Doris Adelberg Orgel (accent the second syllable) was born February 15, 1929, in Vienna, Austria. Her family was Jewish, which brought them into conflict with the Nazis in the 1930s. They managed to escape, and were able to come to the United States in 1940. There the family's problems continued as they were forced to live in poverty. Gradually things improved, and she was able to attend college. Eventually she got into publishing, and began to translate and write children's books. As her writings career progressed her books began more and more to deal with realistic characters and problems, including some based upon her own childhood in Nazi-occupied Vienna. She has received many honors and awards for her work.
Biographical Sources: Something About the Author vols. 7, 85, 148 Something About the Author Autobiographical Series vol. 19 Children's Literature Review vol. 48
From the guide to the Doris Orgel Papers, 1967-2003, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections)
