The Hand That Signed the Paper is a 1994 novel by Helen Darville, published under the name Helen Demidenko, that also became a literary hoax. It tells the story of a Ukrainian family that collaborated with Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, and initially received a positive reception, winning Australia's Miles Franklin Award in 1995. It later became the subject of a heated debate, first over accusations of antisemitism and then over the revelation that Darville had adopted a false identity to suggest the novel was based on her own family history. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Classification
Original Language Composed, From (Year) In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Australia, originated there.
- Also in Language Atlas: English, original language there.
Sources
1. The Hand That Signed the Paper (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia category, checked 2026-09-27
Category:Miles Franklin Award-winning works
Lead paragraph
The Hand That Signed the Paper is a 1994 novel and literary hoax. The novel was written by Helen Darville, now Helen Dale, and was published under the name Helen Demidenko. It tells the story of a Ukrainian family that collaborated with Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.
View the Source2. Wikipedia
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