"Grin Graz," Leib Kvitko - Executed in the USSR. Berlin, 1922

"Grin Graz," Leib Kvitko - Executed in the USSR. Berlin, 1922

Grin Graz [Green Grass], book of poems by Leib Kvitko, prominent Yiddish poet in the USSR. Berlin, 1922.

Leib Kvitko [1890-1952] was an author, editor and Yiddish poet for children in the USSR. He supported the Bolshevik Revolution and joined the Yiddish-Communist establishment. In 1921-1925, he was a clerk representing Soviet commerce in Germany, where he published this work. After returning to the USSR, he edited Yiddish newspapers for children and adults and led the Jewish artistic theater in Kharkov. Millions of copies of his poems were published and were translated into Russian and other languages and put to a melody. During the Second World War, he was one of the leaders of the Jewish Anti-Facist Committee which was established in 1942 and after the war, he was the secretary of the Union of Jewish Authors. He published over 70 volumes of poetry and literature, until in 1949 he was imprisoned and tortured. In August, 1942, he was executed per Stalin's orders in the cellar of the Lubyanka Prison, together with twelve other prominent members of the Russian Jewish community.

206, [3] pages, paper. 20 cm. Yiddish. The poems are divided into ten sections, each one opens with an illustration by Yissacher Ber Ryback.

Restored tear on the front jacket , the front jacket is partially detached, loose spine and a few leaves partially detached, wear and tear on the edges of some leaves, fold mark on some leaves. Moderate - fine condition.