About

Born in Berlin in 1981, Mirna Funk majored in Philosophy and History at Humboldt University. 

Funk composes articles and essays for various publications and is an award-winning, bestselling author of two novels, two non-fiction books, and a travel guide about Tel Aviv. She recently completed her first screenplay. Her work frequently centers Jewish culture and explores how cultures of remembrance are being reshaped in the present. With a perspective on Jewish life that is both contemporary and deeply personal, she educates and engages through public talks, panels, curatorial projects, workshops, and essays.

Her debut novel, Winternähe, was published in 2015 by S. Fischer Verlage. It was awarded the Uwe Johnson Prize for emerging writers, nominated for the Aspekte Literature Prize, and translated into Dutch. Winternähe follows the story of Lola, a GDR-born Jewish woman navigating personal and inherited trauma amidst rising anti-Semitism. Her second novel, Zwischen Du und Ich, delves into the themes of violence and the transgenerational transmission of trauma.

Her first non-fiction book, Who Cares!, published in 2022, is a feminist manifesto on financial and emotional independence, encouraging women to take radical responsibility for their lives. Her second, Von Juden lernen (2024), explores ten core Jewish concepts—from Tikkun Olam to Zedaka—and presents them as universal tools for personal and societal empowerment. Both books received widespread media attention and are frequently used in educational and activist contexts. Her third novel, Balagan, will hit the shelves in January 2026.

Funk is a current contributor to Die Welt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, NZZ, Die Zeit, and Jüdische Allgemeine. In 2021, she has also hosted a podcast on Jewish life in Germany for the association 1700 Jahre jüdisches Leben in Deutschland. In addition, she writes a regular sex column for Cosmopolitan, where she explores intimacy, desire, and modern relationships with intellectual clarity and emotional candor.