Hinko Gottlieb and the Beginning of Holocaust Literature in Yugoslavia

Abstract

Abstract The article is dedicated to Hinko Gottlieb (1886–1948), who is introduced here as the first Yugoslav Jewish writer who dealt with the theme of the Holocaust in real time. The personal biography of this forgotten author presents his life in the historical context of the pre-Holocaust and Holocaust periods. The inception of Holocaust literature in Yugoslavia is manifested in Gottlieb’s works, imbued with irony and satire, written prior to the occupation of Yugoslavia in 1941. Special attention is paid to his works written during the Holocaust in Yugoslavia (1941–1945), highlighting key issues regarding the presentation of the Holocaust in literature as art, the function of intertextuality and the use of literary genres, such as the science fiction novel, not traditionally associated with Holocaust literature. Attention is also given to the reception of Gottlieb’s works in the post-Holocaust period.