Arnold (Abram Bernhard) Dyck (January 19, 1889 – July 10, 1970) was a

Russian Mennonite The Russian Mennonites ( it. "Russia Mennonites", i.e., Mennonites of or from the Russian Empire are a group of Mennonites who are the descendants of Dutch and North German Anabaptists who settled in the Vistula delta in West Prussia for about ...

writer born in Hochfeld,

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

. He immigrated to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

in 1923, residing in

Steinbach, Manitoba Steinbach () is the List of cities in Manitoba, third-largest city in the province of Manitoba, Canada, and with a population of 17,806, the largest community in the Eastman Region, Manitoba, Eastman region. The city, located about southeast of ...

, where he purchased and edited the ''Steinbach Post''. He is best known for his humorous 'Koop enn Bua' books, and his autobiographical novel 'Verloren in der Steppe (Lost in the Steppe)'. He also wrote Low German plays, history, and short stories. Dyck's books are among the first publications in the Mennonite dialect of

Plautdietsch Plautdietsch () or Mennonite Low German is a Low Prussian dialect of East Low German with Dutch influence that developed in the 16th and 17th centuries in the Vistula delta area of Royal Prussia. The word ''Plautdietsch'' translates to "fl ...

. He is an important figure in Mennonite literature, as his works are regarded as influential not only in establishing and recording Mennonite

humour Humour (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humorism, humoral medicine of the ancient Gre ...

, but as establishing Plautdietsch as a written language. In later years Dyck lived in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

, before moving to

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, where he died in Darlaten in 1970. Plautdietsche-Freunde (Low German Friends), an organization in Germany, named a prize in his honour called the Arnold Dyck Prize awarded to people who have contributed to the Plautdietsch language.

References

1889 births 1970 deaths Canadian male novelists 20th-century Canadian novelists Canadian humorists Mennonite writers Mennonite humorists Canadian Mennonites Writers from Winnipeg Writers from Steinbach, Manitoba {{canada-writer-stub