/2. February 2012/
Vlado Oláh has died
Prominent Romani poet and translator Vlado Oláh has died at the age of 64 following a prolonged illness.
Oláh was born in Stropkov, East Slovakia, where he later joined the army and studied theology. Following his literary debut with three short stories in Kale ruzi (Black Rose), a Romani anthology, Oláh went on to be the first Roma accepted into the Czech Association of Writers. In 2006 he received the Milena Huebschmannova literary prize for his contribution to Romany literature. The founder and chairman of Matica romska (Romany Mother), a Romany Christian association, Oláh translated the Bible into the Romany language. One of his poems is available in English here.
Taken by Prague Post (Colophon, Stephan Delbos, 30. 1. 2012)
