Yakov Lidski
Yakov Lidski | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1868 Slonim, Grodno Governorate, Russia |
| Died | 1921-06-01 Warsaw, Poland |
| Occupation(s) | Bookseller, publisher |
| Known for | Pioneer in publication of Yiddish literature; founder of Progress publishing firm; co-founder of Central publishing consortium |
Yakov Lidski (also known as Yankev Lidski; ; born 1868 in Slonim, Grodno Governorate, Russia – died June 1, 1921 in Warsaw, Poland) was a prominent Jewish bookseller and publisher based in Warsaw, recognized as a trailblazer in the publication of Yiddish literature. He established the “Progress” publishing firm, notable for being the first to issue contemporary Yiddish literary works, and co-founded the influential publishing consortium “Central.”
Initial endeavors: From Moscow to Chicago
Lidski was born into a Lithuanian Jewish household in Slonim in 1868 and received a traditional Jewish education. His father, Kalman Lidski, co-founded a major sofer supplies business in Slonim that distributed religious texts throughout Eastern Europe from Moscow. Yakov worked alongside his father in Moscow, gaining expertise as a publisher.
After the 1891 expulsion of Jews from Moscow forced the dissolution of their partnership, Lidski spent some time in Minsk before relocating to Chicago. There, he launched a successful bookstore and publishing firm named “J. Lidskin Co.” on South Jefferson Street. He became one of the earliest publishers of Yiddish literature in the United States, issuing popular novels, theatrical songs, newspapers, and educational materials. Between 1894 and 1895, he released collections of song lyrics edited by Isaac Reingold and created Yiddish parodies of well-known American tunes. Committed to supporting Jewish immigrant entrepreneurs, he provided newspapers from Chicago and New York, thereby strengthening Yiddish cultural influence. Additionally, he held the position of treasurer for Chicago’s Yiddish Society of Classic Literature.
Warsaw: Establishing Nalewki Street Bookstore and "Progress" Publishing
In 1899, armed with capital and American Yiddish publishing plates, Lidski returned to Russia and settled in Warsaw as the Russian agent for American Jewish publishers. He assisted radical groups by smuggling prohibited literature and acquired a publishing house from Abraham Kotik, an early advocate for Jewish socialism and promoter of Yiddish literature.
The following year, Lidski launched "Progress," the first publishing company dedicated to modern Yiddish literary works. This firm issued both original and translated popular science titles alongside European literary works and original Yiddish fiction. Poet Avrom Reyzen was appointed as its initial editor. Among early publications were reprints from American sources and Kotik’s catalog such as Vi Haben Menshen Gelebt mit Einige Toizund Yor Tzurik? by Boris Pavlovich and Yosef Perl: Zayne Literarishe un Allgemayne Arbeit by Alter Bresler.
The debut publication was Benjamin Feigenbaum’s Shteiner Vos Falen fun Himel ("Stones Falling From the Sky"), a popular science book that quickly gained popularity. Later releases included Friedrich Streissler’s cultural history, Vladimir Korolenko’s The Blind Musician, and Feigenbaum’s work on Darwinism.
Progress became known for publishing leading Yiddish authors, offering complete collections by Y.L. Peretz, Sholem Aleichem, Sholem Asch, David Pinsky, Mordecai Spector, among others. Avrom Reyzen played a vital role both as editor and contributor.
Lidski’s bookstore on Nalewki Street featured an extensive range of Yiddish publications—covering popular science, fiction, language guides, plays, sheet music, and photo albums—as well as imported titles from American and British Yiddish presses. The shop provided Eastern European Jews with access to information about America through historical accounts, novels portraying immigrant experiences, and English language materials authored by Alexander Harkavy. Maintaining connections with radical circles, Lidski continued importing socialist literature.
Following the 1905 revolution, Progress expanded its operations amid growing interest in Yiddish books. It soon emerged as the foremost Jewish publisher within the Russian Empire despite increasing competition; by 1911 Warsaw was home to ten such publishing houses. Progress also produced periodicals and annuals including the literary magazine Eyropeishe Literatur, yearbooks like Lidskis Familien Kalendar, and anthologies such as Fraye Erd, largely edited by Reyzen.
In 1910, Lidski collaborated with Vilnius-based publisher Shlomo Sreberk to secure rights for the complete works of Mendele Mocher Sforim and established Mendele Publishing to release these texts in Yiddish and other languages.
That same year saw Mordecai Kaplan’s modest “HaShakhar” press merge into Progress, further strengthening its dominance in the market.
Member of the "Central" Publishing Syndicate
In 1911, Lidski, Sreberk, and Kaplan expanded their partnership by establishing the publishing syndicate known as "Central" (צענטראל, Tsentral; Hebrew: מרכז, “Merkaz”), which brought together prominent Yiddish and Hebrew publishers within the Russian Empire. The syndicate comprised Lidski's "Progress," Kaplan's "HaShakhar," Sreberk's "S. Sreberk," along with Ben Avigdor’s Hebrew publishing house “Tushiya” and Benjamin Szymin’s "B. Szymin." All five collaborators were Lithuanian Jews, predominantly based in Warsaw. Lidski oversaw the Yiddish division with editor David Kassel, while Ben Avigdor managed the Hebrew section.
Situated at 7 Nowolipki Street, Central issued publications from leading authors, historians, and educators writing in both Yiddish and Hebrew. Their catalog included children’s books, young adult fiction, educational textbooks, and readers. Notably, Central was the pioneering Jewish publisher to develop international distribution channels, including markets in the United States. Beyond books, Central produced widely popular printed items such as calendars adorned with biblical imagery and photographs of the Land of Israel, Passover Haggadot editions, and artistically designed Shana tova greeting cards.
In 1912, Central launched Ahisefer, a Hebrew publishing branch created by Ben-Avigdor together with Jacob Ramberg. That same year saw the release of the literary anthology Netivot ('Paths'). By early 1914, Central began issuing the joint Yiddish daily newspaper Der fraynd (also known as Dos Leben) in Warsaw. The onset of World War I forced a halt to its activities; however, Central restructured in 1923 and continued operations until the mid-1930s.
Later Years
Following Central’s suspension during World War I in 1914, Lidski initiated an independent publishing firm called Yudish in 1915 under German occupation. This enterprise became Warsaw’s leading Yiddish publisher until 1920, producing dozens of significant works—mainly translated fiction such as Rousseau’s Confessions, Tolstoy’s Childhood (both rendered into Yiddish by Kassel), stories by Mark Twain, Guy de Maupassant’s Strong as Death, One Thousand and One Nights (translated by H. D. Nomberg), Vladimir Medem’s Memoirs and Articles, Vladimir Korolenko’s Tales of Cyberia, alongside nonfiction titles. In 1920, Yudish published Di Eyropeishe Bine ("European Stage"), a theatrical anthology edited by Zalmen Zylbercweig featuring European plays translated into Yiddish.
Around 1918 or 1919, Lidski collaborated with Ben-Avigdor, Kh. Berman, and A. Kagan to purchase the historic Vilnius-based printing and publishing house Rosenkranz and Shriftsetzer, founded in 1863.
While overseeing this acquisition in Vilnius during the summer of 1921, Lidski became ill and passed away unexpectedly on June 1 at age 52. His funeral in Warsaw was well attended; his gravestone bears the inscription: "Ferleger un freynd fun dem Yidishn Bukh" ("publisher and friend of the Jewish book"), framed by carved spines of books. He was survived by his wife and daughter Alia and left substantial charitable bequests. Additionally, he mandated that all authors published by Yudish receive their printing plates.
Lidski’s widow Reytze née Hurwitz died in Otwock near Warsaw in December 1936 at age 65 after a lengthy illness. She was survived by their daughter and son-in-law. Her brother Samuel Leib Hurwitz (“S. Litvin”) was a socialist activist, writer, Poale Zion pioneer, folklorist, publicist, and editor active both in Russia and the United States.
External links
- “Yakov Lidsky,” featured in: Zalman Reisen, Leksikon fun der yidisher literatur, prese, un filologye, 2nd edition, vol. 2, Vilnius: B. Kletskin, 1927, columns 128–129, accessible via Internet Archive (Yiddish)
- Yakov Lidski’s burial site listed in the Database of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland
Obituaries (available on Historical Jewish Press):
- Yakov Lidski, Der Moment, June 3, 1921 (Yiddish)
- Yakov Lidski, Haynt, June 6, 1921 (Yiddish)
- Yakov Lidski, Hazefirah, June 7, 1921 (Hebrew)