publishing program. Among the 11 Hebrew volumes have appeared
other members were Buber, Hugo under this imprint to date.
He, Miss Sachs Share Honors
Agnon Blesses King at Nobel Ceremony
the Nobel Foundation's board of
directors, and Princess Sibylla.
Agnon was served a specially
prepared kosher meal on a plate
never used previously but match-
ing the royal dinnerware.
In making the formal announce-
STOCKHOLM (JTA) — King
Gustav VI Adolf, of Sweden, pre-
sented last weekend the 1966 Nobel
Prize for Literature to the two
Jewish co-winners — the noted
Israeli writer Shmuel Yosef Agnon
and Nelly Sachs, Jewish poet, a
refugee from Germany who now
lives in Sweden — in an impres-
sive ceremony in the Concert Hall
here, followed by a formal banquet
in the Golden Auditorium of the
City Hall.
ment of the awards to the two
Jewish writers, at the opening of
the Concert Hall ceremonies, Dr.
Anders Osterling, chairman of the
Swedish Academy's Nobel com-
mittee, noted that the academy's
Agnon, 78, writes in Hebrew; purpose of combining the literary
Miss Sachs, 75, writes in Ger- winners was "to honor writers
man. They share the $60,000 who, though writing in different
languages, are united in spiritual
Nobel Prize award.
In attendance and among the kinship and complement each other
participants were not only all the in a splendid striving to present
members of the Swedish royal the cultural heritage of the Jewish
family but also the most distin- people by the written word and
guished of Sweden's writers, scien- from a common source of inspira-
tists, university professors and tion which, in them, has proved
members of the government. Six to be a vital power."
Dr. Osterling lauded Agnon for
newly-elected Nobel Laureates
were honored including three his admixture of realism a n d
mysticism with "strange, fairy-
Americans and one Frenchman.
Seated by Miss Sachs in the like poetry reminiscent of Chag-
Concert Hall, the Galician-born all's motifs from the Old Testa-
Agnon wore a velvet yarmulke ment," and praised Miss Sach's
for her lyrical poetry which has
atop hiss formal, white-tie attire.
Miss Sachs was called up first "given voice to the Jewish race's
and bowed to the king as she re- world-wide tragedy" in moving la-
ceived her award. In a brief speech, ments.
In summarizing the qualities that
she recalled that she was a refugee
from Nazi Germany—without men- characterized each of the newly-
tioning either Hitler or Nazism— chosen literature laureates, Dr.
and that the ceremony coincided Osterling focused particularly on
in date with her 75th birthday. Agnon's "A Guest Only for a
Bowing several times both to Night," a novel, and Miss Sach's
the king and the celebrated com- mystery play, "Eli." He traced
pany, Agnon, who is a deeply the special affinities both authors
devout Jew, opened his remarks had shown for the Jewish heritage.
He noted that Mr. Agnon's
works have now been liberated
from the bonds of publication
in Hebrew only, while Miss
Sach's dramatic poems "have
been taken from the dark treas-
tires of Hasidic mysticism, hay-
ing taken on new vigor and vital
meaning."
by noting that a Jew could not
enjoy an occasion of meeting a
king without an appropriate
blessing.
lished by the American Jewish
Committee, is devoting most of its
December issue to the Israeli He-
brew writer, including three Agnon
short stories appearing for the
first time in English. The newly-
organized Commentary Library
will issue as its first book selec-
tions to its members "In the Heart
of the Seas," a short novel and
"Two Tales" by Agnon.
Agnon, Schoken -
Friendship of
Five Decades
Bergmann, and Max Brod, friend
In 1945 Salman Schocken
and later the literary executor of founded Schocken Books, Inc.,
in New York City. At first this
Franz Kafka.
firm's activity was devoted to
As early as 1916 Schocken
Jewish books in English and to
promised to find Agnon a pub-
translations of Franz Kafka,
lisher, and made an agreement
but in recent years a wide list
providing Agnon with an annual
of general books has been added.
stipend to free him for his writ-
ing. Years later, because the
Three Agnon titles in English
demand for Hebrew literature translations have thus far ap-
was still so small that commer- peared: "Two Tales" (1966),
cial publication could not be "Days Of Awe" (1948), and "In
arranged, Schocken redeemed The Heart of the Seas" (1947);
his promise by becoming a pub- two major Agnon stories are also
lisher himself. Agnon was by included in "Israeli Stories" (1962).
that time again living in Jeru- For 1967 Schocken Books has an-
nounced two long Agnon novels:
salem.
In a letter dated July 29, 1929, "The Bridal C a n o p y" and "A
he wrote, "The publishing firm you Guest For The Night." Additional
are planning to start occupies my volumes of novels and short stories
. are in preparation.
thoughts day in, day out .
Salman Schocken did not live
" I should like to do all I can and even at night my heart does
to promote Agnon's work. He is not rest. I hope you will soon to see his author win the Nobel
a great epic writer. I am of the come here so that we can talk Prize for Literature in 1966. He
opinion that the best one can do about this."
died in 1959. At his funeral in
for the Hebrew language is to en-
In 1930 Agnon spent six months Jerusalem, attended by a large
rich it by works of epic prose."
in Germany to supervise the type- gathering of his friends and asso-
Fifty years later this judgment setting of his books, and in 1931 I elates, his friend Agnon was the
by S. Y. Agnon's publisher and there appeared four volumes in only speaker.
lifelong friend, Salman Schocken, Hebrew of A g n o n's Collected
The next generation has carried
was supported by the Nobel Prize Works, the first books issued on the father's work: in Israel,
Committee.
under the new imprint of Schocken Gustav Schocken, and in New
The two men first met in 1914
Verlag, Berlin. Two more volumes York, T. Herzl Rome, the son-in-
in Berlin. Agnon, then 26, had
I law, who died in 1965, and Theo-
followed in 1935.
come to Germany to study after
. dore Schocken. "In The Heart Of
had
set
up
Meanwhile
Schocken
having lived in Palestine since
The Seas" is illustrated with 10
an
ambitious
Jewish
publishing
1908. The outbreak of the war pre-
drawings by Rome.
vented his return to Jerusalem, program in German, designed for
and the friendship between the the particular needs of Jews dur-
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
young writer and the cultured ing the difficult Hitler year s. 18—Friday, December 16, 1966
businessman, co-owner of a chain Among the
e more than 200 vo l um e s _
of department stores in central issued from 1932 on were some
Germany, developed quickly. Ag- of the first translations of Agnon
non had already published a num- into German. In 1938 the Gestapo
brought the work of this Jewish
ber of stories in Hebrew.
Schocken had become an ac- house to an abrupt end.
Schocken himself had moved to
tive Zionist a few years earlier,
and the revival of Hebrew as a Jerusalem in 1934, where he re-
modern language was close to sumed his close contact with his
his heart. Agnon admired the old friend. A new Hebrew firm.
Schocken Publishing House, was
German-Jewish merchant who
started there in 1935. It took over
seemed so much at home in the
wide world of business and yet the issuance of Agnon's writings;
had so vivid an interest in litera-
ture and art. He saw in Salman
IF YOU TURN THE
UPSIDE DOWN YOU WON'T
FIND A FINER WINE THAN
In Hebrew, he recited that bene.
Milan Wineries, Detroit, Mich.
diction: "Blessed art Thou, 0 Lord,
OUT God. King of the universe
Who hast given of Thy glory to
a king of flesh and blood."
Schocken the kind of cultural •
Agnon was the guest of honor
Agnon then continued: "To you,
leader the young Zionist move- :
•
distinguished sages of the Swedish at a reception given for him by
• •
(Chrysler Products Dealer for Over 35 Years)
ment needed so profoundly. He •
Academy, I say: Blessed be He Israeli Ambassador Yaacov Shi-
•
became
a
frequent
visitor
in
the
;
Who lent His wisdom to flesh and moni. During the reception, the
•
•
Schocken home, and went with ..
blood." greetings and diplomas were given
his friend on inspection tours to •
He sketched his own life briefly, to him by Dr. Eleazar Hurvitz, of
the various cities in which the , • •
/ .
•
nothing that, even in his youth in New York, professor of rabbinics
Schocken department s t o r e s •
gO l'n, •
Galicia, he had always regarded at Yeshiva University.
•
were
located.
•
•
himself as "a Jew from Jerusa- I Rutgers University in a message
A lively correspondence Bevel-
lem." "In your choice," he told to Agnon said: "Our department
the academicians, "I feel hum- of Hebrew studies is among the oped: more than 200 letters of •
6
bled. I have never forgotten the first institutions of higher learn- Agnon to Schocken are preserved. • 14955 JOS. CAMPAU
TW 2-7500 •
Schocken turned to Agnon for •
•
Biblical direction enjoining us to ing in the United States to intro-
(
1 /a Block S. of McNichols)
•
go humbly before our God. If I duce study of your works, thus advice in the selection of rare • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Il
and
early
books
for
his
growing
am proud of anything, it is for the enriching many students. We join
vouchsafed me of living in recognizing your eminence in collection of Judaica. now the
in the Holy Land, which God the world of letters as a Hebrew Schocken Library in Jerusalem.
Both men belonged to the circle
promised to our forefathers and writer."
(West Germany's President that grew up around Martin Buber,
thus fulfilling His command." He
Heinrich Luebke cabled congrat- and were active in helping Buber
concluded with a prayer for peace
ulations to Miss Sachs, saying, and his friends found the journal
for Israel, for Sweden and for the
"We are filled with shame and Der Jude (The Jew). About the
entire world.
sadness for the sufferings in- same time, Schocken became a
The Concert Hall ceremonies
flicted upon you and your people member of the cultural committee
were concluded with an address
of the Zionist Organization in Ger-
by Dr. Ingvar Andersen on behalf especially in this country.)"
of the Swedish Academy. He told Commentary, the monthly maga- many, which was making plans
Agnon: In your writings, we meet zinc of thought and opinion pub- for an extensive Jewish book
once again the ancient unity be-
tween literature and science as
antiquity knew it. Your great
chronicles have a manifold mes-
sage. We honor in you a conbina-
tion of tradition and prophecy, of
saga and wisdom." To Miss Sachs,
Dr. Andersen said, "Your lyrical
and dramatic writing belong to
the great commentaries of world
literature, yet your sadness is free
of hate."
;rn•••••••••••••• •••••••*""•••••••••••••••••••••
: •
MARGOLIS PLYMOUTH
• •
See nae
t or Sam Ma rgolis
• •
,
,- - e
■
clor Ole gj'est act, in
• MARGOLIS PLYMOUTH, INC. .• •
10 DAY ROUND TRIPS TO ISRAEL
At*
A Meeting Between 2 Literary Giants
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The company then adjourned,
gathering again at the formal
banquet at City Hall. There,
Miss Sachs was the king's table
companion, seated at the right
of the monarch. Agnon's dinner
companions were Mrs. Von
Euler, wife of the chairman of
NE
um no no moo
I It
'3 9 9
1.
I
The two winners of this year's Nobel Prize for Literature met
for the first time in Stockholm, where they received the awards from
King Gustav Adolf. They are Sweden's Nelly Sachs and Israel's
Shmuel Yoseph Agnon.
CHAS. N. WILLIAMS
‘1111M1•11.11.111Mmlomm
■
11
CITY TREASURER