Nathan Alterman

Nathan Alterman (1910 - 1970; b. Warsaw, Poland) settled in Tel Aviv in 1925. He studied Agronomy in France. His first poems were published in 1931. Alterman was a regular contributor of political verse to the daily Ha'aretz, and later to the Labor daily, Davar. A poetic spokesmen for the national struggle, many of his poems were banned by the British Mandate authorities and were passed from hand to hand by an eager public. Alterman also wrote lyrics to several songs that became overnight hits. After 1948 social and political themes became the dominant feature in Alterman's public verse. A member of a group of modernist poets, Alterman was a leader of Hebrew poetry's avant-garde. A prolific lyricist, playwright and essayist, he also translated many works into Hebrew, including pieces by Shakespeare and Moliere. Alterman received both the Israel Prize and the Bialik Prize.

Books Published in Hebrew

Stars Outside (poetry), Yachdav, 1938 [Kochavim Ba-Hutz]

Joy of the Poor (poetry), Machbarot Lesifrut, 1941 [Simchat Ani'im]

The Tenth Chick (children), Machbarot Lesifrut, 1943 [Ha-Efroach Ha-Asiri]

Plague Poems (poetry), Machbarot Lesifrut, 1944 [Shirei Makot Mitzraim]

About That (poetry), Ministry of Defense, 1948 [Al Zot]

The Seventh Column; volume I (poetry), Davar, 1948 [Ha-Tur Ha-Shevi'i]

The Seventh Column; volume 2 (poetry), Davar, 1954 [Ha-Tur Ha-Shevi'i]

The Day of the Million, Davar, 1950 [Yom Ha-Milion]

The Black Market Poems, Prime Minister's Office, 1951 [Mi-Shirei Ha-Shuk Ha-Shahor]

City of the Dove (poetry), Machbarot Lesifrut, 1957 [Ir Ha-Yonah]

The Singing Book of Friendship (poetry), Machbarot Lesifrut, 1958 [Sefer Ha-Teva Ha-Mezameret]

Poems of Ten Brothers (poetry), Machbarot Lesifrut, 1961 [Shir Asarah Ahim]

The Writings of Nathan Alterman in Four Volumes, Machbarot Lesifrut, Davar, and Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1961-1962 [Ketavim]

Kinneret, Kinneret (play), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1962 [Kinneret, Kinneret]

Ghosts' Inn (play), Amikam, 1962 [Pundak Ha-Ruhot]

Pythagoras' Trial (play), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1965 [Mishpat Pitagoras]

Summer Celebration (poetry), Machbarot Lesifrut, 1965 [Hagigat Kayitz]

Esther the Queen (play), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1966 [Esther Ha-Malkah]

The Final Mask (satire), Ma'ariv, 1968 [Ha-Masecha Ha-Ahrona]

Collected Works, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1971-1979

The Silver Platter - Selected Poems (poetry), Ministry of Defence Publishing House, 1974 [Magash Ha-Kesef]

Poems 1931-1935, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1984 [Shirim]

The Seventh Column 1943-1948, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1986 [Ha- Tur Ha-Shevi'i]

Both Roads (non-fiction], Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1989 [Al Shtei Drachim]

The Seventh Column 1948-1956, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1995 [Ha- Tur Ha-Shevi'i]

Last days of Or (play), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1990

Plays Performed

Kinneret, Kinneret [Cameri-1961]

Ghosts' Inn [Cameri-1962]

Pythagoras' Trial [Habimah-1965]

The Flea Market (musical) [Cameri-1965]

Esther the Queen [Cameri-1966]

Tzatz ve-Tzatza (musical) [Cameri-1969]

Summer Celebration [Cameri-1972]

Books in Translation

Serebrionoe Bliudo
Russian: Tel Aviv, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1974

Selected Poems
English/Hebrew: Tel Aviv, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1978

Little Tel Aviv
English: Tel Aviv, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1981

The Silver Platter
Italian: Tel Aviv, Hadas, 1998

Individual poems have been published in: Afrikaans, Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese.