Zalmen Zylbercweig:The Boswell of the Yiddish Theatre
Faith Jones
May 2006
Overview of Leksikon fun Yidishn Teater:
Vol. 1 (alef-khes) published New York, 1931
Vol. 2 (tes-ayin) published Warsaw, 1934 (actually Polesye)scarce; existing copies in poor condition; not available through NYBC reprint-on-demand project
Vol. 3 (pey) published New York, 1959
(first three volumes edited jointly with Jacob Mestel, d. 1958)
Vol. 4 published New York, 1963introduces “unzere boyer” section
Vol. 5 published Mexico City, 1967kdoyshim volume
Vol. 6 published Mexico City, 1969
Vol. 7 in page proofs at Mexico City, 1972copies of page proofs at YIVO and Mount Scopus (Israel)
Statistical overview:
• ~ 3,000 individuals listed in six published volumes
• 28% or around 840 are women; another 40 among “unzere boyer”
• 491 individuals listed in volume 5, the “kdoyshim band” (yizkor volume)
• ~ 100 entries for organizations, theater groups and types of Yiddish theatre (e.g. Purim shpiln)
• six published volumes comprise 6,132 columns (3,066 pages)
• unpublished volume 7: another 224 columns (112 pages) of biographies and 622 columns (311 pages) of Zylbercweig’s history of Yiddish theatre