KULBAK, MOYSHE

KULBAK, MOYSHE
KULBAK, MOYSHE (1896–1940), Yiddish poet, novelist, and dramatist. Kulbak was born in Smorgon near Vilna. He wrote first in Hebrew but soon changed to Yiddish and published his first book of poems Shirim ("Poems," 1920) while teaching in Vilna's Yiddish schools. His early poetry was under the influence of Neo-Romanticism and Symbolism. He spent the years 1920–23 in Berlin, where he was exposed to the latest literary trends, especially Expressionism, the influences of which were apparent in his poetry, in the messianic drama Yakov Frank (1923), and in the grotesque short novel Meshiekhben Efroyim (1924). In 1923 he returned to Vilna, taught modern Yiddish literature at the famous "Real-Gimnazye" and at the Yiddish Teachers' Seminary, and published the long poem "Vilna" (1926) and the apocalyptic novel Montog ("Monday," 1926), among other works. A collection of his works in three volumes appeared in 1929 in Vilna. Kulbak was interested in theater and with his students performed Yiddish plays. In 1928, disappointed with the literary atmosphere in Poland, he cast his lot with the Minsk Group of Soviet Yiddish writers. As a modernist, decadent, and pessimistic writer, it was hard for Kulbak to conform to the dictates of socialist-realism and Soviet utopianism. His major work from this period is Zelmenyaner (1931; Heb. 1940), a novel that narrates with lively colors and black humor the story of a Soviet-era Jewish family in Minsk. In his comic epic, Disner Tshayld Harold (1933; modeled after Lord Byron's work), his satiric barbs were directed against the decadent German bourgeoisie. In 1937, while he was at the height of his popularity and his last play, Boytre (1936), was being performed in Moscow, the secret police arrested him, forbidding further performances of his plays and all mention of his books. He was imprisoned as a slave laborer until his death in 1940. He was posthumously rehabilitated in 1956. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Rejzen, Leksikon, 3 (1960), 600–6; LNYL, 8 (1981), 164–7; M. Ravitch, Mayn Leksikon (1945), 227–9. I. Howe and E. Greenberg, A Treasury of Yiddish Stories (1953), 342–50. ADD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Ch. Shmeruk et al. (eds.), A Shpigl oyf a Shteyn (1964), 515–66; Sh. Rozhanski (ed.), Oysgeklibene Shriftn (1976); I Howe et al. (eds.), The Penguin Book of Modern Yiddish Verse (1987), 379–411; A. Novershtern, in: Di Goldene Keyt, 126 (1989), 181–203; 127 (1989), 151–170; A. Novershtern, in: Kesem ha-Dimdumim (2003), 225–52. (Sol Liptzin / Itay B Zutra (2nd ed)

Encyclopedia Judaica. 1971.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Moyshe Kulbak — (1896, Smarhoń – 1937, near Minsk) was a Yiddish language writer, born in Smarhon (present day Belarus) to a Jewish family. He studied at the Volozhin Yeshiva in Lithuania. Overview In 1914 he moved to the Russian city of Minsk; in 1920,… …   Wikipedia

  • THEATER — origins post biblical period FROM 1600 TO THE 20TH CENTURY england france germany italy holland russia united states jews in the musical the jew as entertainer yiddish theater premodern performance in yiddish haskalah drama broder singers the… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • YIDDISH LITERATURE — This articles is arranged according to the following outline: introduction UNTIL THE END OF THE 18TH CENTURY the bible in yiddish literature epic homiletic prose drama liturgy ethical literature Historical Songs and Writings transcriptions of… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Litterature yiddish — Littérature yiddish La littérature yiddish comprend tous les écrits littéraires en yiddish, la langue des Juifs ashkénazes, dérivé du moyen haut allemand. La langue yiddish prend ses racines en Europe centrale, et a migré au cours des siècles… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Littérature yiddish — La littérature yiddish comprend tous les écrits littéraires en yiddish, la langue des Juifs ashkénazes, dérivé du moyen haut allemand. La langue yiddish prend ses racines en Europe centrale, et a migré au cours des siècles vers l Europe de l Est …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Literatura en yidis — La literatura en yidis o literatura yídica es la escrita en yidis, la lengua de los judíos askenazíes, emparentada con el alemán medieval. Suele considerarse que la literatura en yidis ha tenido tres etapas: antigua literatura yídica (1300 1780); …   Wikipedia Español

  • Yiddish literature — Jewish culture Visual Arts Visual Arts list …   Wikipedia

  • List of Yiddish language poets — Poets who wrote or write much of their poetry in the Yiddish language include:A* Moshe Altman * Efraim Auerbach * Zelik AxelrodB* Zelik Barditshever * Rachel Baumvoll * Elye Beyder * Chaim Beyder * Alexander Beyderman * Alexander Belousov * Lev… …   Wikipedia

  • Liste jiddischer Schriftsteller — Liste jiddischsprachiger Dichter und Schriftsteller Inhaltsverzeichnis A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A Lajzer Ajchenrand (1911 1985) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Moshe Mordechai Epstein — Rosh yeshiva in Slabodka Born March 7, 1866(1866 03 07) (20 Adar 5626 Anno Mundi) Bakst …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”