Gollancz, Sir Victor

Gollancz, Sir Victor
born April 9, 1893, London, Eng.
died Feb. 8, 1967, London

British publisher, writer, and humanitarian.

Born to a family of orthodox Jews, Gollancz evolved a religious outlook strongly influenced by Christian ethics. In 1928 he founded the publishing firm of Victor Gollancz, Ltd., issuing best-sellers and works supporting his favoured causes, including social welfare, pacifism, and abolition of capital punishment. Through the Left Book Club, which he founded in 1936, he worked against fascism, and after World War II he led relief efforts.

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▪ British author and publisher
born April 9, 1893, London
died Feb. 8, 1967, London

      British publisher, writer, and humanitarian who championed such causes as socialism and pacifism while managing a highly successful publishing business.

      Born to a family of orthodox Jews of Polish origin, Gollancz attended St. Paul's School and New College, Oxford. During his student years he evolved a personal religious outlook that was strongly influenced by Christian ethics. He left Oxford without a degree after the outbreak of World War I and was commissioned an officer, in which capacity he oversaw officer training courses at Repton, a well-known public school (1916–18). From 1920 to 1928 he worked in the publishing house of Benn Brothers, and in the latter year he founded his own firm, Victor Gollancz, Ltd. He quickly set the pattern that was to mark his entire career as a publisher, issuing both best sellers and works supporting his favoured causes. Among his better known authors were Harold Laski, John Strachey, A.J. Cronin, Dorothy Sayers, and John Le Carré.

      Gollancz supported or headed numerous committees and organizations dedicated to social welfare, pacifism, abolition of capital punishment, and related goals. Through the Left Book Club, which he founded in 1936, he mobilized intellectuals and the public in the fight against fascism, and after World War II he was a leader in organizing relief efforts in Europe, especially in Germany, through the Save Europe Now campaign. At home his private and public work was credited with helping to lay the groundwork for the postwar Labour government and the creation of the modern British welfare state.

      Among his own books were Shall Our Children Live or Die? (1942), In Darkest Germany (1947), Our Threatened Values (1947), and three volumes of autobiography, including My Dear Timothy (1952). Gollancz also compiled several inspirational anthologies, including A Year of Grace (1950; also published as Man and God, 1951) and From Darkness to Light (1956). He was knighted in 1965.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Gollancz, Sir Victor — (9 abr. 1893, Londres, Inglaterra–8 feb. 1967, Londres). Editor, escritor y filántropo británico. Nacido en una familia de judíos ortodoxos, Gollancz evolucionó hacia una visión religiosa muy influida por la ética cristiana. En 1928 fundó la… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Gollancz, Sir Victor — (1893–1967)    English publisher. Though his family included distinguished rabbis and Jewish scholars, Gollancz turned away from Judaism and became the leading British publisher of socialist literature. In 1936 he formed the influential Left Book …   Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament

  • Víctor — (del lat. «victor», vencedor) m. e interj. Vítor. * * * víctor. (Del lat. victor, vencedor). interj. vítor. U. t. c. s. * * * Víctor, san ► Nombre de varios papas y antipapas. ► Víctor I, san (m. 199) Pontífice romano en 189 199. Combatió el… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • sir — /serr/, n. 1. a respectful or formal term of address used to a man: No, sir. 2. (cap.) the distinctive title of a knight or baronet: Sir Walter Scott. 3. (cap.) a title of respect for some notable personage of ancient times: Sir Pandarus of Troy …   Universalium

  • victor — /vik teuhr/, n. 1. a person who has overcome or defeated an adversary; conqueror. 2. a winner in any struggle or contest. 3. a word used in communications to represent the letter V. [1300 50; ME < L, equiv. to vic , var. s. of vincere to conquer… …   Universalium

  • Victor — /vik teuhr/, n. 1. an ancient Roman epithet variously applied to Jupiter, Mars, and Hercules. 2. Mil. the NATO name for a class of nuclear powered Soviet attack submarines. 3. a male given name. * * * (as used in expressions) Berger Victor Louis… …   Universalium

  • sir — (Voz inglesa.) ► sustantivo masculino Tratamiento honorífico empleado por los británicos. * * * sir (ingl.; pronunc. [ser]) m. *Tratamiento de respeto usado en Inglaterra delante de un nombre de hombre o para dirigirse a la persona de que se… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Victor Gollancz — (* 9. April 1893 in London; † 8. Februar 1967 ebenda) war ein britisch jüdischer Verleger, Sozialdemokrat, Humanist und Kämpfer für die Menschenrechte. Er war ein früher Hitler Gegner und ein Kritiker der Behandlung der Deutschen nach dem Zweiten …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Victor Gollancz — Sir Victor Gollancz (April 9 1893 ndash;February 8 1967) was a British publisher, socialist, and humanitarian.Early lifeBorn in Maida Vale, London, he was the son of a wholesale jeweller and nephew of Rabbi Professor Sir Hermann Gollancz and… …   Wikipedia

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