Uri Nissan Gnessin
Uri Nissan Gnessin (1879–1913) was a Russian-Jewish writer and a pioneer in modern Hebrew literature.
Uri Nissan Gnessin
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- Name
- Uri Nissan Gnessin
- Born
- 1879
- Birthplace
- Starodub, Chernigov Governorate, Russian Empire
- Died
- 1913
- Place of death
- Warsaw, Congress Poland
- Occupation
- Writer
- Nationality
- Russian Empire.
- Languages
- Hebrew.
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Uri Nissan Gnessin (1879–1913) was a Russian-Jewish writer and a pioneer in modern Hebrew literature.
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Uri Nissan Gnessin (1879–1913) was a literary critic, poet and translator, among other activities, of Russian nationality. The literary critic was born in Starodub and died in Warsaw. Languages used include Hebrew.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q514289 · wikipedia · Uri Nissan Gnessin
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Uri Nissan Gnessin • Born — 1879 • Birthplace — Starodub, Chernigov Governorate, Russian Empire • Died — 1913 • Place of death — Warsaw, Congress Poland • Occupation — Writer • Language — Hebrew • Notable Works — Zilelei ha-Hayyim, BaGanim
Early life
Early life
He was born in Starodub, and grew up in the small town of Pochep, Orel province. His father was a rabbi and the head of a yeshiva in Pochep. His brother was Menahem Gnessin, a co-founder of the Habima Theatre. After attending cheder, Gnessin studied at his father's yeshiva, and there became friends with Yosef Haim Brenner, a fellow student. As a boy he wrote poetry and was interested in secular subjects; when he was 15 years old, he and Brenner together produced a literary journal that they distributed to a small circle of friends.
Literary career and later years
Literary career and later years
Around 1899, when Gnessin was 18 years old, he was invited by Nahum Sokolow to join the editorial board of the Hebrew-language newspaper Ha-Tsefirah, in Warsaw, where he began to publish his poems and stories, as well as literary criticism and translations. His first book, Zilelei ha-Hayyim (The Shadows of Life), a collection of stories and sketches, was published in 1904. In 1906, he co-founded the Hebrew-language publishing house "Nisyonot" (Attempts), and after moving to London in 1907, he co-edited (with Brenner) Ha'Meorer, a Hebrew periodical. In the fall of 1907, he immigrated to Palestine; however, his experience there disappointed him, and in 1908 he returned to Russia. In 1913, he died in Warsaw of a heart attack. Gnessin wrote in a unique style of prose that was notable for its expressionistic language form. Many Israeli literary scholars, such as Dan Miron and Gershon Shaked have written of his work, especially about the short story "BaGanim" (At the Gardens).
Origins and formation
Origins and formation
Where Uri Nissan Gnessin came from, and how Uri Nissan Gnessin was formed. Born on 29 October 1879.

ביחובסקי, אלתרמן, א.נ.גנסין, פוציפ? 1905
הארכיון הציוני המרכזי

אורי ניסן גנסין
כתבי אורי ניסן גנסין, ספרית פועלים, 1946
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1879
Uri Nissan Gnessin was born on 29 October 1879.
1913
Uri Nissan Gnessin died on 6 March 1913.
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Starodub.
Birth place
Warsaw.
Death place
Published works
• Collected Works (two volumes), Tel-Aviv: Hakibbutz Hameuchad and Zemorah-Bitan, 1982 [Hebrew] • Beside & Other Stories, with an introduction by Rachel Albeck-Gidron, New Milford: Toby Press, c2005.
Primary material
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reference work
- “Uri Nissan Gnessin”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q514289: Uri Nissan Gnessin
General reference · Wikidata
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Cited by Wikipedia
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reference work
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Uri Nissan Gnessin is recorded with the occupation literary critic. Recorded as poet, writer, literary critic and translator.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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