ERC > LEXICON OF THE YIDDISH THEATRE  >  VOLUME 5  >  MISHA VEKSLER


Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre
BIOGRAPHIES OF THOSE WHO WERE ONCE INVOLVED IN THE Yiddish THEATRE;
aS FEATURED IN zALMEN zYLBERCWEIG'S  "lEKSIKON FUN YIDISHN TEATER"


VOLUME 5: THE KDOYSHIM (MARTYRS) EDITION, 1967, Mexico City
 


 

Misha (Michal) Veksler
 

Born in 1917 in Vilna, Polish Lithuania. His parents were owners of a soda factory.

According to David Pergament: "V. studied piano in the Polish State Conservatory. His entire body was paralyzed with a hump, and to walk he was spurred by the use of a cane. In the Vilna Ghetto he created music for revue theatre, was the second conductor after Durmashkin and conducted in the productions of 'The Deluge,' 'Green Fields,' and in a revue program with the participation of Khayele Rozental and Ya'akov Beregolski. Veksler certainly perished in Ponar, because he was a cripple, was not able to walk, and as such was not even sent to the camps."

According to Israel Segal, he was a tall man, a cripple, who walked with two canes, who was very much a fine musician, a composer, who composed music for Pinski's "The Treasure," Berger's "The Deluge," and for many revues.

According to Sh. Katsherginski, V. was the conductor of the Yiddish theatre orchestra in the Vilna ghetto, and the music composer of the series of texts that were staged in the theatre there.

In the book, "Songs of the Ghetto," according to Katsherginski, V. wrote to music for the songs, "Neger-lid," "Yisrolik," and "Peshe fun reshe" by L. Rozental, for L. Apeskin' song, "Fun kolkhoz bin ikh" and "Korene yorn un vey tsu di teg."

Israel Segal portrays as such the impression of the song, "Yisrolik," which was sung in the first concert in the Vilna Ghetto. The success of Leyb Rozental's ghetto song, "Yisrolik," in the music of Michal Veksler, was created while sitting in "a mlinh," heavy with water to turn over. This was his first song that was created in the ghetto and with a ghetto theme. .... Khayele Rozental had to re-sing the song several times and thus it was spread from mouth to mouth."

According to Katsherginski, V. was killed in September 1943 during the liquidation of the Vilna ghetto. According to Segal, he was killed in Ponar.
 

M. E. from Israel Segal and Sh. E. from David Pergament.

  • Israel Segal-- The First Concert in Vilna Ghetto, "Fun letstn khurbn," Munich, August 1946.

  • Sh. Katsherginski-- "Songs of the Ghettos," New York, 1948, pages 46-47, 106-107, 112-113, 168, 197, 389, 399, 402.

 

 

 

 


 

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Adapted from the original Yiddish text found within the  "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre" by Zalmen Zylbercweig, Volume 5, page 4054.
 

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