Olitski, Borekh
1907–June 24, 1941
Born in Trisk (Turiysk), Polish Volhynia. He was the brother of the Yiddish poets Leyb and Matis Olitski. He studied in religious school as well as in a Hebrew-language school. He lost his father at age ten, and was raised by an uncle in the shtetl of Ratne (Ratno). He was a teacher in Jewish schools in Volhynia. He had a tough life—from unemployment to a bankrupt businessman. From 1934 to 1938, he lived in Warsaw and in Lodz, and in 1939 he was in Soviet Grodno. Due to passport difficulties, he was forced to live in the shtetl of Lyakhovits, near to Baranovitsh.
His first poems appeared in Literarishe Bleter (Literary Newspaper) in 1925. He published as well in Varshever Shriftn (Warsaw Writings), Nay-Velt (New World), and Varshe (Warsaw), as well as in Soviet Yiddish publications. His books include: Mayn Blut iz Oysgemisht, Lider un Gezangen (My Blood Is Mixed, Poems and Songs) (New York, 1951), 160 pp., edited by his brother Leyb (the book also includes memoirs and appreciations by L. Olitski, Z. Vaynper, and N. Mayzil). He was one of the group of young Yiddish lyricists who emerged in Poland between the two world wars.
He was last seen in the shtetl of Lyakhovits. He was murdered by the Nazis.
Sources: B. Heler, Antologye fun Umgekumene Dikhter (Anthology of Murdered Poets) (Warsaw, 1951); Leyb Olitski, in Yidishe Kultur (New York) (March 1953); Yidishe shrift (Warsaw), no. 1 (57) (1951); Lerer Yisker-Bukh (Remembrance Volume for Teachers) (New York, 1954), pp. 15-16.
Photo courtesy of the Russian State Library (Moscow), Oriental Centre.
These photos are courtesy of the Russian State Library (Moscow), Oriental Centre.