Lajos Palágyi (15 April 1866 – 7 March 1933), born Lázár Silberstein (Yiddish: לייזר זילבערשטיין), was a Hungarian poet, journalist, and educator. His poems often dealt with Jewish themes.[1]

Lajos Palágyi
BornLázár Silberstein
(1866-04-15)15 April 1866
Becse
Died7 March 1933(1933-03-07) (aged 66)
Budapest
Resting placeFarkasrét Jewish cemetery [hu]
LanguageHungarian
SpouseZili Schlesinger

Biography edit

Born in Becse to Jewish parents Rozália (Reizel, née Seelenfreund) and Mór (Moshe) Silberstein, he was educated privately by his father, a former public school-teacher, and by his elder brother Menachem (later known as Melchior Palágyi). He began to write at the age of thirteen, his first poem appearing in 1879 in Emil Ábrányi [hu] Magyar Népbarát. He soon became a contributor to the literary periodicals Vasárnapi Ujság [hu], Országvilág, Magyar Szalon [hu], Fővárosi Lapok [hu], and Képes Családi Lapok, and in 1890 he won the prize of 100 ducats offered by the Petőfi Society [he] for a poem to be recited at the monument of the Thirteen Martyrs. In recognition of his services to the Hungarian language he was appointed professor at the State Teachers' Seminary for women at Budapest.

Palagyi was involved in the effort which resulted in the official recognition of Judaism in Hungary in 1895.[2] Following the 1918–1920 Hungarian revolution, he was expelled from the Petőfi Society and deprived of his pension because of his past associations with socialism.[1] He lived a reclusive life in his final years.[3]

Partial bibliography edit

  • Humoros költemények [Humorous Poems]. Esztergom, 1888.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  • Küzdelmes évek [Years of Struggle]. Budapest. 1890.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Komor napok [Bleak Days]. Budapest. 1890.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Magányos úton [On the Lonely Road]. Budapest. 1893.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Az ifjú szerzetes [The Young Monk]. Budapest. 1894.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) A philosophical poem.
  • Nemzeti dalok [National Songs]. Budapest. 1895.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Bibliai emlékek [Biblical Reminiscences]. Budapest. 1896.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • A rabszolga [The Slave]. Budapest. 1902.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) A tragedy which won the prize of the Hungarian Academy.
  • Az anyaföld [Mother Earth]. Budapest. 1921.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

References edit

  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainSinger, Isidore; Venetianer, Ludwig (1905). "Palágyi, Ludwig (originally Silberstein)". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. p. 467–468.

  1. ^ a b Yaron, Baruch (2007). "Palágyi, Lajos". In Berenbaum, Michael; Skolnik, Fred (eds.). Encyclopaedia Judaica (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference. ISBN 978-0-02-866097-4.
  2. ^ Prepuk, Anikó (2008). "Reception, Law of". In Hundert, Gershon (ed.). YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. Translated by Szabó, Veronika. New Haven: Yale University Press.
  3. ^ Kenyeres, Ágnes, ed. (1967–1994). "Palágyi Lajos". Magyar életrajzi lexikon (in Hungarian). Vol. I–IV. Budapest: Akadémiai.