Soviet Removes Ban It Imposed on Yiddish Poet for Pro-hebrew Stand

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

The ban imposed two years ago on David Hofstein, the Yiddish poet, because of his championship of the Hebrew language, was removed today by a unanimous vote at a special meeting of the Yiddish writers in Moscow, called to consider what action to take in view of Hofstein’s repudiation of his former views in the letter addressed by him to the Yiddish Communist organ, the “Emess,” on his return from Palestine.

During the past two years Hofstein has been under a boycott here. His writings were not published and he could take no part in any social movement. It was this which practically forced him to leave Russia and visit Palestine.

At the meeting, Hofstein repeated the statements he had made in his letter to the “Emess,” declaring that he had been mistaken in his views regarding Hebrew, as well as regarding the question of Palestine, and asked that he should be allowed to take part in the building up of a new life for the Jewish toiling masses of Russia under the Jewish colonization scheme.

After a heated debate, a resolution was adopted by the meeting in which it was said that “taking into consideration Hofstein’s letter published in the ‘Emess’ on his return from Palestine, and also his statements at this meeting that he sees his mistake in having signed the memorandum on Hebrew, and that he considers it his duty henceforth to work together with Soviet society which is directed by the Communist Party. this meeting places it on record with great satisfaction that these statements open the road to renewed collaboration with Hofstein. and annuls the previous resolution adopted by the Jewish writers and cultural workers concerning Hofstein.”