Felix Pollak
Encyclopedia
Felix Pollak was an American
poet
and librarian
.
Pollak was born in Vienna
, Austria
in 1909 to Geza Pollak and Helene Schneider Pollak. A Jew and liberal anti-fascist
, he studied law and theater at the University of Vienna
, but emigrated to the United States
after the occupation
of Austria
by Nazi Germany
. He worked as a door-to-door salesman in New York City
before attending the University of Buffalo
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in library sciences in 1941.
While working as a librarian, Pollak was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, where he worked as a translator for German prisoners of war
. After the war, he attended the University of Michigan
, where he received a master's degree
in library science in 1949. Pollak also received a Dr.Jur.
from the University of Vienna
in 1953.
From 1949 to 1959, Pollak worked as a rare books librarian at Northwestern University
. He became a rare books librarian at the University of Wisconsin in 1959, where he remained until 1974. One of his primary duties was developing the Sukov collection of literary magazines (now called the Little Magazine collection, which remains to date one of the world's finest collections for small literary magazines and the publications of independent poetry presses. After his retirement, Pollak remained in Madison, Wisconsin
until his death in 1987.
In addition to his work as a librarian, Pollak was also an accomplished poet. He published seven volumes of poetry and his poems appeared in a range of prominent publications, including The American Poetry Review
, Poetry Northwest
, New Letters, Prairie Schooner, TriQuarterly
, The Madison Review, and the Wisconsin Academy Review. His most famous poem: "Speaking: The Hero" has frequently been cited as a forceful example of Vietnam war protest poetry, though it was written in response to the Nazi concentration camps and the bombing of Hiroshima.
Since 1994, the University of Wisconsin Press has annually awarded a poetry prize named after Pollak.
Most known for his poem "Speaking: The Hero"
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
and librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
.
Pollak was born 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...
, Austria
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...
in 1909 to Geza Pollak and Helene Schneider Pollak. A Jew and liberal anti-fascist
Anti-fascism
Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals, such as that of the resistance movements during World War II. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it refers to individuals and groups on the left of the political...
, he studied law and theater at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, but emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after the occupation
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of Austria
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...
by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. He worked as a door-to-door salesman in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
before attending the University of Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in library sciences in 1941.
While working as a librarian, Pollak was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, where he worked as a translator for German prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. After the war, he attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, where he received a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in library science in 1949. Pollak also received a Dr.Jur.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
in 1953.
From 1949 to 1959, Pollak worked as a rare books librarian at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. He became a rare books librarian at the University of Wisconsin in 1959, where he remained until 1974. One of his primary duties was developing the Sukov collection of literary magazines (now called the Little Magazine collection, which remains to date one of the world's finest collections for small literary magazines and the publications of independent poetry presses. After his retirement, Pollak remained in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
until his death in 1987.
In addition to his work as a librarian, Pollak was also an accomplished poet. He published seven volumes of poetry and his poems appeared in a range of prominent publications, including The American Poetry Review
The American Poetry Review
The American Poetry Review is an American poetry magazine printed every other month on tabloid-sized newsprint.Founded in 1972 by Stephen Berg, APR has always been published from editorial offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Berg is one of three editors, along with David Bonanno and Elizabeth...
, Poetry Northwest
Poetry Northwest
Poetry Northwest was founded as a quarterly, poetry-only journal in 1959 by Errol Pritchard, with Carolyn Kizer, Richard Hugo, and Nelson Bentley as co-editors...
, New Letters, Prairie Schooner, TriQuarterly
TriQuarterly
TriQuarterly Online is a not-for-profit American literary magazine published twice a year at Northwestern University that features fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, literary essays, reviews, a blog, and graphic art....
, The Madison Review, and the Wisconsin Academy Review. His most famous poem: "Speaking: The Hero" has frequently been cited as a forceful example of Vietnam war protest poetry, though it was written in response to the Nazi concentration camps and the bombing of Hiroshima.
Since 1994, the University of Wisconsin Press has annually awarded a poetry prize named after Pollak.
External links
Most known for his poem "Speaking: The Hero"