Books from Finland - A literary journal of writing from and about Finland.

Left: Ljudmila Braude; right: Anna Sidorova. Photos: Irmeli Jung

This year the Finnish Government Prize for Translation of Finnish Literature, worth €10,000, was divided between two Russian translators. Lyudmila Braude and Anna Sidorova received their awards in Helsinki on 12 August from the minister of culture and sports, Stefan Wallin.

Braude was born in Leningrad in 1927, Sidorova half a century later in Vyborg, in 1978.

Dr Lyudmila Braude specialised in the translation of German and Nordic literature. Since 1991 she has translated Finland-Swedish fiction, Tove Jansson’s works in particular; all Jansson’s Moomin books as well as a selection of her novels and stories for adults are available to Russian readers. Books by the classic children’s writer Zachris Topelius as well as Finland-Swedish poetry by classic and contemporary poets have also been among her translations. Braude has received various international prizes for her work.

Anna Sidorova specialises in children’s literature; she has translated books by Sinikka and Tiina Nopola, Timo Parvela and Mauri Kunnas, among others. Sidorova has taught Finnish and Finnish literature and organised various culture festivals, particularly in her native Karelia. She has also translated and introduced Finnish plays and works actively for theatre projects shared by Finland and Russia.

The prize has been awarded by the Ministry of Education since 1975 on the basis of a recommendation from FILI (Finnish Literature Exchange).