MORTKHE GRINFEDER

MORTKHE GRINFEDER (b. 1901)

            This was the pen name of M. Federgrin, born in Vishkov (Wyszków), Poland.  He studied in yeshiva, graduated from high school, and studied further at the school of the science of Judaism in Berlin.  In 1928 he was the publisher of Dos naye blat (The new newspaper) in Praha, near Warsaw, and of the Prager tsaytung (Praha newspaper).  In 1929 he became a regular contributor to Haynt (Today) and Nayes (News).  He also published stories in Undzer ekspres (Our express), Moment (Moment), and the Polish Jewish Nasz Przegląd (Our review) in Warsaw, as well as in Morgnpost (Morning mail) in Buenos Aires.  He was also the correspondent for Keneder odler (Canadian eagle) in Montreal, and for Veg (Way) in Mexico.  In 1938 he received first prize in a competition run by the Forverts (Forward) in New York for his story “Der oyfgekumener” (The upstart).  He was an active Zionist leader.  He was a member of the council of the Praha Zionist Organization and a member of the management committee of “Youth League.”  In book form, he published under his own name, M. Federgrin: Di mil afn barg (The mill on the mountain), stories of Polish Jewish life (Warsaw: Koykhes, 1939), 182 pp., with a preface by Shloyme Shaynberg.  His stories excel in their precise folkish language and charming humor.  He died during WWII.

Sources: Dr. R. Feldshuh, Yidisher gezelshaftlekher leksikon (Jewish community handbook), vol. 1 (Warsaw, 1939); “Yizker” (Remembrance), Yidishe shriftn (Lodz, 1946).