Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Hauptmann, Gerhart

(Encyclopedia)Hauptmann, Gerhart gĕrˈhärt houptˈmän [key], 1862–1946, German dramatist, novelist, and poet. He showed the influence of the theories of Zola and the plays of Ibsen in his play Before Dawn (188...

Fokine, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Fokine, Michel mēshĕlˈ fōkēnˈ, Rus. fôˈkyĭn [key], 1880–1942, Russian-American choreographer and ballet dancer, b. Russia. He studied at the Imperial Ballet School (1889–98) and danced at...

Narváez, Ramón María

(Encyclopedia)Narváez, Ramón María närväˈĕth [key], 1800–1868, Spanish general and statesman. He distinguished himself fighting for Isabella II against the Carlists (1834–39). When Espartero rose to pow...

Murray, Philip

(Encyclopedia)Murray, Philip, 1886–1952, American labor leader, b. Blantyre, Scotland. He emigrated to the United States in 1902 and worked in the Pennsylvania coal mines. After he was discharged for fighting wit...

Obuchi, Keizo

(Encyclopedia)Obuchi, Keizo kāˈzō ōbo͞oˈchē [key], 1937–2000, Japanese politician, prime minister of Japan (1998–2000), b. Nakanojo. The son of a silk manufacturer and politician, Obuchi graduated from W...

Ney, Michel

(Encyclopedia)Ney, Michel mēshĕlˈ nā [key], 1769–1815, marshal of France. Called “the bravest of the brave” by Napoleon I, Ney, a cooper's son from Saarlouis, rapidly rose to glory in the French Revolutio...

Lichtenstein, Roy

(Encyclopedia)Lichtenstein, Roy lĭkˈtənstīnˌ [key], 1923–97, American painter, b. New York City. A master of pop art, Lichtenstein derived his subject matter from popular sources such as comic strips, the im...

Malenkov, Georgi Maksimilianovich

(Encyclopedia)Malenkov, Georgi Maksimilianovich gāôrˈgē mäksĭmĭlyäˈnəvĭch məlyĭnkôfˈ [key], 1902–88, Soviet Communist leader. He rose to prominence through the party secretariat and was a trusted a...

Magadha

(Encyclopedia)Magadha mŭˈgädə [key], ancient Indian kingdom, situated within the area of the modern states of Bihar and Jharkhand. Its capital was Pataliputra (now Patna). The kingdom rose to prominence in the ...

Linh, Nguyen Van

(Encyclopedia)Linh, Nguyen Van nəwēˈĕn vän lĭn [key], 1915–98, Vietnamese political leader, b. near Hanoi as Nguyen Van Cuc. As a young man he was active in organizing Vietnam's Communist party and was twic...