S. PALME

S. PALME (1888-March 20, 1952)

            The adopted name of Berl Savinski, he was born in Mezritsh (Międzyrzec), Poland.  In his youth he moved to Warsaw, working there in ladies’ bags and studying painting.  He spent some time in the Warsaw Citadel for revolutionary activities.  In 1910 he left to join his brother in London.  From 1918 to 1922, he lived in Soviet Russia.  He debuted in print in 1912 with a poem in the London-based Yidisher zhurnal (Jewish journal).  He went on to publish poetry in: Yugnt shtraln (Youth beams [of light]), Di post (The mail), Familyen fraynt (Family friend), Arbeter fraynt (Worker’s friend), Di tsayt (The times), and Loshn un lebn (Language and life)—in London; Fraye arbeter-shtime (Free voice of labor) and Di feder (The pen) in New York; and Yidisher zhurnal in Toronto.  His books would include: In kholem land, a kinder-shpil in tsvey aktn (In dream land, a children’s play in two acts) (London, 1923), 16 pp.; Royte royzn (Red roses), poetry (London, 1924), 112 pp.; Kinder fun shturem, novele (Children from the storm, a novella), with three drawings by the author (London, 1927), 128 pp.; Tsvishn fir vent, novele (Within four walls, a novella) (1940), 67 pp.; Farviste erd, lider un poemen (Ravaged earth, poetry), with illustrations by the author (London, 1943), 92 pp.; Ringen un keyten, lider un poemen (Links and chains, poetry) (London, 1947), 88 pp.; Glokn in midber and Kinder fun morgn, a fantazye in 4 bilder (Bells in the desert; and Children of tomorrow, a fantasy in four scenes) (London, 1948), 96 pp.; Siluetn in shpigl, lid un poeme (Silhouettes in the mirror, poetry) (London, 1951), 69 pp.  He also wrote a play entitled Dos lid fun lebn (The song of life), with a prologue and epilogue, which was staged at the Grand Palais Theatre in London in 1942.  He also wrote reviews of books and theater, and for a long period of time he was a teacher at the Workmen’s Circle schools in London.  He died in London.

Sources: Zalmen Zilbertsvayg, Leksikon fun yidishn teater (Handbook of the Yiddish theater), vol. 3 (New York, 1959); A. N. Shtentsl, in Heftn (London) (January 15, 1943; March 15, 1944); Y. H. Klinger, in Loshn un lebn (London) (May 1946); Y. Hillel Levi, in Loshn un lebn (March 1950; April 1952); Y. Horn, Mezritsh (Międzyrzec), anthology (Buenos Aires, 1952).

Benyomen Elis