A book as a comic

A comic adaptation of Ruth Maier's diary, entitled Život by mohl být tak krásný *Life Could Be So Beautiful*, illustrated using three different techniques—including the unique drypoint technique—tells her personal story – her childhood in Žarošice and Brno, her life in Vienna at a time of growing anti-Semitism, her emigration to Norway, and her tragic end in Auschwitz. The aim of the comic book is to bring this unique testimony to the younger generation in an accessible visual form, to deepen awareness of 20th-century history, and to strengthen international dialogue between the Czech, Norwegian, and German cultural environments. The work is being created by screenwriter Štěpánka Jislová and illustrator Kristýna Plíhalová; the publication will be released in Czech, Norwegian, and German versions. The Czech edition is planned for autumn 2026. The book will be published by Paseka.

Photographed at Paseka Publishing House, September 2025.