Emil Makai (17 November 1870 – 6 August 1901), born Emil Fischer, was a Hungarian-Jewish poet, journalist, dramatist, and translator.

Emil Makai
BornEmil Fischer
(1870-11-17)17 November 1870
Makó, Hungary
Died6 August 1901(1901-08-06) (aged 30)
LanguageHungarian
Alma materBudapest rabbinical seminary

Biography

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Born to Rabbi Antal Enoch Fischer in Makó, Makkai went to Budapest in 1884, where he distinguished himself at the Budapest rabbinical seminary as a student by his poetical talent.[1]

In 1888, Makai published his first volume of poetry, Vallásos énekek ("Religious Songs"). This was followed by a Biblical drama, Absalon (1891), and Zsidó költők ("Jewish Poets," 1892), translations of medieval Hebrew poetry, including the works of Shlomo ibn Gabirol, Yehudah ha-Levi, Shmuel ha-Nagid, Moshe ibn Ezra, Avraham ibn Ezra, Yehuda al-Harizi, and Imanuel ha-Romi.[2] In 1893, his version of the Song of Songs (Énekek éneke) was published.[3] From 1892 Makai translated more than 100 dramas and operettas, included Abraham Goldfaden's Sulamit and Bar Kochba.[3]

Works

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  • Vallásos énekek ("Religious Songs", 1888)
  • Absolon ("Absalom", 1891)
  • Komédiások (1891)
  • Zsidó költők ("Jewish Poets", 1892)
  • Énekek éneke ("Song of Songs", 1893)
  • Margit (1896)
  • A királyné apródja (1899)
  • Robinzonok (1899)
  • Tudós professzor Hatvani ("The Learned Professor Hatvani", 1900)

Translations

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  • Toto és Tata (1895)
  • A kék asszony (1897)
  • Jáfet tizenkét felesége (1898)
  • A görög rabszolga (1899)
  • A modell (1901)
  • A kölcsönkért vőlegény (1901)

References

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  1. ^   Singer, Isidore; Kecskemeti, A. (1901–1906). "Makai, Emil". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
  2. ^ Kőbányai, János (2010). "Makai, Emil". YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. Translated by Goldstein, Imre. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Makai (Fischer), Emil". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 4 February 2019.