YANKEV STEMPL

YANKEV STEMPL (b. May 25, 1900)

            He was born in Ostrozhets, Volhynia.  He received a traditional Jewish education and studied in the Lutsk yeshiva.  In 1929 he immigrated to Argentina.  He debuted in print with a poem entitled “Yizker” (Remembrance) in Di idishe tsaytung (The Jewish newspaper) in Buenos Aires, in which he also published a series of poems “Gezangen un odes” (Songs and odes)—including “Yude haleyvi” (Judah Halevi) and “Af eygene erd” (On one’s own land).  He also contributed poems, stories, and essays to Di prese (The press) in Buenos Aires, in which his longer novel, Der groyser vikuekh (The great debate), appeared serially.  Also published there were his stories: “Kfitses-haderekh” (Shortcut), “Itshe kartoflye” (Itshe potato), “Kidesh hashem berotsn” (Voluntary martyrdom), and “R’ berishls beys-medresh” (Reb Berishl’s house of study); and his article, “Der ani maymen fun yitskhok bashevis” (The credo of Yitskhok Bashevis).  He was one of the founders of the journal Der shpigl (The mirror) in Buenos Aires, and he was a regular contributor to Ilustrirte literarishe bleter (Illustrated literary leaves) in Buenos Aires as well.  Before he took up commerce, he worked for a Jewish philanthropic institution.  He spent time in virtually all of the Jewish communities in Argentina.  He visited Uruguay and made a trip to the United States in 1961.  From 1945 he was a member of the H. D. Nomberg Writers’ Association in Buenos Aires.  He was the father-in-law of the writer Yoyel Gak.  He was last living in Buenos Aires.

Source: Di prese (Buenos Aires) (December 22, 1961).