Žak Konfino

A physician, writer, and translator, Žak Konfino wrote popular stories and novels about Sephardic Jewish life in the Balkans in the early twentieth century. Born in the southern Serbian town of Leskovac and educated in Vienna, Konfino did not begin writing until he was in his forties. He participated actively in both world wars, serving in the Serbian army in the first conflict and as medical assistant and military doctor in both wars. He was briefly imprisoned in an Italian prison camp during World War II. His stories, travelogues, and articles on medicine and other topics were widely published in journals and magazines aimed at both general and Jewish audiences, and were translated into numerous languages.