AVROM-MORTKHE PYURKO

AVROM-MORTKHE PYURKO (March 18, 1853-June 11, 1933)

            He was born in Lomzhe, Poland.  For a time he worked as a Hebrew teacher, and later he owned a print shop.  He published poetry and stories in: Hamelits (The advocate), Haboker or (The morning light), and Hatsfira (The siren), among others.  In Yiddish in: Kol mevaser (Herald) and Yidishes folksblat (Jewish people’s newspaper), among others.  His books include: A fulshtendiger brivenshteler (A complete letter writer) (Grajewo, 1891).  He edited the children’s magazine Gan shaashuim (Garden of delights) (1899-1901); and he also authored several Hebrew books.  He placed work in Unzer velt (Our world) in Warsaw, and in 1935 there appeared in Haynt (Today) in Warsaw his memoirs of Jewish life in Lithuania and Poland and of Yiddish and Hebrew writers in the nineteenth century.  He died in Grayeve (Grajewo), Poland.

Sources: Sefer zikaron (Remembrance volume) (Warsaw, 1889), p. 85; Lomzhe (Lomzhe) (New York, 1957), p. 246; Zalmen reyzen-arkhiv (Zalmen Reyzen archive) (YIVO, New York).

Khayim Leyb Fuks