Radu Klapper ( he, ראדו קלפר; 14 September 1937 in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

– 30 October 2006 in

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

) was a Romanian-Israeli poet and author.

Career

Radu Klapper was born in

1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Fe ...

in Bucharest in a Jewish-Romanian family and grew up in a multi-linguistic environment. He studied librarianship and

philology Philology () is the study of language in oral and writing, written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defin ...

at the University of Bucharest and after completing his studies published poetry in different anthologies, and worked as an art critic in various newspapers in

. In 1976 Klapper immigrated to Israel and became a theater and dance critic in foreign magazines in Israel and France such as "Dance in Israel" and "Saison de la danse". He also continued to publish his poetry in different Romanian anthologies. In 1991, he started to work in the Dance Library of Israel and in 1993, he became the library's director. During his time at the Dance Library, Klapper became known as a great supporter of artists and dancers, young and old. His vast knowledge and unique character turn Radu and the library to a pilgrimage site. His first Hebrew poem-book "The Hart Paces" came out in 1998, and in 2003, he published two more books "Forbidden Songs" and a prose book, "Jews Against their Will", that dealt with the relationship between famous figures and their Jewish identity, among them: the French singer

Barbara Barbara may refer to: People * Barbara (given name) * Barbara (painter) (1915–2002), pseudonym of Olga Biglieri, Italian futurist painter * Barbara (singer) (1930–1997), French singer * Barbara Popović (born 2000), also known mononymously as ...

, the actress

Simone Signoret Simone Signoret (; born Simone Henriette Charlotte Kaminker; 25 March 1921 – 30 September 1985) was a French actress. She received various accolades, including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, a César Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a ...

, the

psychoanalyst PsychoanalysisFrom Greek language, Greek: + . is a set of Theory, theories and Therapy, therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a bo ...

Bruno Bettelheim, the Camondo family and Romain Gary. Radu's poetry often dealt with homo-erotic desire and unfulfilled love, accompanied by wisdom and sharp insight. His writings introduced into Hebrew literature a touch of European poetry. In October 2006, at the age of 69, Radu Klapper died of pneumonia. After his death the Israeli artist Shy Abady created the art series "Radu" as an homage to Klapper and his image. The series was first presented in January 2012 at Zadik Gallery in

Jaffa Jaffa, in Hebrew Yafo ( he, יָפוֹ, ) and in Arabic Yafa ( ar, يَافَا) and also called Japho or Joppa, the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv-Yafo, is an ancient port city in Israel. Jaffa is known for its association with the b ...

and was accompanied with some events that were dedicated to the image of Klapper.

Prizes and distinctions

* Prize Beniamin Fundoianu of the Association of the Israeli Writers of Romanian ExpressionN.Cajal,H.Kuller 2004

References

Sources

* Federația Comunităților Evreiești din România - Acad.Nicolae Cajal, Dr. Hary Kuller ''Contribuția evreilor din România la cultură și civilizație'', Editura Hasefer,2004, p. 838, (in Romanian)

External links

Irena Gordon, text from the catalogue of the series "Radu"

Hana Coman, text from the catalogue of the series "Radu"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Klapper, Radu 1937 births 2006 deaths 20th-century poets Burials at Yarkon Cemetery Deaths from pneumonia in Israel Israeli librarians Israeli poets Jewish Romanian writers Writers from Bucharest Romanian emigrants to Israel Romanian poets Romanian librarians Romanian erotica writers University of Bucharest alumni