Algeria Writers FDC

Algeria FDC
Name: Algerian Writers
Date of Issue: 16 April 2008

Designs: (left to right, top to bottom)
15,00: Abdelhamid Benhaddouga (1925-1996) (the portrait on this stamp is Mohammed Dib)
Abdelhamid Benhaddouga (Arabic: عبد الحميد بن هدوقة) is considered as the first Algerian author who wrote in Arabic language. He was born on January 29th, 1925 at El Mansourah in Bordj Bou Arreridj. He benefited from a double teaching in his birthplace firstly and than in Constantine. Later he went to Tunisia in aim to carry on his learning at "Zeitouna Mosque". Considered as a playwright, a journalist and a novelist, he had also written several theatrical plays. His novel named "North Wind" marked the birth of the Algerian Arabic novel. It was shooting in a movie realised by Slim Ryad. Through the novel "Djazia and the Dervishes", Abdelhamid Benhaddouga gave the woman a great position. The legend of Djazia the woman had taken through the novel, new measurements.

Add to this, Benhaddouga had written three collections of short stories, two translations into Arabic and two hundred radiophonic plays. He was the chief of the National Cultural Council in 1990 and the vice president of the National Consultative Council in 1992. After he had enriched the national library in particular and the culture in general with novels of a magic and a unique style, Abdelhamid Benhaddouga died in the year 1996.

Comment: What a big mistake on this stamp, the text on this stamp is "ABDELHAMID BENHADDOUGA (1925-1996)", but the portrait on the stamp is the other Algerian writer - Mohammed Dib

Mohammed Dib (Arabic: محمد ديب)‎ (1920-2003) was an Algerian author who wrote over 30 novels, as well as numerous short stories, poems, and children's literature in the French language. He is probably Algeria's most prolific and well-known writer. His work covers the breadth of 20th century Algerian history, focusing on Algeria's fight for independence. More...

15,00: Redha Houhou (1911-1956)
Ahmed Redha Houhou (Arabic:أحمد رضا حوحو) was born in a village called Sidi Okba, situated in Biskra. Coming from a wealthy family, he received a double intellectual forming. He studied at first in a koranic school, further he obtained a primary educational certificate and than he integrated into the senior high school. In 1934, he left Algeria with his family to "Hidjaz". There, he worked in the post office administering.

He returned to Algeria after the events of May 8th, 1945 and settled down at Constantine. There, he joined the organization of the Algerian Muslim thinkers. Within the frame work of the same organization, he worked as the Islamic educational school headmaster. During the year 1947, he became a member of the administering council and then he worked as the general secretary of the institute "Ibn Badis".

Redha Houhou was the author of numerous newspapers' articles published by the organization and other articles published in magazines and periodics of some Arab countries. Through his works, this author criticized his society, the politic, and the woman status.

15,00: Malek Bennabi (1905-1973)
Malek Bennabi (Arabic:مالك بن نبي) was born on January the 1st, 1905 at Constantine. He studied at a Koranic school situated in Tebessa. After he had achieved the second level in schooling, he returned to his birthplace where he studied the Arabic language. And because of coming from a poor family, he was compelled to stop schooling. During the year 1936, after he had encountered "Abdelhamid Ibn Badis" and "Bachir el Ibrahimi", he decided to travel to Paris in aim to carry on learning.

From 1946 and during the revolution period, he wrote a number of books such "The Koran's Phenomenon" and "The Islam's vocation". Yet he joined the National Freeing Front and represented it in several countries.

Malek Bennabi was considered as the leader of the Islamic thought in Algeria. After the independence of Algeria, he was the headmaster of high education. But later he was obliged to drop this profession and to devote himself to research and to write books. As well as writing, he was used to organize sittings and to hold conferences. Further to an incurable illness, Malek Bennabi died on October 31st, 1973. This thinker had left a famous political and sociologic work. More...

15,00: Kateb Yacine (1929-1989)
Kateb Yacine (Arabic:كاتب ياسين) was born in 1929 at Constantine, in the east of Algeria. After studying in a koranic school, he integrated into a French school and than in a senior high school. At the age of 15, he witnessed the events of May, 8th, 1945. In the terrible repression engendered by these events, he was ill-treated, arrested and than jailed. When released, Kateb Yacine practised different professions. Later, he joined the National Freeing Front and worked as its representative in several capitals of the world.

In the days following the independence recovering, he devoted himself to write novels and plays. In spite of exclusion, the works of Kateb Yacine constituted a start of the modern Algerian literature. His novel entitled "Nedjma", published in 1956, is considered nowadays, as a major work that made him a famous writer. However, he had written other publications such as "The reprisals circle" published in 1956 and "The man with rubber sandal" published in 1970. Kateb Yacine had also written many theatrical plays. He visited lots of countries like Italy, Russia, Belgium and China. He died in France in October 28th, 1989. This famous author will remain a pillar of the Algerian thought. More...