Khashtshevatski, Moyshe
January 30, 1897–December 17, 1943
He was a poet, prose writer, and playwright, born in Buki, near Uman, Ukraine. He father was a teacher in the local Talmud-Torah. He studied in religious elementary school and in Talmud-Torah, and in 1916 he graduated from the commercial school in Uman. In the last years of WWI and the first years of the Russian Revolution, he was studying at the Universities of Petrograd and Ekaterinburg.
In 1918 (April 6) he debuted in print with a poem, entitled “Friling Kumt” (Spring Comes), in the Kiev newspaper Di Naye Tsayt (The New Times)—using the pen name M. Mishal. In 1921 he moved to Kiev, where he forged a strong bond with the local Yiddish writers (Yekhezkl Dobrushin, Dovid Hofshteyn, and Der Nister, among others), and from that point he enhanced ever more his reputation as a creator and builder of Soviet Yiddish literature. Soon his first collection of poems appeared in print, Dorsht (Thirst). It was mostly comprised of symbolic poems. In the Soviet Yiddish periodicals of Kiev, Kharkov, Minsk, and Moscow, he went on to publish poetry and ballads. From 1923 over the course of three years, he contributed intensively to Emes (Truth) in Moscow, and he actively took part in the Soviet community and political life.
Although his first works were in the symbolist vein, he would later switch to a more realistic depiction of life and address the major issues and events of the time. He brought new motifs and artistic imagery into Soviet Yiddish poetry. The range of his interests was extremely broad. He also masterfully translated from the Russian and Ukrainian classics, as well as from other languages.
In 1943 the Moscow publisher Der Emes (The Truth) brought out two books by him: a poetry collection entitled Fun Amol un Haynt (Of Then and Now) and jottings about the hero of the Soviet Union, Khayim Diskin (Khayim Diskin). The majority of poems in the former were dedicated to war themes.
Shortly after the outbreak of the Nazi-Soviet war in 1941, he was evacuated to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and there he learned of the death of his only son at the front. He proceeded to volunteer for mobilization into the Red Army, despite the fact that he was forty-six years of age. He contributed in the harshest of battles in that period of the fighting and died in battle.
“Moyshe Khashtshevatski is, it seems to me,” wrote Shmuel Niger, “the most candid among all Yiddish poets in Ukraine. His lyric poetry was born with an old, broken, wrinkled, quietly suffering soul; unabashed, he says that it is old, broken, wrinkled, and suffering in silence. He makes no pretense and no heroic or demagogic poses. It does not shake the earth and demonstrates no valor against the empty, blue skies.”
His last book was published after his death. A central place in his last poetic collection was taken by the historical ballad “Khane mit di Zibn Zin” (Hannah and her Seven Sons) in which he describes the heroism of a Jewish mother who sacrifices her life and the life of her children, but does not betray her people and her beliefs.
His books include: Dorsht, poems (Kiev: Vidervuks, 1922), 31 pp.; Harte Vor (Hard Reality) (Moscow: Shtrom-isgabe, 1924), 62 pp.; In Shvern Gang (On a Difficult Task), poetry (Moscow: Central Publishers, 1929), 155 pp.; Mayselekh un Lider (Stories and Poems) (Moscow, 1930), 31 pp.; Raportn (Reports) (Kharkov: Literatur un Kunst, 1931), 137 pp.; In Kamf Kegn Sonim (In the Fight Against Enemies), with Avrom Abtshuk, stories (Minsk: State Publ., 1932), 32 pp.; Trot fun Toyznter (Pace of Thousands) (Kharkov: Literatur un Kunst, 1932), 254 pp.; Letste Shlakht (Final Battle) (Moscow: Emes, 1932), 78 pp.; Lenin (Lenin), a poem (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1934), 146 pp.; Lenin in der Kinstlerisher Literatur, Zamlung (Lenin in Artistic Literature, a Collection), with Itzik Fefer (Kharkov: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1934), 189 pp.; Tintingeray, an Emese Geshikhte (Tintingeray, a True Story) (Kharkov: Children’s Press, 1935), 40 pp.; Undzer Lager (Our Camp), poetry (Moscow: Emes, 1935), 61 pp.; Hant ba Hant (Hand by Hand), poetry (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1935), 61 pp.; Rot Front! (Red Front!), poetry (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1935), 100 pp.; Teyge, Dramatishe Stsenes (Teyge, Dramatic Scenes), with F. Sito, poetry (Kharkov: Children’s Press, 1936), 47 pp.; Mamlakat (Kingdom) (Kharkov: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1936), 39 pp.; Mayn Arbet, Opgeklibene Lider (My Labor, Selected Poems) (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1936), 327 pp.; Heroik, Dramatishe Poemes (Heroic, Dramatic Poems), with F. Sito (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1936), 80 pp.; A Mayse vegn a Patlatn Yat un zayn Heldishn Tat (A Tale About a Long-Haired Lad and his Heroic Deed) (Moscow: Emes, 1936), 31 pp.; In Kamf, Oktyaber-Shpil far Ḳubn in Dray Aktn (In Struggle, an October Play for Clubs in Three Acts), with M. Pintshevski (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1937), 64 pp.; A Rayze Keyn Birobidzhan (A Trip to Birobidzhan) (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1937), 160 pp.; Osher Shvartsman (Osher Shvartsman) (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1939), 114 pp.; Khaloymes, der Yunger Sholem-Aleykhem, Pyese in 4 Aktn (Dreams, the Young Sholem-Aleichem, a Play in Four Acts) (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1939), 121 pp.; Lider un Poemes, 1935-1938 (Poetry, 1935-1938) (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1939), 185 pp.; Heym un Velt (Home and World) (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1940), 118 pp.; Yidishe Folkslider (Yiddish Folksongs), with Der Nister (Odessa: Children’s Press, 1940), 133 pp.; Khayim Diskin (Moscow: Emes, 1943), 15 pp.; Fun Amol un Haynt (Moscow: Emes, 1943), 62 pp.
His translations include: Mikhail Lermontov, Geklibene Verk (Selected Works) (Vilna: B. Kletskin, 1926), 130 pp.; Aleksandr Bezymenskii, Di Nakht Funem Shef fun Politopteyl (The Night of the Head of the Political Department [original: Nochʹ Nachalʹnika Politotdela]) (Kharkov: Literatur un Kunst, 1934), 171 pp.; Lermontov, Oysgeklibene Lider un Poemes (Selected Poetry) (Minsk: Byelorussian State Publishers, 1935), 136 pp.; Heinrich Heine, Daytshland, a Vinter Mayse (Germany, a Winter’s Tale [original: Deutschland, ein Wintermärchen]) (Moscow: Emes, 1936), 225 pp.; Lord Byron, Der Gefangener fun Shilon (The Prisoner of Chillon) (Kharkov, 1937), 22 pp.; Lermontov, Mtsiri (Mtsyri) (Odessa: Children’s Press, 1937), 38 pp.; Shota Rustaveli, Der Giber in der Tiger-Pel (The Lord of the Panther Skin [original: Vepʻxistqaosani]) (Kiev, 1937), 93 pp. He also translated works by Taras Shevchenko.
His work also appeared in such collections as: Ruf, Lider Zamlung (Call, Poetry Collection) (Minsk: Byelorussian State Publishers, 1935); Af Barikadn, Revolyutsyonere Shlakhtn in der Opshpiglung fun der Kinstlerisher Literatur (At the Barricades, Revolutionary Battles in the Lens of Artistic Literature) (Kharkov: Central Publishers, 1930); Almanakh fun Yidishe Sovetishe Shrayber Tsum Alfarbandishn Shrayber-Tsuzamenfor (Almanac, from Soviet Jewish Writers to the All-Soviet Conference of Writers) (Kharkov: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1934); Deklamater fun der Sovetisher Yidisher Literatur (Reciter of Soviet Yiddish Literature) (Moscow: Emes, 1934); Lider vegn Stalinen (Poems about Stalin) (Kiev: State Publ., 1937); Lider vegn der Royter Armey (Poems about the Red Army) (Kiev, 1938); Far der Bine, Dertseylungen, Pyeses, Lider (For the Stage: Stories, Plays, Poems), with musical notation (together with Yekhezkl Dobrushin and Elye Gordon) (Moscow: Central State Publishers, USSR, 1929); and Shlakhtn (Battles) (Kharkov-Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1932).
Sources: M. Litvakov, In Umru (Disquiet), vol. 2 (Moscow, 1926), M. Litvakov, In Umru, vol. 2 (Moscow, 1926), pp. 189-219; D. Tsharni (Daniel Charney), in Literarishe Bleter (Warsaw) (January 21, 1927); A. R. Tsvayg, in Shtern (Minsk) (December 1930); Y. Daytsh, in Literarishe Tribune (Lodz) 10 (1931); Y. Bronshteyn, in Tsaytshrift (Minsk) 5 (1931); Y. Dobrushin, In Iberboy, Literarish-Kritishe Artiklen (Under Reconstruction, Literary-Critical Articles) (Moscow, 1932), pp. 88-101; N. Oyslender and Y. Dobrushin, in Eynikeyt (Moscow) (October 5, 1944); A. Kushnirov, in Naye Prese (Paris) (July 27, 1945); F. Sito, in Eynikeyt (New York) (March 1945); Y. Serebryani, in Eynikeyt (Moscow) (October 11, 1945); N. Mayzil, in Yidishe Kultur (New York) (May 1957); Mayzil, Dos Yidishe Shafn un der Yidisher Arbeter in Sovetn-Farband (Jewish Creation and the Jewish Worker in the Soviet Union) (New York, 1959), see index; A. Finkel, in Folks-Shtime (Warsaw) (June 8, 1957); M. Shklyar, in Folks-Shtime (November 7, 1957); Shmuel Niger, Yidishe Shrayber in Sovet-Rusland (Yiddish Writers in Soviet Russia) (New York, 1958), pp. 56, 61, 411-20.
Translations by MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI appear in several reeditions (2nd, 3d, 4th) of the Textbook and reader on literature for the 5th year by Sh. Bryanski and M. Mizshiritski - Lernbukh un khrestomatie fun literatur: farn 5 klas.- Kharkov; Kiev: Melukhe-farlag far di natsionale minderhaytn in USRR, 1934/1935/1936.- 287, [1] pp., portr./207, [1] pp., portr./206, [2] pp., portr. As it is seen from the quantity of pages all editions differ from each other.
לערנבוכ אונ כרעסטאמאטיע פונ ליטעראטור : פארנ 5 קלאס
ש. בריאנסקי, מ. מיזשיריצקי
Translations by MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI appear in the Reader on literature for the 6th year compiled by A. Velednitski un Z. Skuditski - Literarishe khrestomatie: farn 6-tn lernyor/tsunoyfgeshtelt A. Velednitski un Z. Skuditski.- Kiev: Melukhe farlag far di natsionale minderhaytn in USSR, 1933.- 230, [1] pp., portr.
ליטערארישע כרעסטאמאטיע : פארנ 6 לערנ-יאר
צונױפגעשטעלט - א. װילעדניצקי אונ ז. סקודניצקי
Translations by MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI appear in the Textbook and reader on literature for the 5th year by M. Mizshiritski, Sh. Bryanski - Lernbukh un khrestomatie fun literatur: 5 lernyor.- Kharkov; Kiev: Melukhe farlag far di natsionale minderhaytn in USRR, 1933.- 285, [3] pp., portr.
לערנבוכ אונ כרעסטאמאטיע פונ ליטעראטור : 5 לערניאר
מ. מיזשיריצקי, ש. בריאנסקי
Poems by MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI (among others) were included into the textbook on general history for working and student youth Vayse hersher un kolirte shklafn :vi azoy di kapitalistn fun ale lender haltn in der klem di shvakhe felker/A.G. Kravtshenko; baarbet far der yidisher shul - Sh. G.- Moskve: Tsentraler felker-farlag fun FSSR, 1929.- 148 pp., ill., portr. (Bikher serie: Arbet-bibliotek far shiler fun der ershter shtupe. № 6). (White oppressors and colored slaves: How capitalists of all countries oppress weak peoples).
װײסע הערשער און קאלירטע שקלאפן : װי אזױ די קאפיטאליסטן פון אלע לענדער האלטן אין דער קלעם די שװאכע פעלקער
א. ג. קראװטשענקא ; באארבעט פאר דער יידישער שול - ש.ג
ארבעט-ביבליאטעק פאר שילער פון דער ערשטער שטופע
MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI wrote an introduction for Der yidishe bukh in FSSR: bibliografisher onvayzer fun literatur vos iz dershinen in yidish in 1940 yor/Tsunoyfgeshtelt - D.L. Dekhtyar un A.A. Startshenko; farantvortlekher redaktor - M.M. Feldshteyn; forvort - M. Khashtshevatski.- Kharkov: oysgabe fun der bikher-palate fun USSR, 1941.- 73, [3] pp., ill., portr. (Yiddish book in the Soviet Union: bibliographic index of literature published in Yiddish in 1940).
דער יידישער בוכ אינ פססר: ביבליאגראפישער אנװײזער פונ ליטעראטור װאס איז דערשינענ אינ יידיש אינ 1940 יאר
צונױפגעשטעלט - ד.ל. דעכטיאר אונ א.א. סטארטשענקא; פאראנטװארטלעכער רעדאקטאר - מ.מ. פעלדשטײנ; פארװארט - מ. כאשטשעװאצקי
MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI's works (among others) both original and translations were included into Literarishe khrestomatie :farn VII lernyorn fun der politekhnisher shul/tsunoyfgeshtelt - O. Holdes un F. Shames.- Kharkov; Kiev: Melukhe farlag far di natsionale minderhaytn in USRR, 1933 (2nd ed. 1934).- 342, [3] pp.,portr. (2nd ed. 327, [1] pp., portr.)
ליטערארישע כרעסטאמאטיע: פארנ 7 לערניאר פונ דער פאליטעכנישער שול
צונױפגעשטעלט - א. האלדעס אונ פ. שאמעס
MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI's works both as a poet and as a translator of poems (among others) appeared in the collection for children "Kirov"(Biograph. essay + poems).- Kharkov: Kinder-farlag bam Ts.K. L.K.Yu.F.U., 1935.- 132, [4] pp., ill., portr. (Biograph. essay was translated by Avrom Kahan).
קיראװ
איבערגעזעצט - אװראמ קאהאנ ; צײכענונגענ אונ הילע פונ קינסטלער- א. דאװגאל
Artist A. Dovgal (Довгаль, Александр Михайлович 1904-1961).
*Киров, Сергей Миронович 1886-1934 was a communist leader
MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI translated from Russian into Yiddish 2 tales for children by N.A. Nekrasov : Mayselekh far kinder : Der zeyde Mazay un di hozn (orig.: Дед Мазай и зайцы/Grandfather Mazai and hares); Der general Toptigin (orig.: Генерал Топтыгин/General Toptigin).- Kiev: Melukhe farlag far di natsionale minderhaytn in USSR, 1937.- 30, [2] pp., ill., portr. Bikher serie: Shul-bibliotek.
מײסעלעכ פאר קינדער:דער זײדע מאזײ אונ די האזנ ; דער גענעראל טאפטיגינ
נ. א. נעקראסאװ, ײדיש - מ. כאשטשעװאצקי
*Toptigin is a common name for a bear in Russian folklore.
Re.: "Lord Byron, Der gefangener fun shilon (The Prisoner of Chillon) (Kharkov, 1937), 22 pp."
The edition was illustrated by the artist M. Khazanovski (Хазановский, Михаил Наумович 1912-1990).
דער געפאנגענער פונ שיליאנ
בײראנ; איבערגעזעצט פונ ענגליש - מ. כאשטשעװאצקי; צײכענונגענ - מ. כאזאנאװסקי
There was one more edition of Heinrich Heine's poetry translation by M. Khashtshevatski: Lider. - Kharkov: Ukrmelukhenatsmindfarlag, 1936.- 37, [3] pp., portr. Bikher serie: Bibliotek Zay greyt.- № 35 (56).
לידער
הײנריך הײנע; ײדיש - מ. כאשטשעװאצקי
ביבליאטעק זײ גרײט
Re.: "Khayim diskin (Moscow: Emes, 1943), 15 pp."
The subtitle is: "der held fun Sovetnfarband/the hero of the Soviet Union".
Дыскин, Ефим Анатольевич/Дыскин, Хаим Нафтульвич 1923-2012.
כאימ דיסקינ :דער העלד פונ סאװעטנפארבאנד
מ. כאשטשעוואצקי
Yidishe folkslider (Yiddish folksongs), with Der Nister (Odessa: Children’s Press, 1940), 133 pp. is illustrated by artist M. Frankin (Фрадкин, Моисей Залманович 1904-1974).
ײדישע פאלקסלידער
צונױפגעשטעלט - מ. כאשטשעוואצקי אונ דער ניסטער; גראװיורנ - מ. פראדקינ
Re.: "A rayze keyn birobidzhan (A trip to Birobidzhan) (Kiev: Ukrainian State Publishers for National Minorities, 1937), 160 pp."
There is a subtitle: "fun mayn togbukh/from my diary".
א רײזע קײנ בירעבידזשאנ: פונ מײנ טאגבוכ
מ. כאשטשעוואצקי
There was one more later edition of Osher Shvartsman :zayn lebn un shafn (Kiev: Melukhe farlag far di natsionale minderkhaytn in USSR, 1940.- 173, [3] pp., portr.)
אשער שװארצמאנ:
זײנ לעבנ אונ שאפנ
מ. כאשטשעוואצקי
More information about "Fun amol un haynt (Moscow: Emes, 1943), 62 pp." (From past and present)
The title has a subtitle : "lider un balades vegn milkhome/poems and ballads about war"
The cover is done by the artist Гефтер, Арон Наумович 1894-1963.
פונ אמאל אונ הײנט :
לידער אונ באלאדעס װעגנ מילכאמע
More information about "In shvern gang (On a difficult task), poetry (Moscow: Central Publishers, 1929), 155 pp."
The title is translated into Russian as "тяжелой поступью" meaning in English "with heavy gait".
The cover (hile) is done by the artist Inger (Ингер, Герш Бенционович/Ингер, Григорий Борисович 1910-1995)
אין שװערן גאנג
מ. כאשטשעוואצקי ;הילע - אינגער
More information about "Mayselekh un lider (Stories and poems) (Moscow, 1930), 31 pp."
The title is longer : Mayses un lidlekh far kinder
The title in Belorussian is: Казкi i песьнi для дзяцей
The place of publication is: Moskve; Kharkov; Minsk: Tsentraler felker-farlag fun F.S.S.R.
מײסעס און לידלעך פאר קינדער
More information about "Tintingeray, an emese geshikhte (Tintingeray, a true story) (Kharkov: Children’s Press, 1935), 40 pp." In Ukranian the title is Тiнтiнгрей.
The edition is illustrated by M. Fradkin (artist Фрадкин, Моисей Залманович 1904-1974)
More information about "Tayge : dramatishe stsenes" (Тайга in Russian means "taiga, boreal forest, wildlands"). The edition is illustrated by M. Kotlyarevski (artist Котляревская, Мария Евгеньевна 1902-1984).
טײגע:דראמאטישע סצענעס
מ. כאשטשעוואצקי, פײװל סיטא; צײכענונגענ - מ. קאטליארעװסקי
Tayge :dramatishe stsenes
M. Khashtshevatski, Fayvl Sito; tsaykhenungen - M. Kotlyarevski
Re.: "A mayse vegn a patlatn yat un zayn heldishn tat (A tale about a long-haired land and his heroic deed) (Moscow: Emes, 1936), 31 pp."
The year of publication is 1934.- 29, [3] pp., ill.
א מייסע וועגנ א פאטלאטנ יאט אונ זיינ העלדישנ טאט
מ. כאשטשעוואצקי ; צייכענונגענ - א. גוטינ
מאסקװע:פארלאג עמעס, 1934
The name of the illustrator in Yiddish is A. Gutin, but in Russian the name is written as А. Гутман/A. Gutman.
MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI translated from Russian into Yiddish M. Leromtov's Lider (orig.: Стихи=Вiршi(Ukranian)/Poems).- Kharkov: Ukrmelukhenatsmindfarlag, 1935.- 28, [3] pp., portr.). Bikher serie: Bibliotek Zay greyt, № 8(18).
לידער
מ. יו. לערמאנטאװ, ײדיש - מ. כאשטשעװאצקי
ביבליאטעק זײ גרײט
MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI contributed his translations among oters (A. Kushnirov, Em. Kazakevitsh) to M. Lermontov's Oysgeveylte verk unter der redaktsie fun A. Kushnirov un A. Gurshteyn (Moskve: Melukhe farlag der Emes, 1946.- 310, [2] pp., ill., portr.)
אױסגעװײלטע װערק
מ. יו. לערמאנטאװ, אונטער דער רעדאקציע פון א. קושניראװ און א. גורשטײן
MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI edited and compiled with DOVID HOFSHTEYN the poetry (Lider=Стихи) of Vladimir Mayakovsky (Kiev;Lvov: Melukhe farlag far di natsionale minderhaytn in USSR, 1940.- 157, [2] pp., portr.). He also contributed his translations to this edition. Among other translators were: D. Hofshteyn, Em. Kazakevitsh, Yashe Zeldin, H. Shvedik, Ezra Fininberg, M. Talalayevski, Fayvl Sito, M. Helmond, M. Lifshits.
לידער
װ. מאיאקאװסקי; צונױפגעשטעלט און רעדאגירט - ד. האפשטײן און מ. כאשטשעװאצקי
One more edition of Lermontov's Poemes un lider (orig.: Поэмы и стихи) translated by M. Khashtshevatski. - Kiev: Melukhe farlag far di natsionale minderhaytn in USSR, 1940.- 255, [1] pp., portr.
פאעמעס און לידער
מ. יו. לערמאנטאװ, ײדיש - מ. כאשטשעװאצקי
קיעװ: מעלוכע-פארלאג פאר די נאציאנאלע מינדערהײטן אין אוססר, 1940
MOYSHE KHASHTSHEVATSKI translated from Russian into Yiddish A.S. Pushkin's Der kuperner rayter (orig.: Медный всадник/Bronze horseman).- Moskve: Melukhe farlag der Emes, 1937.- 49, [3] pp., ill., portr.
דער קופערנער רײטער
א.ס. פושקין, ײדיש - מ. כאשטשעװאצקי
מאסקװע: מעלוכע-פארלאג דער עמעס,1937.