FAYVL-LEYB ZIGELBOYM (FAYVL ZYGELBOIM)

FAYVL-LEYB ZIGELBOYM (FAYVL ZYGELBOIM) (b. September 16, 1908)

            The brother of Artur Zigelboym, he was born in Krasnistav (Krasnystaw), Lublin district, Poland.  At eight years of age, he moved with his parents to Khelm (Chełm).  He studied in religious elementary school and public school, later becoming a laborer.  In 1927 he settled in Warsaw, studied at Dr. Weichert’s drama school, and later became a member of the Warsaw “Yung-teater” (Young theater).  In 1936 he moved to South Africa.  He directed and acted in Yiddish and English theatrical productions.  He published reviews and articles in: the weekly Afrikaner idishe tsaytung (African Jewish newspaper) in Johannesburg (1936); Dorem-afrikaner zamlbukh (South African anthology) in Johannesburg (1944), in which he published “Getograd” (Ghetto city); the monthly Dorem-afrike (South Africa), in which he published, among other items, the drama In poyln (In Poland); Yisker-bukh khelm (Remembrance volume for Chełm) and Yankev mansdorf yoyvl-bukh (Jubilee volume for Yankev Mansdorf), both in Johannesburg in 1954; Hashalom (Peace) in Durban; Loshn un lebn (Language and life) in London; Ilustrirte literarishe bleter (Illustrated literary leaves) in Buenos Aires; and others.  In book form: Getograd, a drame in dray aktn (Ghetto city, a drama in three acts), dedicated to Artur Zigelboym (Johannesburg, 1945), 21 pp.; Di uhamas, roman fun dorem-afrike (The Uhamas, a novel of South Africa) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1971), 220 pp., Hebrew translation by Benyamin Tene (Tel Aviv, 1973), 176 pp.; Der koyekh tsu shtarbn, mishpokhe-bukh (The strength to die, a family book) (Tel Aviv: Perets Publ., 1976), 379 pp.; Meshiekh fun ramle (The Messiah of Ramla) (Tel Aviv: Kiem, 1980), 230 pp.  He was last living in Johannesburg.

Sources: Dorem-afrikaner zamlbukh (South African anthology) (Johannesburg, 1944), p. 142; Tsukunft (New York) (September 1945).

[Additional information from: Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 260.]