HOGA, STANISLAV

HOGA, STANISLAV (1791–1860), Hebrew translator. Born in Kazimierz (near Lublin) and educated in a hasidic home, Hoga served as an interpreter to Napoleon's army stationed in Poland and subsequently became a mediator on behalf of the Jews with the authorities. In 1817, he moved to Warsaw where he became the secretary of the "Jewish Committee" of the Warsaw Municipality. The post enabled him to convey valuable information in this capacity to the Warsaw Jewish leaders concerning edicts which were to be issued. In 1825, he converted to Christianity but continued to aid the Jews, and in a comprehensive essay, written in Polish, he refuted antisemitic claims. In 1833, he disappeared from Warsaw, later appeared in London where he worked as a missionary, and in 1839 translated into Hebrew A. MacCaul's conversionist missionary work Netivot Olam (1910⁶) followed by other works such as Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (2 vols., 1844). He also translated Christian prayers, other proselytizing literature, and was one of the editors of a Hebrew edition of the New Testament (1838) and published an English grammar in the Hebrew language (1840). In 1845, he returned to Judaism and published a number of articles on Jewish values and ethics. In his last years he patented a number of inventions, but nevertheless died in penury.

bibliography:

B.L. Abrahams, in: jhset, 15 (1946), 121–49 (bio-bibliography); A.N. Frenk, Meshumodim in Poyln, 1 (1923), 38–110.

[Getzel Kressel]