PINYE BURGANSKI (BURGANSKII)

PINYE BURGANSKI (BURGANSKII) (1903-1967)

     One of the most popular authors of Soviet Yiddish textbooks which appeared in numerous editions, he was a distinguished teacher, a founder of schools, and a lecturer in Ukraine.  He was the editor responsible for Ratnbildung (Soviet education), a bimonthly periodical and organ of “Folkombild” in Ukraine.  He began publishing in 1928 in Kharkov.  He edited Oktyaberl (Little October) in Kiev.  His only son, Mark, an officer during WWII, died at Stalingrad.  The letter from the son at the front to his parents, who were evacuated to Alma Ata, was subsequently published in Eynikeyt (Unity) in Moscow.  Among his books: Far antireligyezer dertsiung (Toward anti-religious education) (Kharkov, 1928), 28 pp.; Oys religye (Out with religion), an anthology (compiled together with A. Vevyorke) (Moscow, 1929); Ershte trit (First step) (Kharkov, 1930), 124 pp.; Mir boyen (We’re building) (1931); Tsum politekhnizm (Toward polytechnism) (Kharkov, 1931), 34 pp.; Sotsyalistisher gevet in der politekhnisher shul (Socialist bet on the polytechnical school) (Kharkov-Kiev, 1932), 36 pp.; Oktyaberlekh (Little Octobers), a book to teach the alphabet for first-graders (Kharkov-Kiev, 1932), 168 pp.; Zay greyt, alefbeyz far der onfang-shul (Get ready, alphabet book for primary school) (Kharkov, 1932) and in 1936 the fourth, improved printing appeared; Leynbukh farn ershtn klas fun der onfang-shul (Reader for first grade of primary school) (Kiev-Kharkov, 1933), 108 pp. and in 1937 the fifth, improved edition appeared.

Sources: A. Hodes, in Eynikeyt (Moscow) (July 4, 1946); E. Spivak, in Shtern 190 (Kharkov, 1933); S. Zhezmer, in Shtern 5 (1933); R. Fish, Shtern 267 (1933); Ratnbildung 5 (Kharkov, 1933).