KEYTI BRAUN (KATIE BROWN)

KEYTI BRAUN (KATIE BROWN) (November 6, 1887-April 1955)

This was the adopted name of Gitl Bakan, born in Ulanów, western Galicia.  She received a religious education and attended elementary school.  At age twelve she moved to London with her parents, and there she was a laborer and acted in Yiddish theater.  She began writing for Di tsayt (The times), Obend-blat (Evening newspaper), Familyen-fraynd (Family friend), and Di post (The mail).  Among her books: Lakh oyb ir vilt, humoristishe skitsn (Laugh if you want to, humorous sketches) (London, 1947), 189 pp.  Alts in eynes, felyetonen, skitsen un ertseylungen fun Londoner idisher arbeter lebn (All in one, feature pieces, sketches, and stories from the life of a London Jewish worker) (London, 1951), 176 pp.  She was also the author of a number of theatrical plays.

Sources: Z. Zilbertsvayg, Teater-leksikon, vol. 1; H. Shishler, in Keneder odler (September 27, 1948); Who Is Who in World Jewry (New York, 1955), p. 111.

[Additional information from: Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 115.]