René Kalisky (born René Kaliski; French: [Ê É™ne kaliski], Polish:
[kaˈlʲisʲci]; Brussels, 20 July 1936 â€" died Paris, 6 May 1981)
was a Belgian writer of Polish-Jewish descent who is best known for
the plays he wrote in the last 12 years of his life. Kalisky, whose
father, Abraham Kaliski was killed at Auschwitz, was himself hidden
from harm during World War II.Kalisky was born in Etterbeek, one of
municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium, the
20th of July 1936. His father Abram Kaliski was born in Lodz the 10th
of May 1908. His grandparents, Solomon Yitzhak Kaliski and Hadassah
Kaliski had at least 8 children, who all perished during the holocaust
except for one son and one daughter. After his wife's death, fleeing
the pogroms, Solomon traveled to South Africa before ending up in
Mandatory Palestine at the beginning of the century and died in
Tel-Aviv in 1948, aged 80. Abram emigrated to Belgium where he became
a leather merchant and a dancer. Aged 23, in 1932, he met and married
Fradla Wach, born in Warsaw on November 15, 1901. They had four
children: René who became a writer, Haim who became a historian,
cartoonist and author, Sarah who became a painter and Ida. All of the
four children were dispatched and remained hidden in separate places
during the war. Their parents stayed alone and survived almost until
the surrender of the Nazi German forces. Abram nevertheless was caught
by the Belgian police while seeking milk for their newborn. After
being imprisoned and tortured in the Mechelen transit camp, he
reportedly was assassinated in Auschwitz around December 1944, being
36 years old. Fridla gathered her four kids and raised them alone
after the war ended. Kalisky was about eight years old when he lost
his father. Although their mother was illiterate, he recalled his
parents always wished their children could become accomplished
artists.He began his career in the field of publishing as a secretary
and, in the field of journalism, notably the Patriot Illustré, before
taking the path to theater. In 1968, he began with the publication of
Europa, in Belgium. Kalisky wrote several historical pieces including
Trotsky (1969), Skandalon (1970), Jim le Téméraire and Le
Pique-Nique de Claretta (1973). He also authored two major essays
published in 1968 and reissued in the 1980s on Arab political history,
L’origine et l’essor du monde arabe and Le monde arabe à l'heure
actuelle: Le réveil et la quête de l’unité. He worked with
Jacques Lemarchand, director of the established collection “Le
Manteau d’Arlequin†, at Gallimard in France until 1974.His career
slowly began to flourish as he received several literary prizes,
including the Annual Dramatic Literature Prize awarded by the Society
of Dramatic Authors and Composers in 1974 and the Triennial Grand
Prize for Dramatic Literature awarded by the Government in 1975. He
then was awarded by Germany and asked to craft an original project
across a yearlong stay in former western Berlin. In 1977, the French
editor, Stock published several controversial pieces, including, “La
passion selon Pier Paolo Pasolini†, “Dave au bord de mer†,
“Résumé†and “Du sur jeu au sur texte†in which he describes
us his own and personal vision of his theater work.
[kaˈlʲisʲci]; Brussels, 20 July 1936 â€" died Paris, 6 May 1981)
was a Belgian writer of Polish-Jewish descent who is best known for
the plays he wrote in the last 12 years of his life. Kalisky, whose
father, Abraham Kaliski was killed at Auschwitz, was himself hidden
from harm during World War II.Kalisky was born in Etterbeek, one of
municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium, the
20th of July 1936. His father Abram Kaliski was born in Lodz the 10th
of May 1908. His grandparents, Solomon Yitzhak Kaliski and Hadassah
Kaliski had at least 8 children, who all perished during the holocaust
except for one son and one daughter. After his wife's death, fleeing
the pogroms, Solomon traveled to South Africa before ending up in
Mandatory Palestine at the beginning of the century and died in
Tel-Aviv in 1948, aged 80. Abram emigrated to Belgium where he became
a leather merchant and a dancer. Aged 23, in 1932, he met and married
Fradla Wach, born in Warsaw on November 15, 1901. They had four
children: René who became a writer, Haim who became a historian,
cartoonist and author, Sarah who became a painter and Ida. All of the
four children were dispatched and remained hidden in separate places
during the war. Their parents stayed alone and survived almost until
the surrender of the Nazi German forces. Abram nevertheless was caught
by the Belgian police while seeking milk for their newborn. After
being imprisoned and tortured in the Mechelen transit camp, he
reportedly was assassinated in Auschwitz around December 1944, being
36 years old. Fridla gathered her four kids and raised them alone
after the war ended. Kalisky was about eight years old when he lost
his father. Although their mother was illiterate, he recalled his
parents always wished their children could become accomplished
artists.He began his career in the field of publishing as a secretary
and, in the field of journalism, notably the Patriot Illustré, before
taking the path to theater. In 1968, he began with the publication of
Europa, in Belgium. Kalisky wrote several historical pieces including
Trotsky (1969), Skandalon (1970), Jim le Téméraire and Le
Pique-Nique de Claretta (1973). He also authored two major essays
published in 1968 and reissued in the 1980s on Arab political history,
L’origine et l’essor du monde arabe and Le monde arabe à l'heure
actuelle: Le réveil et la quête de l’unité. He worked with
Jacques Lemarchand, director of the established collection “Le
Manteau d’Arlequin†, at Gallimard in France until 1974.His career
slowly began to flourish as he received several literary prizes,
including the Annual Dramatic Literature Prize awarded by the Society
of Dramatic Authors and Composers in 1974 and the Triennial Grand
Prize for Dramatic Literature awarded by the Government in 1975. He
then was awarded by Germany and asked to craft an original project
across a yearlong stay in former western Berlin. In 1977, the French
editor, Stock published several controversial pieces, including, “La
passion selon Pier Paolo Pasolini†, “Dave au bord de mer†,
“Résumé†and “Du sur jeu au sur texte†in which he describes
us his own and personal vision of his theater work.
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