Pia Tafdrup was born 29 May 1952 in Copenhagen. She grew up in the countryside as the eldest daughter of Finn Tafdrup and Elin Hannover, both born in Copenhagen. Of Jewish descent, both of her parents had to flee from Nazi-occupied Denmark to neutral Sweden during World War II. Finn Tafdrup and Elin Hannover were married in 1950 and became owners of the large farm "Endrupgård" and later of the farm "Rosendal," both situated in the north of Sjælland, one of the most idyllic regions of Denmark. Pia's mother and father were interested in literature and poetry of the classical genres as well as in contemporary prose and poetry. As did many young parents of their generation, they considered it vital to tell their children fairy tales, to sing with them, and to read them bedtime stories. In an essay on how she became a writer, Tafdrup remembers the experience of learning to read at school:
De første linier, jeg fik for i skolen, blev en sær blanding af svimlende lykke og lidt af et mareridt. Jeg stavede ord som so -- ko -- lo -- mus -- hus, men blev aldrig færdig med de lektier, fordi der for bare to-tre bogstaver udspillede sig et univers, jeg blev helt svimmel af at gå ind i.
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