ZAMENHOF, LUDWIK LAZAR

ZAMENHOF, LUDWIK LAZAR
ZAMENHOF, LUDWIK LAZAR (1859–1917), Polish philologist and creator of Esperanto. Born in Bialystok, Zamenhof studied medicine and specialized in ophthalmology. He acquired his interest in philology from his father, who was a language teacher. For several years Zamenhof engaged in research work in the Yiddish language and began to write a Yiddish grammar, which was not completed. From his youth he had contemplated the idea of creating a simple international language which would facilitate and advance relations and mutual understanding between nations. In 1878, he completed the writing of the first pamphlet which contained the fundamentals of the new language. It contained only 900 root words and a grammar with 16 rules. It was published in 1887 under the title Lingvo Internacia ("International Language"). Zamenhof signed it with the pseudonym "Doktoro Esperanto" ("Dr. Hopeful"), hence the name of the language. At first Zamenhof encountered opposition and mockery, but he succeeded in gaining numerous enthusiastic supporters in every country, including renowned thinkers and scientists. Zamenhof published translations from German, English, and Russian literature, as well as from the Bible, in order to prove that Esperanto, in spite of its simplicity, could become a literary language. In 1905, in France, he convened the first international congress of Esperantists. In 1910, when the sixth congress was held in Washington, Zamenhof visited the United States and delivered a series of lectures in Esperanto. Two statues were erected in Zamenhof's honor in Poland – one in Warsaw (1928) and the other in Bialystok (1934), his native town. Zamenhof remained close to Jewish problems. He was one of the first members of Ḥovevei Zion, and in 1901 published a pamphlet, Der Hilelismus, where he presented Judaism as the philosophy of humanism. He published an Esperanto textbook in Hebrew.   -BIBLIOGRAPHY: M. Boulton, Zamenhof, Creator of Esperanto (1960); E. Privat, Life of Zamenhof (1931); H. Arnhold, Ein Fuerst ohne Krone (1920); G. Waringhien, Lazare Louis Zamenhof, à l'occasion du centenaire de sa naissance (1959) (= Association Universelle pour l'Espéranto, Document CRD/6–1); I. Lapenna, Dr. L.L. Zamenhof's Greatness (1959) (=Universal Esperanto Association, Document RDC/6–2). (Max Wurmbrand)

Encyclopedia Judaica. 1971.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Zamenhof — (izg. zámenhof), Ludwik Lejzer (Lazar) (1859 1917) DEFINICIJA poljsko židovski liječnik; knjigom Lingvo internacia (Međunarodni jezik, 1887) stvorio sasvim novi jezik, esperanto, kojem je namijenio ulogu bolje komunikacije među ljudima cijeloga… …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • L. L. Zamenhof — For other people with the same name, see Zamenhof (disambiguation). Ludwig Lazarus Zamenhof Born Leyzer Leyvi Zamengov December 15, 1859(1859 12 15) Białystok …   Wikipedia

  • Montagu C. Butler — Montagu Christie Butler, (b. 25 January 1884 in London, d. 5 May 1970) was a British academic, librarian and musician. A winner of several prizes at the Royal Academy of Music in London, he was a harpist and a versatile music teacher skilled in… …   Wikipedia

  • Zadkine, Ossip — (1890–1967)    Sculptor. The work of Russian born Ossip Zadkine was influenced by primitive art and later in Paris by the cubist movement. His greatest work, The Destroyed City, stands in Rotterdam. It shows an agonized woman with outstretched… …   Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament

  • List of Russian people — The Millennium of Russia monument in Veliky Novgorod, featuring the statues and reliefs of the most celebrated people in the first 1000 years of Russian history …   Wikipedia

  • 1887 — Portal Geschichte | Portal Biografien | Aktuelle Ereignisse | Jahreskalender ◄ | 18. Jahrhundert | 19. Jahrhundert | 20. Jahrhundert | ► ◄ | 1850er | 1860er | 1870er | 1880er | 1890er | 1900er | 1910er | ► ◄◄ | ◄ | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 18 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Julio Baghy — Dans ce nom hongrois, le nom de famille, Baghy, précède le prénom mais cet article utilise l ordre occidental où le prénom précède le nom.. Julio Baghy Nom de naissance Gyula Baghy Autres noms Jobo Naissance 13 janvier 1891 à… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tivadar Soros — Teodoro Ŝvarc (ou Schwartz ou Soros Tivadar ; 1894 1968) est un écrivain juif hongrois, médecin, avocat et espérantiste. Pseudonyme : Teo Melas (melas en grec et schwartz en allemand signifient noir). Il fonda, en 1922, la revue… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Kálmán Kalocsay — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Kalman. Kálmán Kalocsay Kálmán Kalocsay portrait …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Liste der nach Personen benannten Straßen und Plätze in Dresden — Diese Liste der nach Personen benannten Straßen und Plätze in Dresden enthält alle Straßen und Plätze in Dresden, die nach Personen benannt wurden.[1] Inhaltsverzeichnis A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

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