The Image of Anne Frank
in the Works of Veronika Dolina
Paper | Mirgorod, Vol. 23/24 (2025) | pp. 109–133
Joanna SOCHA
Abstract: This article presents an interpretation of the image of Anne Frank in the works of Veronika Dolina, using her songs Lullaby for a Girl and Holland as examples. Anne Frank is a symbol of the tragic fate of the Jewish people during the Holocaust, and the invocation of her image in a Russian-language author’s song is of particular interest. The article includes a brief biography of Veronika Dolina, outlines her
creative path, and explores the influence of historical and cultural contexts on her poetry. Particular attention is paid to the presence of the Jewish theme in her work and the reasons for turning to it. The current state of research into Dolina’s oeuvre and the extent to which the Holocaust theme has been studied in Russian poetry are also considered. The main part of the article is devoted to a detailed analysis of the texts Lullaby for a Girl and Holland. Attention is paid to the symbolic meaning of the image of Anne Frank, its artistic embodiment, and its emotional impact on the listener. Key symbols and metaphors found in the texts, and their role in creating an atmosphere of memory and tragedy, are examined. Particular emphasis is placed on the genre-specific
features of the works and their influence on the perception
of the Holocaust theme. Parallels between the real story of Anne Frank and the plots presented in Dolina’s texts are analysed. In addition, the cultural dialogue present in the songs is explored—between Western European (primarily Dutch and French), Jewish, and Russian traditions. It is shown how these cultural elements intertwine in Dolina’s work, creating a multi-layered artistic context. The image of Holland—Anne Frank’s final refuge before the tragic events—is shown to play an important role. The article concludes with a summary of the analysis and a reflection on the significance of Anne Frank’s image in Dolina’s work, its symbolic meaning, its role in transmitting historical memory, and its contribution to the development of the Holocaust theme in Russian-language bard songs.
Keywords: Veronika Dolina / bard song / Anne Frank / Holocaust / World War II / Jewish culture / diary / lullaby / ballad
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32017/mirgorod-2025-23.24-5
Cite this paper: Socha, J. (2025). Образ Анны Франк в творчестве Вероники Долиной. Mirgorod: The Annual of the History and Epistemology of Contemporary Literary Studies, 23/24, pp. 109–133. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32017/mirgorod-2025-23.24-5
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