Gimpel Beynish the Matchmaker
(Gimpl Beynish der Shadkhn)
Yiddish Comics of the early 20th century

Translation and commentary by Jane Peppler
Click here to read about and order the seven Gimpel books I've published.

Comics read right to left. Click on any comic strip for larger view.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Pratfalls are us. 12-12-1915

The Gimpel creators seem to have decided the comic strip would not ignore the war but would also not drag readers into its misery. Perhaps trivializing it was intentional propaganda.


December 12, 1914: Preventing a sin sometimes costs more than earning a mitzvah.
  1. Motke: Look at this rope! We should have a look and see where it comes from.
  2. GB: Loafers! Goyim! You're not in school and you're here? Today is the Sabbath.
  3. GB: Go home, you antisemites! Go home, you desecrators of the Sabbath, or I'll...
  4. GB: Huh? What's this? It smells like a bomb from a German airship.
  5. ...

12-12-1914
פֿאַרהיטען אַן עבירה קאָסט אַמאָל טהײַערער װיא פֿאַרדיענען אַ מצוה.

1
מאָטקע: זעה נאָר אַ שטריק! מען דאַרף אַ קוק טהוען פֿון װאַנען ער נעהמט זיך.
2
גימפּעל בײניש: לױפֿערס! גױם! אין שוהל אַרײַן ניט און דאָ יאָ? הײַנט איז דאָך שבת.
3
גימפּעל בײניש: אַהײם, אַנטיסעמיטען! אַהײם איהר מחלל שבת׳ניקעס, װאָרים איך…
4
גימפּעל בײניש: האַ? װאָס איז דאָס? עס שמעקט װיא אַ באָמבע פֿון אַ דײַטשע לופֿט-שיף.
5


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