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About the Author
Konrad (Elkana) Charmatz
Son of Maier and Esther-Rochel Charmatz. Born in Ostrowiec (Ostrove), Kielce District, Poland, Dec. 21, 1910.
Studied at the Gevardik Yeshiva (a Mussar yeshiva).
Started to write poems and stories at a young age.
From 1935 on, lived in Sosnowiec (Sosnovtze), Zaglebie, Poland, where he did business on a large scale, with plate glass.
Was in the Sosnowiec ghetto. Arrested in February, 1940 by the Gestapo. Dragged off to the German labour camps, concentration camps: Birkenau-Auschwitz, Warsaw to clean up the
destruction of the Warsaw ghetto after its liquidation, and Dachau.
Freed by the American army May 2, 1945. At end of same month went to Paris.
Co-worker at the Paris Yiddish newspaper Undzer Vort (Our Word).
Arrived in Brazil at the end of 1946. Became editor of the Yiddishe Press (Jewish Press) in Rio de Janeiro. Afterwards, editor of the same newspaper in Sao Paulo. Pioneer of a Jewish television programme in Sao Paulo (Channel 5). Created a Jewish radio show in 1954 which continued until 1967.
In 1964 took over the publication of the newspaper Der Neiyer Moment (The New Moment) which appears three times weekly.
For one year published a monthly illustrated Jewish magazine (1967).
Received the Order Jose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva in 1965 and a medal from the municipality of San Paulo in 1969.
Won second prize in the competition of best literary composition of the development and life of the Hebraica, a Jewish social cultural club in Sao Paulo in 1974.
Winner of World Federation of Jewish Fighters, Camp Inmates and Nazi Victims Prize in Tel-Aviv, Israel in 1985.
Died in May 1986.