Gerts Rivkin
RussiaEarly Life and Education
Hertzl Rivkin was born in Capresti, Romania, in 1905. His parents named him after Theodor Herzl, the founder of Zionism. Rivkin received his education at the Kishinev Technical School (1928-1931) and served in the Romanian army (1931-1932). He later studied engineering in Bucharest (1935-1940).
Literary Career
Rivkin debuted as a poet in 1931 in the Kishinev newspaper "Dos Kooperative Wort." He also contributed to the anthology "Onzog" alongside other young Bessarabian writers. In Bucharest, he published in "Di Voch" and "Shoybm." His first book of poetry, "Fun Shkheynishn Dorf" (1940), earned him immediate recognition.
Political Views and Activism
Rivkin held pro-communist views and participated in the literary group "Yung-Rumanye." In "Di Voch" he published the popular poem "Chaim-Borech-ot-o-fur Ek." During the Soviet annexation of Bessarabia, Rivkin returned to Kishinev and published in "Sovetishe Literatur."
Post-War and Imprisonment
After the war, Rivkin's writing shifted towards socialist realism. His novella "Arum Kesl-Tseh" was published in "Eymlant." In 1949, he was arrested along with other Jewish writers on charges of collaborating with the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee and Trotskyism. Rivkin was sentenced to ten years in a labor camp and died during surgery in 1947.
Legacy
Rivkin's writings have been translated into Russian and have been published in various collections. He remains a significant figure in Bessarabian Jewish literature. His most famous poem, "Fun Shkheynishn Dorf," has become a popular folk song.
