Avigdor Dagan
Encyclopedia
Avigdor Dagan was an Israel
i writer, a playwright and literary translator; a diplomat. Prior to adopting the Hebraic name in 1955, his name was Viktor Fischl; Dagan, being related to the Hebrew
word dag (fish
), is an approximate translation of Fischl as a diminutive of "fish".
After graduating from the Charles University in Prague, he entered the diplomat
ic service. In 1939 he emigrated to the United Kingdom
to escape the Nazis
, where he became an associate to Jan Masaryk
. After the end of the war, he returned home, but on the 1948 coup d'état
emigrated to Israel, thereafter changing his name to the one he held through the end of his life.
In Israel he continued his diplomatic career becoming plenipotentiary
; he was the first Israeli ambassador
in Vienna
in 1956, the ambassador in Norway
and Poland
. At the same time he continued writing in Czech
. Most of his prose was first published in Israel, some in England or in the US. In 1990 he visited his homeland for the first time since his fleeing for refuge. After a long break, publication resumed in his home country, and his works received broader recognition. He was awarded the honorary doctorate from the Charles University.
Although he was able to be employed as a diplomat and produce output as an author at the same time, from 1977 onward he devoted his time solely to writing. In his life-long literary career, he started out as a poet
, then later became known as a writer of collections of short stories and novels. He is known for his modern Czech translations of Psalms
and the Song of Songs
. His works were translated from Czech into Hebrew as well as other languages; his best known novel Dvorní šašci (The Court Jesters) was translated into 12 languages.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i writer, a playwright and literary translator; a diplomat. Prior to adopting the Hebraic name in 1955, his name was Viktor Fischl; Dagan, being related to the Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
word dag (fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
), is an approximate translation of Fischl as a diminutive of "fish".
After graduating from the Charles University in Prague, he entered the diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
ic service. In 1939 he emigrated to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to escape the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, where he became an associate to Jan Masaryk
Jan Masaryk
Jan Garrigue Masaryk was a Czech diplomat and politician and Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia from 1940 to 1948.- Early life :...
. After the end of the war, he returned home, but on the 1948 coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
emigrated to Israel, thereafter changing his name to the one he held through the end of his life.
In Israel he continued his diplomatic career becoming plenipotentiary
Plenipotentiary
The word plenipotentiary has two meanings. As a noun, it refers to a person who has "full powers." In particular, the term commonly refers to a diplomat fully authorized to represent his government as a prerogative...
; he was the first Israeli ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1956, the ambassador in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. At the same time he continued writing in Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
. Most of his prose was first published in Israel, some in England or in the US. In 1990 he visited his homeland for the first time since his fleeing for refuge. After a long break, publication resumed in his home country, and his works received broader recognition. He was awarded the honorary doctorate from the Charles University.
Although he was able to be employed as a diplomat and produce output as an author at the same time, from 1977 onward he devoted his time solely to writing. In his life-long literary career, he started out as a poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, then later became known as a writer of collections of short stories and novels. He is known for his modern Czech translations of Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
and the Song of Songs
Song of songs
Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. It may also refer to:In music:* Song of songs , the debut album by David and the Giants* A generic term for medleysPlays...
. His works were translated from Czech into Hebrew as well as other languages; his best known novel Dvorní šašci (The Court Jesters) was translated into 12 languages.
Selected works
- Jaro (Spring) (1933)
- Kniha nocí (1936)
- Hebrejské melodie (Hebrew tunes) (1936)
- Evropské žalmy (London, 1941)
- Mrtvá ves (London, 1943)
- Anglické sonety (1946)
- Písen o lítosti (1948)
- The Cock's Crow (1975)
- The Clock of Human Form (1982)
- Dvorní šašci (The Court Jester, 1990, JapaneseJapanese languageis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
translation: 2001) - Kafka of Jerusalem (1996)
- Poezie Starého zákona (Tales of an Old Silk Hat) (1998)
Non-fiction
- Hovory s Janem Masarykem (Conversations with Jan Masaryk, 1952 in the USA)
External Links
- Remembering Viktor Fischl, a writer and diplomat with the gift of seeing things from the other's point of view, obituary by David Vaughan. Radio Praha 30 May 2006
- http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3256363,00.html