AVIGDOR SHPRITSER

AVIGDOR SHPRITSER (March 1, 1898-February 3, 1952)

            He was the author of stories, poetry, plays, and works for children, born in Hibnev (Uhniv, P. Uhnów), Galicia.  His father was for many years the leader of the Jewish community.  He attended religious elementary school, synagogue study chamber, and later lived in Nemirov (Nemyriv), Rave (Rawa Mazowiecka), and Trembovle (Terebovlya).  Early on he acquainted himself with Hebrew and Yiddish literature.  In 1916 he was in the Vienna school for invalids and in a military hospital in Pshemishl (Przemyśl).  From 1919 he was director and teacher in a Yiddish and Hebrew school in Hibnev.  In 1926 he emigrated to Argentina.  He worked there as a teacher in YIKO (Jewish Cultural Organization) schools in Mozesville and later in schools in Buenos Aires.  His literary beginning took place in Galicia where he published a book: Iev, dramatishe poeme in 4 aktn (Job, a dramatic poem in four acts) (Lemberg, 1925/1926), 116 pp.  In Argentina he published stories, poetry, dramatic poems, one-act plays, and children’s tales in: Penemer un penemlekh (Appearances, big and small), Oyfgang (Arise), Der shpigl (The mirror), Dos naye vort (The new word), and Almanakh fun poylish-yidishn farband (Almanac of the Polish Jewish association) (1928), among other serials.  Most of his writings were published in Idishe tsaytung (Jewish newspaper) to which he was a regular contributor until 1931, and from that point in time until his death, in Di prese (The press).  In both newspapers he was the main contributor and in charge of the pages for children.  He also edited the journal Kinder-velt (Children’s world), and his work appeared in V. Bresler, ed., Antologye fun der yidisher literatur in argentine (Anthology of Yiddish literature in Argentina) (Buenos Aires, 1944).  His stories largely describe Jewish immigrants in their new surroundings.  He also brought out textbooks for Jewish schools.

            In book form: Rus, dramatishe poeme in 3 aktn (Ruth, dramatic poem in three acts) (Buenos Aires, 1933), 86 pp.; Naye kvaln, khrestomatye farn tsveytn lernyor (New springs, reader for the second school year), with Zalmen Vasertsug (Buenos Aires: G. Kaplanski, 1936), 156 pp.; Morgnfreyd, kinder-mayses (Morning delight, children’s tales) (Buenos Aires, 1936), 108 pp.; Tsidele-fidele, mayselekh liderlekh (Little fiddle, stories and ditties) (Buenos Aires, 1937), 91 pp., new edition (Buenos Aires, 1954); Der goldener fodem, dertseylungen (The golden thread, stories) (Buenos Aires, 1944), 276 pp.; Khumesh un mayselekh far kinder (Pentateuch and stories for children) (Buenos Aires, 1948), 2 vols., distributed to Jewish schools in South America; Zun un shotn, geklibene shriftn (Sun and shadow, selected writings) (Buenos Aires, 1962), 281 pp.—including stories and pieces of his Iev, Rus, and other works.  He left behind many writings in manuscript.  He died in Buenos Aires.

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 4; Yoyvl-bukh, sakhakln fun 50 yohr idish leben in argentine, lekoved di idishe tsaytung tsu ihr 25 yohrigen yubileum (Jubilee volume, a summing up of fifty years of Jewish life in Argentina, in honor of Di yidishe tsaytung on its twenty-fifth-year jubilee) (Buenos Aires, 1940), p. 386; Shmuel Rozhanski, Gezamlte shriftn (Collected writings) (Buenos Aires, 1941), p. 169; Pinye Katz, Geklibene shriftn (Selected writings), vol. 7 (Buenos Aires, 1947), pp. 116-18; Davke (Buenos Aires) 9-10 (1952); obituary, in Ineynem (Buenos Aires) 2 (1952), p. 239; Yeshurin archive, YOIVO (New York).

Yoysef Horn