Biography
Zeichen's origins are somewhat obscure, and his year of birth is dubious. In German language the word Zeichen means "sign", and has been suggested that his true name would be Giuseppe Mario Moses, an almost certainly Jewish surname. Zeichen, however, denies this theory.
Born in Rijeka (then called Fiume), the son of an Italian-speaking Dalmatian gardener, Zeichen moved with all his family to Parma as a refugee. In 1950 they moved to Rome, where Zeichen currently still lives in a self-made house next to Via Flaminia.
He began to write poems at the age of 18, influenced by surrealist authors like Breton and Prévert. His first work was published in 1969 on the literary review Nuova Corrente. Zeichen's first novel, Tana per tutti, was released in 1983.
Zeichen's poetry has been praised for his quick catch on the reader, and the subtle sense of humour underlining it. He is considered among the finests poets today in Europe. A literary award entitled to him, the Premio Zeichen, is held every December in Rome: Zeichen himself is the only member of the jury.
Read more about this topic: Valentino Zeichen
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