Gabrielle, author of eight books, tells stories about the often-buried layers of history that shape our lives.

Born in Berlin in 1942, Gabrielle, her mother and grandmother had to flee in 1945 when their apartment was destroyed by bombs. Her father, a fighter pilot, had been shot down in 1943. Only her grandfather stayed behind to serve as doctor in the devastated city.

This began a series of relocations, a farmer’s cottage in Germany, a boarding school in Vienna, another on the Baltic. After a PhD in Drama from the University of London in 1968 Gabrielle taught at US universities and abroad.

Years later, having found home on the St Joseph River in South Bend, Indiana, her twin passions remain writing and helping others tell their stories, confirming her faith in the transformative power of stories.

Selected Awards:

• South Bend Community Hall of Fame 2016

• Keys to the City of South Bend 2006

• Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana’s highest honor 2006

• Honorary Citizen, Arzberg, Germany 2006

• John Ryan Award for Distinguished Contributions to International Programs, Indiana University 1998

• Lilly Faculty Open Fellowship 1991

• Woodrow Wilson Fellowship 1965; Phi Beta Kappa 1964, Phi Kappa Phi 1964