David Martin (born Lajos Frigyes Detsinyi) was a playwright, poet and novelist born into a Jewish family in Budapest, Hungary, on 22 December 1915. Ludwig, as he was known, spent his early years in Germany. He left Germany in 1934 and lived in various different countries, including Holland and Palestine. In 1941 he married (Elizabeth) Richenda Martin, née Powell. The couple had a son, Jan, in 1944. Around this time he adopted the name David Martin. In 1949, David and his family migrated to Melbourne, Australia. David published works under his birthname (Ludwig Detsinyi), his adopted name (David Martin) and various pseudonyms, including Spinifex, Louis Destiny and Louis Adams. Some of his plays, such as The shepherd and the hunter and Birthday of a miner, were produced by New Theatre, Melbourne. David died on 1 July 1997.