Magda Donato

Spanish journalist, writer, playwright, and actress of Jewish-German ancestry. Born Carmen Eva Nelken Mansberger in a family that had made a fortune in the jewelry business, she and her younger sister Margarita Nelken received a privileged education that distinguished them from the women of their time. They both embraced the feminist movement in an era when the concept was extremely controversial if not unheard of, and decided to influence society through their writings. In 1917 Carmen began writing for the newspaper El Imparcial as a consultant on feminine fashions but soon showed her compromise with the rights of women to vote, to earn a living, and to divorce, among other hot topics of the era. She signed those articles under the pseudonym "Magda Donato" to avoid being confused with Margarita who was making quite a splash on political circles. Magda Donato became a leader of feminist causes and liberalism in general thanks to her writing skills, sensitive style, as well as a most combative spirit. She was also a pioneer on "undercover investigative journalism" spending over a month in jail to report on conditions in a women's prison, or sleeping on the streets to report on the plea of the homeless. However she was also successful writing children stories and scripts for puppet shows produced by her boyfriend, the multi-talented Spanish puppeteer, designer, illustrator, painter, and sculptor Salvador Bartolozzi with whom she established a life-long relationship without the benefits of marriage. In addition to all these activities, the always restless Magda joined the Caracol theater troupe as an actress and writer, collaborating on the adaptation of various stage plays until the group disbanded in 1935. Actually Magda Donato was most influential during the 1920's and under the Spanish Second Republic (1931-1936) when her writings were much in demand until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. When they sensed the rebel forces led by General Francisco Franco were winning the conflict, Donato and Bartolozzi fled to France and continued their work there which now included acting on stages with Les comediéns de France. In 1941, when Nazi Germany invaded France, the couple found long term safety in Mexico where they successfully published the children plays they co-wrote and were warmly received by the theater and film establishments. During the 1940's and 1950's Magda was featured in character roles or as a light comedienne in countless plays and movies. In 1960 she received the best actress award from the Association of Theater Critics for her performance in the play "Las sillas". After her death in 1966 the National Association of Actors and Directors (ANDA) created the "Magda Donato Award" to recognize and reward the best written play of the year. The award lasted until 1973, when it was officially discontinued.