N. David Korman Papers

 

1926-1981, bulk 1960-1979           

 

SCRC 240

 

Korman, N. David, 1901-1981

 

4 linear feet (4 boxes)

 

Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries

 

Materials in Yiddish and English.

 

 

 

N. (Nathan) David Korman (נתן דוד קאָרמאַן), also known as Nissen Dovid Korman and N. D. Korman, was a Jewish poet, born in Radom, Poland, on October 15, 1901. Korman worked as a hat maker from the age of 12 until he was drafted into the Polish Army to fight against the Bolsheviks in the Polish-Soviet War of 1919. Korman served a three month prison sentence in Poland for his membership in the young workers organization, Poale-Zion, before immigrating to Cuba in 1926. While in Cuba, Korman worked in a shoe factory and composed poems that idealized the proletariat or working class. Along with the editors of the semi-weekly publication Havaner Leben, Y. O. Pines and Eliezer Aronowsky, Korman formed the core of a literary group known as ‘Young Cuba.’ Korman settled in Philadelphia after leaving Cuba in 1928, operating a shoe store in West Philadelphia until his retirement in 1967. Korman published three volumes of poetry during this lifetime, אף אינזלשער ערד (Af inzlshler erd) published in Havana, Cuba, in 1927,בארג ארױף (Barg aroyf, 1943), and טעג און יאָרן (Teg un yorn, 1970). Korman married Tillie (Tamar) on October 15, 1926, with whom he had one child, Dolores. N. David Korman died June 9, 1981.

 

The N. David Korman Papers consist of typescript and handwritten drafts of Korman’s poetry and prose, written after the publication of his second volume of poetry. The bulk of the collection is in Yiddish with some materials in English, mainly translations of Korman’s poems and longer writings. Topics or themes explored in his poems and longer writings vary, but include the seasons, tributes to historical figures and contemporaries, the state of Israel, the people of Radom, Poland, and works on other Yiddish writers such as proletarian poet Aaron Kurtz, Chaver-Paver, Zishe Weinper, Leivick Halpern, Berish Eppelbaum, and Sholem Aleichem. Other materials of note include Korman’s memoir detailing his time in the Polish Army beginning in 1919. Manuscripts of Korman’s earliest work written during his time in Cuba and after his arrival in America up through the mid-1940s are not part of the collection.

 

The collection is arranged into 2 series as follows:

 

Series 1: Manuscripts, 1945-1981, undated

Subseries 1.1: Poetry, 1945-1981, undated

Subseries 1.2: Essays, short stories, and eulogies, 1961-1980, undated

Subseries 1.3: English translations, 1973-1979, undated

 

Series 2: Correspondence, printed material, and photographs, 1926-1980

 

Series 1 contains typescript and handwritten manuscripts. This series is divided into 3 subseries. Subseries 1.1 contains Korman’s poetry manuscripts including tribute poems or elegies, ballads, and metered verse. This subseries is largest in the collection and is arranged alphabetically in Yiddish by title or subject with Korman’s poetry notebooks and partial manuscripts filed at the end. Subseries 1.2 contains Korman’s longer writings, mainly essays and short stories, but also eulogies. This subseries is arranged alphabetically in Yiddish by title or subject with partial manuscripts filed at the end. Subseries 1.3 contains English translations of Korman’s poems and longer writings translated by Moshe Spiegel, Edward Ginsburg, Ralph Kelner, Max Rosenfeld, Marilyn Krantz, and Leonard Opalov. Also included, are a small number of English translations of works by other Yiddish poets. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by surname of translator.

 

Series 2 contains personal correspondence; copies of Korman's poems published in Yiddish language newspapers and periodicals including מאָרגן פֿרייהייט (Morgn Freyheyt) and ײדישע קולטור (Idishe Kultur); music scores for which Korman wrote the lyrics with arrangements composed by Vladimir Heifetz, Joseph Schrogin, and Regina Balin; photographs, newspapers clippings, and other miscellaneous printed materials. This series is arranged alphabetically in English by title or type of material.

 

 

 

A record for this collection is available in Temple University’s online library catalog: http://diamond.temple.edu/record=b6408605~S30 

 

Collection is open for research.

 

This collection may be housed off-site at the Library Depository, and require up to two business days to retrieve. Please review the finding aid and be prepared to identify specific materials to be retrieved. Contact the Special Collections Research Center in advance of your visit, so that materials may be relocated to the reading room for research. 

 

The N. David Korman Papers are the physical property of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.

 

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], N. David Korman Papers, SCRC 240, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

 

Donated by Dolores, K. Sloviter, daughter of N. David Korman in December 1982. Collection previously administered by the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center, acquired by Temple in June 2009.

 

The N. David Korman Book Collection, originally donated with Korman’s papers, has been cataloged separately. Individual records for books can be found in Diamond, Temple University’s online library catalog http://diamond.temple.edu/ 

 

Collection processed and finding aid prepared in November 2016 by Jessica M. Lydon, Associate Archivist.  

          

          

 

The following headings have been used to index the description of this collection in Temple University’s electronic catalog:

 

Korman, N. David, 1901-1981

 

American poetry – Translations from Yiddish

Poets, Yiddish – Pennsylvania – Philadelphia

Songs, Yiddish – United States

Yiddish poetry – 20th century

 

Cuba

Israel

Philadelphia (Pa.)

Radom (WojewoÌdztwo Mazowieckie, Poland)

 

Clippings

Correspondence

Manuscripts

Photographs

Poems

Publications

Scores

 

Series 1 contains typescript and handwritten manuscripts. This series is divided into 3 subseries. 

Subseries 1.1 contains Korman’s poetry manuscripts including tribute poems or elegies, ballads, and metered verse. This subseries is largest in the collection and is arranged alphabetically in Yiddish by title or subject with Korman’s poetry notebooks and partial manuscripts filed at the end. 

1          1         (2 פּאָעמען, א (1 פֿון           Poems, Shtumer alef (1 of 2)          1965-1980, undated
 1          2         (2 פּאָעמען, א (2 פֿון           Poems, Shtumer alef (2 of 2)          1965-1980, undated
 1          3          פּאָעמען, אַ          Poems, Pasekh alef          1949-1979, undated
 1          4          פּאָעמען, אָ          Poems, Komets alef          1963, 1972, undated
 1          5          פּאָעמען, ב          Poems, Beyz          1965-1972, undated
 1          6          פּאָעמען, ג          Poems, Giml          1949-1979, undated
 1          7          פּאָעמען, ד          Poems, Daled          1956-1979, undated
 1          8          פּאָעמען, ה          Poems, Hey          1966-1977, undated
 1          9          פּאָעמען, װ          Poems, Tsvey vovn          1966-1978, undated
 1          10          פּאָעמען, ז          Poems, Zayen          1952-1979, undated
 1          11          פּאָעמען, ח          Poems, Khes          1963-1977, undated
 1          12          פּאָעמען, ט          Poems, Tes          1968-1979, undated
 1          13          פּאָעמען, י          Poems, Yud          1952-1979, undated
 1          14          פּאָעמען, ײ          Poems, Tsvey yudn          1967-1976, undated
 1          15          פּאָעמען, כ          Poems, Khof          1968-1979, undated
 1          16          פּאָעמען, ל          Poems, Lamed          1954-1981, undated
 1          17         (2 פּאָעמען, מ (1 פֿון           Poems, Mem (1 of 2)          1954-1981, undated
 2          1          (2 פּאָעמען, מ (2 פֿון           Poems, Mem (2 of 2)          1954-1981, undated
 2          2          פּאָעמען, נ          Poems, Nun          1947-1981, undated
 2          3          פּאָעמען, ס          Poems, Samekh          1966-1979, undated
 2          4          פּאָעמען, ע          Poems, Ayen          1954-1978, undated
 2          5          פּאָעמען, פּ          Poems, Pey          1957-1980, undated
 2          6          פּאָעמען, פֿ          Poems, Fey          1949-1978, undated
 2          7          (2 פּאָעמען, צ (1 פֿון           Poems, Tzadek (1 of 2)          1954-1980, undated
 2          8          (2 פּאָעמען, צ (2 פֿון           Poems, Tzadek (2 of 2)          1954-1980, undated
 2          9          פּאָעמען, ק          Poems, Kuf          1967-1978, undated
 2          10          פּאָעמען, ר          Poems, Reysh          1949-1979, undated
 2          11          פּאָעמען, ש          Poems, Shin          1948-1980, undated
 2          12          פּאָעמען, ת          Poems, Sof          1967-1978, undated
 2          13          אין לאַנד פֿון די אַבות          "In the Land of the Fathers"          undated
 2          14          אינדעפּענדענס סקװער          Independence Square          1975
 2          15          אייב לינקאָלן          Abe Lincoln          1953, 1961
 2          16          אַברהם רייזען          Abraham Reisin          1953
 2          17          אַהרן קורץ          Aaron Kurtz          undated
 2          18          אַנגזשעלאַ דעװיס          Angela Davis          1972, 1975
 2          19          אָלימפּיאַדע          Olympics          1972
 2          20          בלומען          Flowers          1965, 1971
 2          21          בענדזשאַמין פֿראַנקלין          Benjamin Franklin          1975
 2          22          ב. עפּלבוים          B. Eppelbaum          1954, undated
 2          23          דזשאָן פֿ. קענעדי          John F. Kennedy          1963
 2          24          דר. מאַרטינ לוטער קינג          Dr. Martin Luther King          1968
 2          25          היטלער          Hitler          1978, undated
 2          26          ה. לייװיק          H. Leivick          1962
 2          27          װאַרשעװער געטאָ          Warsaw Ghetto          1961-1973, undated
 2          28          װיקי          Vikki          1975-1976, undated
 2          29          װיעטנאַם          Vietnam          1966-1971, undated
 2          30          ז. װיינפּער          Z. Weinper          undated
 2          31          חיים סאַלאָמאָן          Haym Solomon          1953-1954, undated
 2          32          חלומות          Dreams          1960-1979, undated
 2          33          חנה סענעש          Hannah Senesh          1966, 1975, undated
 2          34          חנכה          Hanukkah          1970-1979, undated
 2          35          טויט          Death          1953, 1968, undated
 2          36          טעג און יאָרן          Days and Years photocopied typescript          1970
 2          37          יאָסל בראָנשטיין          Yosel Bronstein          1967-1968
 2          38          יוגנט          Youth          1964-1975, undated
 2          39          י. ל. פּרץ          I. L. Peretz          1970-1975, undated
 2          40          יעװגעני יעװטושענקאָ          Yevgeny Yevtushenko          1975, undated
 3          1           (3 ישראַל (1 פֿון          Israel (1 of 3)          1960-1977, undated
 3          2           (3 ישראַל (2 פֿון          Israel (2 of 3)          1960-1977, undated
 3          3           (3 ישראַל (3 פֿון          Israel (3 of 3)          1960-1977, undated
 3          4          יידיש          Yiddish          1958-1979
 3          5          יידישע טעאַטער          Yiddish theater          1967, 1977
 3          6          מאַרק שאַגאַל          Marc Chagall          1977, undated
 3          7          מ. אָלגין          M. Olgin          1979, undated
 3          8          מיאַמי ביטש          Miami beach          1968-1969, 1977
 3          9          נסים          Miracles          1963-1964, 1977, undated
 3          10          סאָװיעטישע יידן          Soviet Jews          1977, 1980, undated
 3          11          עלענאָר רוזװעלט          Eleanor Roosevelt          1957, 1962
 3          12          עלפֿרעט׳ס אַללי          Elfreth's Alley          1974
 3          13          פּוילן          Poland          1967-1972, undated
 3          14          פֿילאַדעלפֿיע          Philadelphia          1964, 1974, 1976
 3          15          צייטן: האַרבסט          Seasons: autumn          1963-1980, undated
 3          16          צייטן: װינטער          Seasons: winter          1969-1978, undated
 3          17          צייטן: זומער          Seasons: summer          1968-1979, undated
 3          18          צייטן: פֿרילינג          Seasons: spring          1954-1979, undated
 3          19          קינדער          Children          1968, undated
 3          20          קריג          War          1967, 1973
 3          21          ראָדעם          Radom          1965-1981, undated
 3          22          שונאַים          Enemies          1945, 1975, undated
 3          23          שלום          Peace          1965-1971
 3          24          שלום עליכם          Sholem Aleichem          1966, undated
 3          25          שלמה מיכאָעלס          Shloyme Mikhoels          1974, undated
 3          26          אינטענסיווער אויפזיכט          Intensive care          1979-1980
 3          27          Poetry notebooks (1 of 2)          undated         
 3          28          Poetry notebooks (2 of 2)          undated         
 3          29          Poems, partial manuscripts, unidentified, and illegible titles (1 of 2)          undated         
 3          30          Poems, partial manuscripts, unidentified, and illegible titles (2 of 2)          undated

Subseries 1.2: Essays, short stories, and eulogies, 1961-1980, undated
Subseries 1.2 contains Korman’s longer writings, mainly essays and short stories, but also eulogies. This subseries is arranged alphabetically in Yiddish by title or subject with partial manuscripts filed at the end.
Box    Folder    Description
3          31          שריפֿטן, א          Writings, Alef          1980, undated
3          32          שריפֿטן, ב          Writings, Beyz          1969-1977, undated
3          33          שריפֿטן, ג          Writings, Giml          1971, undated
3          34          שריפֿטן, ד          Writings, Daled          undated
3          35          שריפֿטן, ה          Writings, Hey          1979, undated
3          36          שריפֿטן, װ          Writings, Tsvey vovn          1977, undated
3          37          שריפֿטן, ז          Writings, Zayen          undated
3          38          שריפֿטן, ח          Writings, Khes          undated
3          39          שריפֿטן, ט          Writings, Tes          undated
3          40          שריפֿטן, י          Writings, Yud          undated
3          41          שריפֿטן, ל          Writings, Lamed          undated
3          42          שריפֿטן, מ          Writings, Mem          1971, undated
3          43          שריפֿטן, נ          Writings, Nun          1973, undated
3          44          שריפֿטן, ס          Writings, Samekh          undated
3          45          שריפֿטן, ע          Writings, Ayen          1973
3          46          שריפֿטן, פּ          Writings, Pey          undated
3          47          שריפֿטן, פֿ          Writings, Fey          1977, undated
3          48          שריפֿטן, צ          Writings, Tzadek          undated
3          49          שריפֿטן, ק          Writings, Kuf          undated
3          50          שריפֿטן, ר          Writings, Reysh         
3          51          שריפֿטן, ש          Writings, Shin          undated
4          1          אַהרן קורץ          Aaron Kurtz          undated
4          2          אַמעריע          America          undated
4          3          ביאָגריפאישע נאָטצ          Biographical notes including memoir about Polish Army          undated
4          4          ב. עפּלבוים          B. Eppelbaum          1975, undated
4          5          הומאָרעסקע          Humor          1968-1978, undated
4          6          ז. װיינפּער          Z. Weinper          undated
4          7          יאָסל בראָנשטיין          Yosel Bronstein          1968, undated
4          8          י. ל. פּרץ          I. L. Peretz          undated
4          9           ישראַל          Israel          1968-1976, undated
4          10          כאַװער־פּאַװער          Chaver-Paver          1961
4          11          מ. אָלגין          M. Olgin          1972, undated
4          12          פּאָעזיע          Poetry          undated
4          13          פֿילאַדעלפֿיער פֿריינט פֿון ישראַל          Philadelphia Friends of Israel          1970, 1980, undated
4          14          ראָדעמער טיפּן און געסטאַלטן          "Radom Types and Shapes"          1972-1980, undated
4          15          שלום עליכם          Sholem Aleichem          undated
4          16          Writings, partial manuscripts, unidentified, and illegible titles          undated         
Subseries 1.3: English translations, 1973-1979, undated
Subseries 1.3 contains English translations of Korman’s poems and longer writings translated by Moshe Spiegel, Edward Ginsburg, Ralph Kelner, Max Rosenfeld, Marilyn Krantz,and Leonard Opalov. Also included, are a small number of English translations of works by other Yiddish poets. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by surname of translator.
Box   Folder    Description
4          17          Poems translated by Edward Ginsburg          undated
4          18          Poems and short stories translated by Ralph Kelner          1973-1979, undated
4          19          Poems translated by Marilyn Krantz          undated
4          20          Poems translated by Leonard Opalov          undated
4          21          Poems translated by Max Rosenfeld          undated
4          22          Poems and short stories translated by Moshe Spiegel          undated
4          23          Poems and short stories by other writers translated by Moshe Spiegel          undated
Series 2: Correspondence, printed material, and photographs, 1926-1980, undated
Series 2 contains personal correspondence; copies of Korman’s poems published in Yiddish language newspapers and periodicals including פֿרייהייט מאָרגן (Morgn Freyheyt) and קולטור ײדישע (Idishe Kultur); music scores for which Korman wrote the lyrics with arrangements composed by Vladimir Heifetz, Joseph Schrogin, and Regina Balin; photographs, newspapers clippings, and other miscellaneous materials. This series is arranged alphabetically in English by title or type of material.
4          24          Correspondence          1942-1945
4          25          Correspondence          1951-1959
4          26          Correspondence          1960-1969
4          27          Correspondence          1970-1979
4          28          Correspondence          1980
4          29          Correspondence          undated
4          30          Copies of published poems          1933, 1939
4          31          Copies of published poems          1943-1945
4          32          Copies of published poems          1952-1957
4          33          Copies of published poems          1961-1969
4          34          Copies of published poems          1970-1979
4          35          Copies of published poems          1980
4          36          Copies of published poems          undated
4          37          Music scores composed by Regina Balin          undated
4          38          Music scores composed by Vladimir Heifetz          undated
4          39          Music scores composed by J. Schrogin          undated
4          40          Music scores and song lyrics          undated
4          41          Newspaper clippings on Dolores Sloviter          1976, 1979
4          42          Photographs          1926-circa 1970
4          43          Scrapbook pages including vaccination certificate          1926, 1943
4          44          Voice of Radom newsletter          1971
4          45          Yiddish periodicals          1947-1979