Jean Forge

Born Jan Fethke on February 26, 1903, in Oppeln (now Opole, Poland), he became known as Jean Forge when publishing in Esperanto. He wrote fiction in that language from the 1920s onward and is remembered as one of the standout Esperanto authors of his generation.

Fethke was also deeply involved in film. He worked as a screenwriter and director in Germany and Poland, contributing to dozens of screenplays and directing a number of films across his career. That mix of literary and cinematic experience gave his writing an energetic, accessible style.

Alongside his creative work, he was an active supporter of Esperanto and helped strengthen its literary culture. He died in Berlin on December 16, 1980, leaving behind a legacy that connects international-language literature with early 20th-century European film.