Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh

Sayyid Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh was born in Isfahan, the son of the prominent constitutionalist preacher Sayyid Jamal al-Din Va'ez Esfahani, who was martyred during the revolution. Educated in law in France and Switzerland, Jamalzadeh worked in Berlin with the nationalist Kaveh journal during World War I, later serving for decades as an officer of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva.

In 1921, Jamalzadeh published Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud (Once Upon a Time) in Berlin. Its historic manifesto called for 'literary democracy', urging writers to abandon elitist courtly jargon and write in the authentic, colorful language of the street. His humorous, humane short stories launched modern Iranian fiction, living to the age of 105 as a revered elder of world literature.