MARKUS EPSHTEYN

MARKUS EPSHTEYN

            He was the author of a theatrical work and of a number of stories.  He lived, it would seem, in Mezritsh (Międzyrzec), Poland.  In his writing is reflected the transitional dialect of Lithuanian Yiddish and Polish-Volhynian Yiddish of Międzyrzec.  In his stories he describes Jewish life of that era of the struggle of the followers of the Jewish Enlightenment to spread their views.  In general, he did not devote his writings to community affairs.  His works include: Der bal-tshuve, an ertseylung (The penitent, a story) (Zhitomir, 1875), 23 pp.; Der opgilozter shidekh (The abandoned match) (Zhitomir, 1876); Der geshmisener apikoyres oder a khalerye in doranovke (The whipped heretic or a cholera in Doranovke), a theater piece in three acts (Warsaw, 1879), 37 pp., by Y’M’Y’N.  Using the same pen name, he also published: Lemekh der bal-shem oder tsvey khasanim under eyn khupe, a mayse in shirim mes y’m’y’n” (Lemekh, the miracle worker or two bridegrooms under one wedding canopy, a story in poetry by Y’M’Y’N) (Odessa: H. Ulrikh, 1880), 80 pp.  Under his own name he also published: Der toyter kop (The corpse’s head), a story (Vilna, 1867)[1]; Der pidyen haben, an ertsehlung (The redemption of the first born, a story) (Zhitomir, 1876), 35 pp.; Anekdotn fun dem shut balakirev (Anecdotes of the buffoon Balakirev) (Warsaw, 1878); Umgliklekhe yesoyme (Unhappy orphan) (Warsaw, 1878).

Sources: Zalmen Reyzen, Leksikon, vol. 2; Yankev Shatski, in Yivo bleter (New York) 23.1 (January-June 1944), p. 132.

Elye Shulman

[Additional information from: Berl Kagan, comp., Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers (Biographical dictionary of Yiddish writers) (New York, 1986), col. 419.]

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[1] Translator’s note. Most sources assign this work to Ayzik-Meyer Dik. (JAF)