LEYB ROZENTAL

LEYB ROZENTAL (1916-1944/1945)

            He was born in Vilna.  He studied in an elementary school of the “Khevre mefitse haskole” (Society for the promotion of enlightenment [among the Jews of Russia]) and in Gurevitsh’s high school.  At age thirteen, he published—with another beginning poet, Yoysef Hernhut—a booklet of poems entitled Zalbetsveyt (Group of two) (Vilna: Rozental, 1929), 16 pp.  From time to time, he published poems, humorous sketches, and articles in: Ovnt-kuryer (Evening courier), Vilner ekspres (Vilna express), and Di tsayt (The times).  He was one of the main writers for the revue performances in the Vilna ghetto.  His poems—“Yisroelik” (Yisroelik), “Tsu eyns, tsvey, dray” (One, two, three), “Kh’vil nokh eyn mol zen mayn heym” (I’d like to see my home one more time), “Ver zogt, az a libe shpiln” (Who says that love plays), and others—were sung in the ghettos and concentration camps.  Thirteen of Rozental’s ghetto songs and revue numbers (some with music) were published by Shmerke Katsherginski in Gezang fun vilner geto (Songs from the Vilna ghetto) (Paris, 1947) and Lider fun di getos un lagern (Songs from the ghettos and concentration camps) (New York, 1948).  He died in an Estonian concentration camp.

Sources: Zalmen Zilbertsvayg, Leksikon fun yidishn teater (Handbook of the Yiddish theater), vol. 5 (Mexico City, 1966); B. Mark, Umgekumene shrayber fun di getos un lagern (Murdered writers from the ghettos and camps) (Warsaw, 1954); Yeshurin archive, YIVO (New York).

Leyzer Ran