LEYB KVITKO (November 11, 1890-August
12, 1952)
He was a poet and prose author, born in Holoskiv (Goloskiv), Ukraine. In response to a letter (dated March 19, 1929) from the
literary scholar Arn Gurshteyn asking how old he was, Kvitko replied: “It’s not
easy for me to answer your question. I really don’t know in what year I was
born. I am perhaps 33-34, maybe 35.” In his autobiographical notes, dated
September 21, 1943, Kvitko wrote: “I do not know the precise date of my
birth—1890 or 1893.”[1]
There is also some confusion in establishing the place in which he was born. Several
sources claim that Goloskiv is a village near Medzhybizh, although in fact it
was a town near Kryve Ozero, now located within Nikolaev district, where he was
raised by his grandmother and for a short time studied in the local religious
elementary school and from age ten entered an apprenticeship with a shoemaker—as
well as working as a dyer, a horse driver, and porter in Nikolaev, Odessa,
Kherson, and back in his hometown. His father was a teacher, but he was
orphaned in childhood. He began writing at age twelve. As he wrote in a memoir
concerning his meetings with Dovid Bergelson in Uman in 1915, “it came to me
not from a school, nor from religious elementary school, nor from private
lessons, but from the air which was agitated, full of secrets, massacres,
consternation, and frighteningly interesting events.” Bergelson, before whom this
beginning poet read his poems, strongly encouraged him, supplied him with
private tutors, and later in Kiev introduced him to a circle of students and
writers. His first published poem appeared in Dos fraye vort (The free word) in Kiev (May 1917).
In 1918, soon after his marriage to a
woman from Uman, Beti, they moved to Kiev. He came to know the Yiddish writers in
Kiev, especially Dovid Hofshteyn and Bergelson, lived there in considerable want,
worked as a book peddler for the Kultur-lige (Culture league) and later as a
teacher in a Jewish children’s home, and gradually became one of the most
important poets of the Kiev group. He published poems in the anthology Eygns (One’s own) 1 (1918) and II
(1920), in Baginen (Dawn) 1 (June
1919), and in Komunistishe fon
(Communist banner). At this time he published for “Kiever farlag” (Kiev
publishers) and “Yidisher folks-farlag” (Jewish people’s publisher) four short
booklets of children’s poems—Lidelekh
(Little poems) (16 pp.), Leml nasher
(Leml the sweet tooth) (1919, 14 pp.), Dos
kavendl (The watermelon) (1918, 8
pp.), and Dos ketsele (The
little cat) (1919, 8 pp.)—and from this point forward he gained fame as a great
children’s poet, to which calling he remained faithful until the end of his
life. In October 1918 he wrote the poem “In roytn shturem” (In the red storm),
which appeared in Baginen (June
1919), which Soviet critics tagged as the first piece in Yiddish literature concerned
with the October Revolution. In June 1919, he published his first collection: Trit (Footsteps) (Kiev: Kiever farlag),
127 pp.
In 1921 he left Russia and lived for a
short while in Kovno, where he published Der
groyser knish (The giant knish), poems for small children (Kultur-lige,
1921), 16 pp. He then moved to Germany, settled into work offloading pelts from
the Rio Grande at the port of Hamburg. He later published stories about his
life in Hamburg, Riogrande fel (Rio Grande pelt). In Berlin he contributed
to the anthology Geyendik (Going)
(Moscow, 1923), Milgroym (Pomegranate)
in Berlin, Tsukunft (Future) in New
York, and Der shtrom (The current) in
Moscow. In Berlin he published: Grin groz
(Green grass) in 1922 (Yidishe literarishe farlag, 206 pp.), including poems
from Trit, Eygns II, and a number of new pieces; 1919 (1919) in 1923 (Yidishe literarishe farlag, 163 pp.), which
was concerned with the pogroms in Ukraine; and In vald (In the forest), poems for children, in 1922 (Shveln, 15
pp.). His material circumstances, though, grew difficult, and the Soviet trade
mission in Berlin helped him publish two collections: Ukrainishe folks-mayses (Ukrainian folktales) (Berlin: Commissariat
for People’s Education, 1922), 88 pp., and Vaysrusishe
folks-mayses (Byelorussian folktales) (Berlin: Commissariat for People’s Education,
1923), 98 pp. He soon joined the Communist Party.
In 1925 he returned with his family to
Kiev and became a member of the office of the association of Yiddish literature
in Ukraine, known as “Oktyabr” (October). In early 1926 he moved to Kharkov with
his family and remained there until 1936. Over the years 1926-1929, he was
secretary to and a member of the editorial board of Di royte velt (The red world), in which he published poems and stories
(such as “Lyam un petrik” [Liam and Patrick]), while at the same time editing
the children magazine Zay greyt (Be
ready). How popular he was as an author of children’s poetry is demonstrated by
the fact that in 1928 alone he published with various presses seventeen booklets
for young readers. In 1929 in Kharkov, his collection Gerangl (Struggle),
in which he included a cycle entitled “Sharzhn” (Exaggerations) which he had
earlier published in Di royte velt and in which he sharply criticized
certain literary critics and writers, most prominently Moyshe Litvakov. And so
began an entire campaign again him, known to history under the name “Mayse kvitko”
(The Kvitko case). In the June 13, 1929[2]
issue of Der emes (The truth),
Litvakov, the editor-in-chief, published an article entitled “Litkomande un
litrekhiles” (Literary orders and literary slander), in which he sharply
attacked Kvitko. In his response in the same newspaper (August 2, 1929), Kvitko
tried to explain himself: “It’s not allowed to so cripple, to construe my poem and
vilify me.” However, the agitation campaign against him had already begun. In
September three special meetings of Jewish proletarian writers (in Moscow,
Minsk, and Kharkov) were held, in which Kvitko’s poetry was dubbed a “right
deviation” fighting against to the Party’s leadership in culture. The upshot
was that Kvitko was removed from the editorial board of Di royte velt,
and he was compelled to go to work in a tractor factory in Kharkov; in 1931 he
published the poetry collection In
trakter-tsekh (In the tractor shop) (Kharkov: Literatur un kunst), 104 pp.,
which likewise found little favor among the “proletarian” critics. It did not,
though, destroy him, as there was a sense that his poetry and stories,
especially for children, were much beloved by readers, and this fortified his
capacity to avoid a break which would surely have come to a less talented
writer under Soviet circumstances.
In 1931 he became co-editor of Prolit (Proletarian literature). In 1933
he published in Kharkov the first volume of his collected work, Lider un poemes, 1916-1927 (Poetry,
1916-1927) and in 1934 a volume entitled Rayzes
un poemes (Travels and poems). In 1935 he co-edited Kinder shafung (Children’s creations) (Odessa: Kinder farlag), 70
pp. In 1934 he was one of the delegates to the first conference of Soviet
writers in Moscow, and over the years 1933-1937 he was a member of the
editorial board of the Kiev journal Farmest
(Competition). In 1937 his Geklibene verk
(Selected works) appeared in print in Kiev. Earlier his children’s poetry was
published for mass circulation and translated into a dozen languages throughout
the Soviet Union. In 1939 he received the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. With
the outbreak of WWII and the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he took an
active role in the work of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee and of editorial work
for Eynikeyt (Unity). He was very
helpful to Jewish refugee writers. After the war he served as secretary of the
bureau of Moscow Yiddish writers and chairman of the committee of children and
young writers. He was a member of the editorial board of the almanac Heymland (Homeland) (Moscow, 1947/1948).
In 1947 he published a collection of war-era poems entitled Gezang fun mayn gemit (Song of my
spirit) and in 1948 a volume of his selected works. He was arrested on January
15, 1949 and executed on August 12, 1952 on the judgment of the Supreme Soviet
Military Court, as part of the “Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee Affair.”
In addition to the aforementioned books,
he also published: Lirik, gayst
(Lyric, spirit) (Kiev: Kultur-lige, 1921), 23 pp., drawn from Eygns II; Bertshik (Bertshik)
(Moscow: Central Publishers, 1927), 14 pp.; Ayzikl af der rayze (Little Isaac
on a trip) (Kharkov-Kiev: Central Publishers, 1928), 11 pp.; Di bobe shlak
un ir kabak (Gramma Shlak and her pumpkin), poems (Kharkov: Central
Publishers, 1928), 12 pp.; Kheymishe khayes (Familiar animals) (Kharkov:
Central Publishers, 1928), 12 pp.; Vilde khayes (Wild animals) (Kharkov:
Central Publishers, 1928), 12 pp.; Vi mentshn forn (As people go) (Kharkov:
Central Publishers, 1928), 24 pp.; Dos zhukl (The little beetle) (Kharkov:
Central Publishers, 1928); Mol feygelekh (Birds) (Kharkov: Central
Publishers, 1928), 12 pp.; Mol shmeterlekh (Butterflies) (Kharkov:
Central Publishers, 1928), 24 pp.; Mol shperlekh (Little sparrows) (Kharkov,
1928); Fayfele (Whistle) (Kharkov: Central Publishers, 1928), 12 pp.; A
tsig mit zibn tsigelekh (A goat with seven little goats) (Kharkov: Central
Publishers, 1928), 10 pp.; Karl un mizro (Karl and Mizro), poems and stories
(Kharkov: Knihospilko, 1928), 12 pp.; Kinder-plats (Children’s place) (Kharkov:
Central Publishers, 1928), 8 pp.; Ryogrander
fel, stories of workers’ lives in Germany (Kharkov: Ukrainian State Publishers,
1928), 172 pp.; Me shlist oys derfar (One could get kicked out for that)
(Kharkov: Knihospilko, 1928), 7 pp.; Shpil un shpilekhlekh (A game and
playthings) (Kharkov, 1928); Dos fidele (The little fiddle) (Kharkov:
n.p., 1928), 10 pp.;Gerangl, 1917-1929
(Struggle, 1917-1929), poetry (Kharkov: Central Publishers, 1929), 297 pp.; Deklamator (Declaimer), collection of
poems and stories (Kharkov: Central Publishers, 1929), 320 pp.; Lyam un petrik, a novel (Kharkov: Ukrainian
State Publishers, 1930), 320 pp., second edition (1932), third edition (1938); In trakter-tsekh (Kharkov: Literatur un
kunst, 1931), 104 pp.; Bam farber af der
ler (Apprenticing with a dyer) (Moscow-Kharkov-Kiev: Central Publishers, 1931), 23 pp.; Ongrayf af vistes (Attack on sight),
poetry (Kharkov: Literatur un kunst, 1932), 63 pp.; Yunge boyers (Young
builders) (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers
for National Minorities, 1932), 237 pp.; Lider un poemes, 1916-1927
(Kharkov: Literatur un kunst, 1933), 224 pp.; Verk far kinder (Works for
children) (Kharkov, 1934); Rayzes un
poemes (Kharkov: Literatur un kunst, 1934), 250 pp.; Sankom (Hygiene
Committee) (Moscow: Emes, 1934), 12 pp.; A freylekh yor (A joyous year)
(Kharkov-Odessa: Kinder farlag, 1934), 90 pp.; Buts un di sanitarn (The
chunky man and the medic) (Odessa: Kinder farlag, 1935), 12 pp.; Vinter-lider
far kinder (Winter poems for children) (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1935), 19 pp.; Yontef (Holiday), poems for children (Moscow:
Emes, 1935), 11 pp.; Khazerlekh (Piglets) (Kharkov-Odessa, 1935); Mashines,
di zegmil, der traktor (Machine, the sawmill, the tractor) (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1935), 16 pp.; Far di kindersvegn (For little children) (Moscow:
Emes, 1935), 100 pp.; Dos ketsele (Kharkov-Odessa: Kinder farlag, 1935),
10 pp.; A mayse vegn a meydele mitn roytn tikhele (A story about a girl
with the red kerchief) (Kharkov-Odessa, 1935); Di vilde khayes, poems
for children(Moscow, 1936); Bobetsi blumtsi (Bobetsi Blumtsi) (Kharkov-Odessa:
Kinder farlag, 1936), 12 pp.; Leml nasher (Moscow, 1936); Mashines
(Kiev-Kharkov: State Publishers, 1936); Dos fidele (The little fiddle) (Kharkov-Odeessa,
1935); Fraynd (Friend) (Kiev-Kharkov, 1936); Kinder-lider
(Children’s poetry) (Kiev-Kharkov, 1936); Royte reyen (Red series) (Kiev-Kharkov,
1936); Akh, az ikh vel oysvaksn (Just wait till I grow up!) (Odessa: Kinder
farlag, 1937), 14 pp.; Geklibene verk,
poetry (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers
for National Minorities, 1937), 266 pp.; Lider un
mayselekh far kinder (Poems and stories for children) (Kharkov-Odess,
1937); Vig-lid (Lullaby) (Kharkov-Odessa, 1938); Royte armey, lider
(Red Army, poems) (Moscow: Emes, 1938), 39 pp.; Lebedik un freylekh, lider
zamlung far kinder (Alive and happy, poetry collection for children) (Moscow:
Emes, 1939), 174 pp.; Naye lider (New
poems) (Moscow: Emes, 1939), 131 pp.; Roye armey (Moscow: Emes, 1939); Akhakhi
(Akhakhi) (Moscow: Emes, 1940), 12 pp.; Hayor (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1940), 82 pp.; Vig-lid (Kiev, 1940); Elf tekhter (Eleven daughters), poetry (Moscow: Emes, 1940), 28
pp.; Vi mikhas hot zikh oysgebodn (How Mikhas took a bath) (Moscow:
Emes, 1940), 16 pp.; Vemens iz dos meydele? (To whom does this girl
belong?) (Moscow, 1940); Der moltsayt (The meal) (Moscow: Emes, 1940),
16 pp.; Zumer (Summer) (Moscow: Emes, 1941), 15 pp.; Yunge yorn, roman in ferzn (Years of
youth, a novel in verse) (Kovno, 1941), only a few copies of the original
remained extant, mostly destroyed in fire caused by German bombing of the
publishing house, new edition (Moscow: Sovetski pisatel, 1984), 295 pp.; Yunge
shiser (Young marksman) (Moscow: Emes, 1941), 15 pp.; Fayer af di sonim! (Fire on the enemy!), poetry (Moscow: Emes,
1941), 31 pp.; Kinder hertser (Children’s hearts) (Moscow: Emes, 1943),
24 pp.; Alefbeys (Alphabet) (Moscow: Emes, 1947), 45 pp.; Gezang fun mayn gemit, poetry (Moscow:
Emes, 1947), 199 pp.; Geklibene verk
(Moscow: Emes, 1948), 336 pp.; Lemels
matones (Lemel’s gifts) (Warsaw: Yidish bukh, 1964), 46 pp.; and he also
published numerous children’s stories that appeared in a small, separate
booklets.[3]
He also compiled textbooks: Leyenbukh
farn tsveytn klas (Textbook for the second class) (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1934), 140 pp.; with Sh. Gulka, Leyenbukh farn tsveytn klas fun der onfang shul (Textbook for the
second class in elementary school) (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1936), 154 pp., newer editions (Kiev-Lvov, 1940; Kovno, 1940). He
compiled and translated: with Dovid Feldman, Antologye fun ukrainisher proze (Anthology of Ukrainian prose)
(Kharkov: Ukrainian State Publishers, 1930), 461 pp.; with Yitskhok Nusinov and
Yitskho Katsenelson, Dos blut ruft tsu
nekome! (The blood calls for revenge!) (Moscow: Emes, 1941), 116 pp.
“Kvitko is the poetic manifestation of the common Jewish man,” noted Moyshe Litvakov, “who has begun to rise to the heights of ethnic universalism…. His works are powerful, his images profound and strong, and we often discover in them messages of future poetry from the individualized mass sentiment of contemporary fashion.” “His simultaneously dark and poignant life depictions,” wrote Shmuel Niger, “his wrestling with the nocturnal, chaotic foundation and his surrender to it; his unexpected images and comparisons, his plowing up of the even field of folkish Yiddish, all of this is his…Kvitko’s lyricism—is Yiddish lyricism of an extended hearing, of subtle evidence.” Concerning his first book, Trit, Bal-Makhshoves wrote that it “notes here and there…the most beautiful poetic images in world literature…. According to the phase of his poetic development, Kvitko’s poetry is still young, but the brilliant youth whose poetic source is becoming purer with every passing year will not stop. In the family of poets, he is a brother to Byron [and] Lermontov, although he is through and through Kvitko, a Yiddish poetic phenomenon.” “Something in his first, primitive, natural strength,” noted Yitskhok Yanasovitsh, “remained as well in his subsequent works, although the motifs of his work were enormous compared to youthful blues and fantastic folktales…that characterized his early efforts in Yiddish poetry.” The famous Russian writer Korney Chukovsky writes: “The wondrousness of the surrounding world has turned Kvitko into a children’s writer: In the name of children, with the lips of five, six, seven-year-old children, it was easier to express his own limitless love of life, his deep belief that life was created for endless joy.”
[1] The birth date of November 11, 1890 accords
with the Russian Kratakaia literaturnaia
entsiklopediia (Short literary encyclopedia) (Moscow, 1966). Zalmen Reyzen,
Leksikon, vol. 3, gives a date of
October 31, 1893. [Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leib_Kvitko) gives
a birth date of October 15, 1890.]
[2] I think this should be July 13, 1929—JAF.
[3] In Khone Shmeruke, comp., Pirsumim yehudiim babrit-hamoatsot,
1917-1961 (Jewish publications in the Soviet Union, 1917-1961) (Jerusalem,
1961), there is nearly a full bibliography of some seventy publications.
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