KHAYIM ZAKS

KHAYIM ZAKS (ca. 1887-1941)

            He was born in Shoki (Sokiai?), Lithuania, into a merchant household.  He received both a Jewish and a general education.  He was later a bookkeeper in Kovno.  He was active in the community on behalf of the Jewish people’s party (Folkspartey).  He began writing for Idishe shtime (Jewish voice) in Kovno and was later a contributor to Folksblat (People’s newspaper) in Kovno, in which he published feature pieces and articles; in the children’s section of the latter newspaper, he published stories and transations from Russian and German.  He also wrote for the Hebrew children’s section of Idishe shtime: “Olam hayeladim” (The world of children).  Later, until 1939, he lived in Memel (Klaipėda), and from there sent in correspondence pieces as well to Frimorgn (Morning) in Riga.  He also published under the pen names: Dr. Simplton and Der Pitshinker, among others.  In 1939 he left Memel for Kovno, where he lived until the German invasion of Russia.  He was murdered by the Nazis during the destruction of Lithuanian Jewry.

Source: Y. Mark, in Zamlbukh lekoved dem tsveyhundert un fuftsikstn yoyvl fun der yidisher prese, 1686-1936 (Anthology in honor of the 250^th jubilee of the Yiddish press, 1686-1936), ed. Dr. Y. Shatski (New York, 1937), p. 258.

Khayim Leyb Fuks