Background
Ruge is the son of the East German historian Wolfgang Ruge, who had once been deported to Siberia by the Soviet state.
Ruge is the son of the East German historian Wolfgang Ruge, who had once been deported to Siberia by the Soviet state.
After studying mathematics at Humboldt University, he worked as a research assistant at the German Democratic Republic Academy of Sciences. In 1986, he began his career as a writer, documentary filmmaker and screenwriter. In 1988, he emigrated to West Germany.
Since 1989 he has worked mainly as a writer for theatre, radio and film.
The novel has been translated into English by Anthea Bell. As a translator from Russian, Ruge has translated Chekhov among others
He is the father of four children and divides his time between Berlin and Rügeneral