Else Feldmann
Encyclopedia
Else Feldmann was an Austria
n writer
, playwright
, poet
, socialist journalist
, and victim of the Holocaust.
She grew up in Leopoldstadt
as the daughter of poor Jewish parents with her six siblings. She attended college, but after her father lost his job she was forced to leave school to work in a factory. In 1908, she became a contributor to the socialist newspaper Arbeiter-Zeitung
and went on to co-found a socialist writers group, Vereinigung sozialistischer Schriftsteller, with Jewish socialist poet Josef Luitpold Stern, communist author, poet, essayist, and songwriter
Fritz Brügel, Jewish anarchist and socialist lyricist
and poet Theodor Kramer
, and early science fiction
author Rudolf Brunngraber
.
Feldmann was able to develop stories from her articles into novels to reach a wider audience with her socialist message. She began working full time for the Arbeiter-Zeitung in 1923 until the newspaper, along with other socialist and communist political activity, was forbidden by the Nazi Party in 1934. On June 14, 1942 Feldman was captured by the Gestapo
and sent to Sobibór, where she was murdered.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, 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...
, socialist journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, and victim of the Holocaust.
She grew up in Leopoldstadt
Leopoldstadt
Leopoldstadt is the 2nd municipal District of Vienna . There are inhabitants over . It is situated in the heart of the city and, together with Brigittenau , forms a large island surrounded by the Danube Canal and, to the north, the Danube. It is named after Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor...
as the daughter of poor Jewish parents with her six siblings. She attended college, but after her father lost his job she was forced to leave school to work in a factory. In 1908, she became a contributor to the socialist newspaper Arbeiter-Zeitung
Arbeiter-Zeitung (Vienna)
For the Chicago anarchist newspaper, see Arbeiter-Zeitung The Arbeiter-Zeitung was started as a Socialist newspaper on July 12, 1889 by Victor Adler. The paper was banned in 1934 after the Feb. 13 issue , but reappeared on Aug...
and went on to co-found a socialist writers group, Vereinigung sozialistischer Schriftsteller, with Jewish socialist poet Josef Luitpold Stern, communist author, poet, essayist, and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Fritz Brügel, Jewish anarchist and socialist lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
and poet Theodor Kramer
Theodor Kramer
Theodor Kramer was an Austrian poet of Jewish origin. He was persecuted during the Second World War and fled to the United Kingdom. After his death his significant poetic output fell into obscurity, but has been rediscovered in recent decades. Several of his poems have been set to music.-...
, and early science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author Rudolf Brunngraber
Rudolf Brunngraber
Rudolf Brunngraber was an Austrian writer, journalist and painter who worked with Otto Neurath. His novels were translated into eighteen languages, with more than a million books sold....
.
Feldmann was able to develop stories from her articles into novels to reach a wider audience with her socialist message. She began working full time for the Arbeiter-Zeitung in 1923 until the newspaper, along with other socialist and communist political activity, was forbidden by the Nazi Party in 1934. On June 14, 1942 Feldman was captured by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
and sent to Sobibór, where she was murdered.
Books
- Lowenzahn: Eine Kindheit
- Liebe ohne Hoffnung
- Der Leib der Mutter
- Martha und Antonia