary, turned the story into a book; it received the Bank Street College of Education Flora Stieglitz Straus Award for non-fiction and the National Jewish Book Award.[6] The book received a nomination for the Governor General's Award and was selected as a final award candidate for the Norma Fleck award. It has been translated into over 20 languages and published around the world.[7] In October 2006, the book won the Yad Vashem award, presented to George Brady at a ceremony in Jerusalem.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Fumiko Ishioka". Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  2. ^ a b Fumiko Ishioka, Hana's Story
  3. ^ a b Hana's Suitcase, CBC Sunday Edition radio documentary Web version, with family photos and Hana's artwork. With audio link to the documentary; retrieved 25 March 2010.
  4. ^ Brady family web site, hanassuitcase.ca; retrieved 26 March 2010.
  5. ^ Annika Orich. "Remembering Hana" Archived 24 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Canadian Literature book review; retrieved 24 January 2012.
  6. ^ Interview with Karen Levine (PDF). Proceedings of the 38th Annual Convention of the Association of Jewish Libraries in Toronto, ON. (15–18 June 2003); retrieved 25 March 2010.Archived 29 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Dalit Danenberg. The efforts she made to uncover the life story of the girl who owned the suitcase went far beyond any job description History, Hatred and Hope: The Story Behind 'Hana's Suitcase'."Teaching Outside the Box" (PDF) Yad Vashem Education Awards 2006; retrieved 25 March 2010.
  8. ^ Ori Golan (May 14, 2010). "A Suitcase that Talks". The Jerusalem Post.