Romanian author Vintila Horia, winner of the 1960 Goncourt Prize, faces ongoing controversy due to his past sympathies for Hitler. His acclaimed novel, *God Was Born in Exile,* is set for re-release on April 10. The book, a fictional diary of the poet Ovid during his exile, has seen multiple editions since its 1960 debut. While Horia’s past includes anti-Semitic rhetoric, his literary work is argued to lack such ideologies, with emphasis placed on its artistic value over his controversial beliefs.
The Controversial Legacy of Vintila Horia
The 1960 Goncourt Prize winner, Romanian author Vintila Horia, remains a figure shrouded in controversy, particularly due to his past expressions of sympathy for Adolf Hitler. Despite the scandal fading into obscurity over the decades, *God Was Born in Exile,* Horia’s acclaimed novel, is set for re-release on April 10 by Éditions Noir sur Blanc, as announced in a press release dated January 27.
A Look at the Novel’s Editions and Historical Context
Marko Despot, the editor of Noir sur Blanc, praised the novel, describing it as a “sublime book” and likening it to the renowned *Memoirs of Hadrian* by Marguerite Yourcenar. The Goncourt Academy, however, did not extend an invitation to Horia following his award, marking the 1960 prize as a rare case of being “awarded but not conferred.” Research by Romanian scholar Alice Popescu, published in 2016, delves into Horia’s past, revealing that while he engaged in anti-Semitic rhetoric during a time when such views were prevalent, his literary works do not reflect any traces of those ideologies.
In an interview with *France Soir*, Horia expressed confusion over the scrutiny of his past, stating, “I don’t know why we go looking for such old things.” He chose to maintain a low profile while living in Spain until his death in 1992. Despite the complexities of Horia’s ideology, Despot emphasizes that the focus should remain on the literary merit of the novel rather than the author’s controversial beliefs, asserting that it is unwise to judge a deceased author solely by their past actions.