Abram Kofman | |
|---|---|
 Kofman in 1906 | |
| Native name | Авраам Кофман |
| Born | 1864–1865 Odesa, Russian Empire |
| Died | c. 1940 (aged 74–75) |
| Occupation | Bookkeeper, Esperantist, poet |
| Language | Esperanto, Russian, Ido, Occidental |
Abram Antoni Kofman (Russian: Авраам Кофман; c. 1864–c. 1940), also known as Abraham S. Kofman, was a Russian-Jewish accountant, and poet and translator in several constructed languages. From Odesa, Russian Empire, Kofman learned Esperanto in 1889 and was an early supporter of the language's adoption. He was one of the first Russian Jews to write poetry in Esperanto and has been described by several as a "pioneer". His work appeared in several Esperanto-language magazines and early anthologies, including the Fundamenta Krestomatio. He was the translator of several sections of the Hebrew Bible in both Esperanto and its daughter language, Ido. He was the first Ancient Greek–Esperanto translator, producing a rendition of parts of the Iliad starting in 1895.
Kofman was also involved in the development of the international religion Hillelism by the creator of Esperanto, L. L. Zamenhof in 1901, denouncing it as dangerous to Esperanto. Eventually, Kofman moved away from Esperanto to support Ido, and later Occidental (now Interlingue). He produced works in both languages, including textbooks and poetry. Kofman purportedly died during aerial bombing in Odesa around 1940.