Sunday, 3 June 2012

Prominent Romani poet Olah dies

ČTK |
30 January 2012

Prague, Jan 29 (CTK) - Vlado Olah, a Czech Romany poet, writer and translator, died after a long disease at the age of 64 years on Saturday, the server Romea.cz writes yesterday.

Olah was founder and chairman of Matica romska (Romany Mother), Romany Christian and educational association.

Olah also translated the Bible into Romany.

Olah was the first Romany writer to have been accepted to the Czech Association of Writers.

In 2006, he was awarded the Milena Huebschmannova literary prize for his contribution to Romany literature.

As a writer, Olah debuted with three short stories in the anthology Kale Ruzi (Black Rose) in 1990.

Olah was born on May 22, 1947 in Stropkov, east Slovakia.

He was brought up by illiterate parents in a shanty town, but they managed to provoke his interest in schools and literature.

Olah was a career soldier and also studied theology.

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