Elena Poniatowska facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Poniatowska and the second or maternal family name is Amor.

Quick facts for kids Elena Poniatowska
Poniatowska in 2015.
Born	Hélène Elizabeth Louise Amélie Paula Dolores Poniatowska Amor (1932-05-19) May 19, 1932 (age 93) Paris, French Third Republic
Occupation	Journalist, author
Spouse(s)	Guillermo Haro (deceased)
Children	Emmanuel Haro Poniatowski (1955) Felipe Haro Poniatowski (1968) Paula Haro Poniatowska (1970)
Awards	'Miguel de Cervantes Prize' 2013

Elena Poniatowska (born May 19, 1932) is a famous Mexican journalist and writer. She was born in Paris, France, but moved to Mexico when she was ten years old. She writes about important social and political issues. She often focuses on people who don't have much power, like women and the poor.

Elena Poniatowska is known for her strong voice and her dedication to telling the stories of ordinary people. Her most famous book is La noche de Tlatelolco (The Night of Tlatelolco). This book is about a sad event in 1968 when students protesting in Mexico City were hurt. Because of her strong beliefs, some people call her "the Red Princess." She is seen as a very important writer in Mexico and is still active today.

Elena Poniatowska's Early Life

Elena Poniatowska

Elena Poniatowska was born in Paris, France, in 1932. Her full name is Hélène Elizabeth Louise Amélie Paula Dolores Poniatowska Amor. Her father was French-Polish, and her mother was from a Mexican family. Her mother's family had left Mexico during the Mexican Revolution.

When Elena was a child, World War II started in Europe. Because of the war, her family left France and moved to Mexico in 1942. She was ten years old at the time. Her father stayed in France to fight in the war.

Elena started her schooling in France. After moving to Mexico, she continued her education there. She learned to type but did not go to university. Instead, she started working at the Excélsior newspaper in 1953.

Elena speaks three languages: Spanish, English, and French. French was her first language at home. She learned Spanish by talking to people on the streets of Mexico City when she was young.

In 1968, Elena married an astronomer named Guillermo Haro. They had three children: Emmanuel, Felipe, and Paula. She also has five grandchildren. Elena and Guillermo later divorced in 1981.

Elena Poniatowska lives in Mexico City. Her house is full of books and photos of her family. She loves to write at home.

Her Career as a Writer

Poniatowska signing a book about Mariana Yampolsky in 2012

Elena Poniatowska has written many different kinds of books. These include novels, non-fiction books, and journalistic essays. She often writes about social issues and human rights. She especially focuses on the lives of women and people who are poor.

Elena started her writing career in 1953 at the Excélsior newspaper. At first, she interviewed famous people and wrote about high society. She said she learned everything on the job. She began using the name Elena instead of Hélene.

Her first book, Lilus Kikus, was published in 1954. In the 1950s and 1960s, there were not many chances for women writers. But Elena kept writing. She moved from simple interviews to more serious stories about social problems. She became a strong female voice in a society mostly led by men.

Testimonial Narratives

Elena Poniatowska is famous for her "testimonial narratives." These are stories based on real events and interviews with ordinary people. She started writing about social issues after visiting a prison. She interviewed railway workers who had been on strike. She found that prisoners wanted to share their life stories.

Her most famous testimonial book is La noche de Tlatelolco. This book tells the story of the 1968 student massacre in Mexico City. It includes interviews with people who saw what happened. It also has poems and newspaper clippings. This book was the only one about the event for 20 years. It showed a different side from the government's story.

Elena also helped start important groups. She was one of the founders of La Jornada newspaper. She also helped create Fem, a magazine for women.

Elena Poniatowska at the Guadalajara International Book Fair in 2017.

Elena Poniatowska's books have been translated into many languages. She even translated a book by American author Sandra Cisneros into Spanish. She has also written biographies of famous artists.

Elena often gives talks and presentations. She is known as a very important writer in Mexico. She has taught a weekly writing workshop for over 30 years. She has helped many new Mexican writers.

Her Advocacy and Writing Style

Poniatowska at the 30 year commemoration of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake.

Elena Poniatowska's writing mixes real history with fictional stories. She started writing about social issues in the 1960s and 1970s. She wanted to support people who were treated unfairly.

She focuses on human rights and defending different groups of people. She especially helps women, the poor, and indigenous groups. Even though she comes from a wealthy family, she uses her connections to help others. She is not a neutral writer. She writes to support those who she feels have no voice. She believes it is important to have a personal connection with the people she writes about.

Elena has said that the student movement of 1968 changed her life. She saw students being hurt by their own police. After that, she knew her writing should help change Mexico. She has visited prisoners, especially strikers and student protestors. She has even been arrested herself while observing protests.

She supports causes like those of farm workers and indigenous people. She connects people with left-wing political ideas, but she doesn't officially join any political groups. She considers herself a strong feminist. She supports civil movements with passion. She has refused offers to take political jobs.

Important Books

Elena Poniatowska has written many important books. Here are some of them:

La noche de Tlatelolco (Massacre in Mexico) (1971): This is her most famous book. It tells the story of the 1968 student protests in Mexico City. She gathered interviews from people who saw the event. She started interviewing people right after the massacre. The book showed a different story from what the government said.
Nada, nadie. Las voces del temblor (Nothing, Nobody: The Voices of the Earthquake) (1988): This book is about the 1985 Mexico City earthquake. It collects stories from people who lived through the earthquake. It also showed how the government handled the disaster.
Fuerte es el silencio (Strong is Silence) (1975): This book talks about different topics. It includes stories of families whose loved ones disappeared for political reasons. It also looks again at the Tlatelolco massacre.
Hasta no verte Jesús mío (Here's to You, Jesusa) (1969): This novel tells the story of Jesusa Palancares. She was a poor woman who fought in the Mexican Revolution. Elena interviewed the real woman who inspired this character for about ten years.
Tinísima (1991): This is a fictional story about the life of Tina Modotti. She was an Italian photographer and political activist. Elena spent ten years researching Tina Modotti's life for this book.
Las siete cabritas (The Seven Little Goats): This book is about seven important Mexican women from the 20th century. One of them is the famous artist Frida Kahlo.

Awards and Honors

Elena Poniatowska has received many awards for her writing.

In 1971, she won the Mazatlan Literature Prize for Hasta no verte Jesús mío. She won it again in 1992 for Tinísima.
In 1979, she was the first woman to win Mexico's National Journalism Prize. This was for her work in sharing Mexican culture and politics.
In 2001, she won the Alfaguara Novel Prize for her novel La piel del cielo.
The International Women's Media Foundation gave her a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. This was to honor all her work.
In 2007, she won the Rómulo Gallegos Prize for her book El Tren pasa primero.
She has also received special honorary doctorates from many universities.
In 2013, Elena Poniatowska won Spain's Miguel de Cervantes Prize. This is the most important award for Spanish-language writers. She was only the fourth woman to receive this honor. The award recognized her amazing writing career and her dedication to journalism.
In 2023, the Mexican Senate voted to give her the Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor. This is Mexico's highest award for civilians.