Despite the interdiction, Banciu continued to write and publish her works in Germany, which would be the country to which she would emigrate half a decade later. A participating eyewitness to the Romanian revolution, Banciu migrated to Germany in 1990, shortly after being awarded an Artists’ Grant for a writing sojourn in Germany from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). 

Since her debut in German language fiction with Vaterflucht, a memoiristic novel published to much critical acclaim in the mid-nineties, Banciu has embraced German as her primary literary language and has since established herself as a Berlin-based writer, publishing six novels, and several collections of short stories. She is also a cultural commentator and creative writing teacher. Banciu’s thematically rich body of work remains currently underrepresented in the Anglophone literary landscape. Migration, women’s empowerment and a reckoning with a Communist past and transnationalism are central themes in her works. Her original voice, distinct brand of cultural cosmopolitanism and economically poignant prose are sure to strike a chord in this unique moment in the English-speaking literary landscape.