Shmuel Yosef Agnon

Ukrainian-born Israeli Hebrew writer, Nobel laureate in Literature (1888–1970)

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Lived 1887–1970, aged 83Germany

Germany WritersWriter / Author

Fame10.4
Momentum2.2
Germany rank#234
Wikipedia3.5K

Wikipedia
85 languages
Cross-language footprint
Rank in Germany
#234
Writers
Era
1887–1970
Aged 83

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

Shai Agnon shaped modern Hebrew literature as a novelist and short-story writer, bridging Austro-Hungarian roots and Israeli identity through works that still define the language's literary canon.

Biography

About

Shmuel Yosef Agnon was an Austro-Hungarian-born Israeli novelist, poet, and short-story writer. He was one of the central figures of modern Hebrew literature. In Hebrew, he is known by the nom de plume Shai Agnon. In English, his works are published under the name S. Y. Agnon.

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