Paul Éluard
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Paul Éluard (), born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel (; 14 December 1895 – 18 November 1952), was a French poet and one of the founders of the
Surrealist Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...
movement. In 1916, he chose the name Paul Éluard, a matronymic borrowed from his maternal grandmother. He adhered to
Dadaism Dada () or Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (Zurich), Cabaret Voltaire (in 1916). New York Dada began c. 1915, and after 192 ...
and became one of the pillars of
Surrealism Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...
by opening the way to artistic action politically committed to the
Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A ...
. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, he was the author of several poems against
Nazism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
that circulated clandestinely. He became known worldwide as The Poet of ''Freedom'' and is considered the most gifted of French surrealist poets.


Biography

Éluard was born in
Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis Saint-Denis (, ) is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Saint-Denis had a population of 112,091 as of 2018. It is a subprefecture (french: sous-préfecture) of the department of Seine-S ...
, France, the son of Eugène Clément Grindel and wife Jeanne-Marie née Cousin. His father was an accountant when Paul was born but soon opened a real estate agency. His mother was a seamstress. Around 1908, the family moved to Paris, rue Louis Blanc. Éluard attended the local school in
Aulnay-sous-Bois Aulnay-sous-Bois () is a commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department in the Île-de-France region in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre zero. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Aulnaysiens'' ...
before obtaining a scholarship to attend the École Supérieure de Colbert. At the age of 16, he contracted
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
, interrupted his studies, and remained hospitalized until April 1914 in the Clavadel
sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...
near
Davos , neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch , twintowns = } Davos (, ; or ; rm, ; archaic it, Tavate) is an Alpine resort town and a municipality in the Prättigau/Davos R ...
. There he met a young Russian girl of his age, Helena Diakonova, whom he nicknamed
Gala Gala may refer to: Music * ''Gala'' (album), a 1990 album by the English alternative rock band Lush *'' Gala – The Collection'', a 2016 album by Sarah Brightman *GALA Choruses, an association of LGBT choral groups *''Gala'', a 1986 album by T ...
. He confided to her his dream of becoming a poet, of his admiration for "poets dead of hunger, sizzling dreams" and of his parents' disapproval. She wrote to him that "you will become a great poet". They became inseparable. She believed in him and gave him confidence and encouragement and provided him with the sense of security he needed to write. She listened and was involved in the creation of his verses. She became his
muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
and the critic, always honest, and told him which images she preferred, which verses she disliked. He was then particularly inspired by
Walt Whitman Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among ...
. In Clavadel, Éluard also met the Brazilian youngster
Manuel Bandeira Manuel Carneiro de Sousa Bandeira Filho (April 19, 1886 – October 13, 1968) was a Brazilian poet, literary critic, and translator, who wrote over 20 books of poetry and prose. Life and career Bandeira was born in Recife, Pernambuco. In 190 ...
, who would become one of the foremost poets of the Portuguese language. They became friends during their hospitalization in the sanatorium, and kept in touch by mail after returning to their respective countries. In April 1914, Paul Éluard and Gala were both declared healthy again and sent home, to Paris and
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
respectively. The separation was brutal; soon Europe was on the brink of war and Paul was mobilised. He passed his physical and was assigned to the auxiliary services because of his poor health. He suffered from migraine,
bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...
, cerebral
anaemia Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, t ...
, and chronic
appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications of a rup ...
and spent most of 1915 under treatment in a military hospital not far from home. Paul's mother came to visit him and he talked for hours about his beloved, opening his heart to her and slowly rallying her to his cause. Her initial hostility towards Gala slowly faded away, and she started calling her "the little Russian". However, Paul's father, who had also been mobilized, remained adamant that she could not come to Paris. In Moscow, Gala listened to no one. Her love for Paul gave her an unshakable faith that they would be reunited again. She wrote to Paul's mother to befriend her and finally convinced her stepfather to let her go to Paris to study French at the
Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...
. She took a boat to
Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...
, then reached
Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
before embarking for England. Once in London, she took a train to
Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
before taking a boat to
Dieppe Dieppe (; Norman: ''Dgieppe'') is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to N ...
, and finally took a train to Paris. In June 1916, Paul was sent to Hargicourt to work in one of the military evacuation hospitals, 10 kilometers from the front line. The 'poet' was given a chair, a desk, and a pen to painfully write to the families of the dead and the wounded. He wrote more than 150 letters a day. At night, he dug graves to bury the dead. For the first time since Clavadel, shaken by the horrors of the war, Paul started writing verses again. Gala wrote to him "I promise you our life will be glorious and magnificent". On 14 December 1916, Paul Éluard turned 21 and wrote to his mother "I can assure you, that your approval will be infinitely precious to me. However, for all our sake, nothing will change my mind". He married Gala on 20 February 1917. However, he announced to his parents and newlywed wife that when he returned to the front line, he would voluntarily join the "real soldiers" in the trenches. Gala protested and threatened to return to Russia to become a nurse on the Russian front. But nothing would do, and for the first time, Paul resisted her. "Let me live a tougher life", he wrote her, "less like a servant, less like a domestic". Two days after getting married, Paul left for the front line. There, living conditions were severe. Éluard wrote to his parents, "Even the strongest are falling. We advanced 50 kilometres, three days without bread or wine." His health suffered. On 20 March 1917, he was sent to a military hospital with incipient
pleurisy Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is inflammation of the membranes that surround the lungs and line the chest cavity ( pleurae). This can result in a sharp chest pain while breathing. Occasionally the pain may be a constant dull ache. Other sy ...
. On 11 May 1918, Gala gave birth to a baby girl who was eventually named Cécile (died 10 August 2016). In 1919, Éluard wrote to Gala: "War is coming to an end. We will now fight for happiness after having fought for Life". Waiting to be sent home, he published "Duty and Anxiety" and "Little Poems for Peace". Following the advice of his publisher, he sent the poems to various personalities of the literary world who took a stand against the war. Gala helped him to prepare and send the letters. In 1919,
Jean Paulhan Jean Paulhan (2 December 1884 – 9 October 1968) was a French writer, literary critic and publisher, director of the literary magazine ''Nouvelle Revue Française'' (NRF) from 1925 to 1940 and from 1946 to 1968. He was a member (Seat 6, 1963–68 ...
, an eminent academic and writer, responded to his letter expressing his admiration. He referred him to three young writers who had started a new journal called ''Literature''. He encouraged Paul to go and meet them. The three young poets Paulhan recommended to Paul were
André Breton André Robert Breton (; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism. His writings include the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') o ...
,
Philippe Soupault Philippe Soupault (2 August 1897 – 12 March 1990) was a French writer and poet, novelist, critic, and political activist. He was active in Dadaism and later was instrumental in founding the Surrealist movement with André Breton. Soupault ini ...
, and
Louis Aragon Louis Aragon (, , 3 October 1897 – 24 December 1982) was a French poet who was one of the leading voices of the surrealist movement in France. He co-founded with André Breton and Philippe Soupault the surrealist review ''Littérature''. He ...
. The meeting with Paul took place in March 1919. Paul was intimidated. He was shy and blushing. He was still a soldier and wearing his war uniform. It was the best omen for the three poets, who all showed great courage during the war. Paul brought with him his poems and read them to the 'jury'. They were seduced by the young man and liked his work. They decided to publish one of his texts in the next edition of ''
Littérature ''Littérature'' was a literary and surrealistic magazine edited by André Breton, Philippe Soupault, and Louis Aragon. Its first issue was published on March 19, 1919. Dwindling circulation would prompt Breton to terminate publication after the A ...
''. Wounded and scarred by the war, the four poets found solace in their friendship and poetry. Against a society that wanted to channel them into being good and useful citizens, they chose a life of
bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
. They refused the
bourgeois The bourgeoisie ( , ) is a social class, equivalent to the middle or upper middle class. They are distinguished from, and traditionally contrasted with, the proletariat by their affluence, and their great cultural and financial capital. They ...
middle-class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Comm ...
aspirations of money, respectability, and comfort and rejected its moral codes. They hated politicians and the military or anyone with ambitions of power. They rejected all constraints. Their ideal was freedom and they felt they had already paid the price for it. Revolted and passionate, they were looking for a new ideal, something as far detached as possible from the current political and philosophical programmes. They found solace in the
Dadaist Dada () or Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (in 1916). New York Dada began c. 1915, and after 1920 Dada flourished in Paris ...
movement, which originated in Switzerland. In November 1921, Paul and Gala visited
Max Ernst Max Ernst (2 April 1891 – 1 April 1976) was a German (naturalised American in 1948 and French in 1958) painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic artist, and poet. A prolific artist, Ernst was a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealis ...
at his home in
Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
. Paul had an immediate and an absolute sympathy for Max. Underneath the charm, Max, like Paul, was a man deeply revolted, in total rupture with society. Unlike Paul, however, he remained indifferent to propagating this revolt which he considered to be an intimate 'elegance'. Paul and Gala moved to a house just outside Paris and were joined by Max Ernst, who entered France illegally, using Éluard's passport. Jean Paulhan once more helped Paul by providing Max Ernst with fake
identity papers An identity document (also called ID or colloquially as papers) is any document that may be used to prove a person's identity. If issued in a small, standard credit card size form, it is usually called an identity card (IC, ID card, citizen ca ...
. Paul, Max, and Gala entered into a
ménage à trois A () is a domestic arrangement and committed relationship with three people in polyamorous romantic or sexual relations with each other, and often dwelling together; typically a traditional marriage between a man and woman along with anothe ...
in 1922. Paul was torn between his love for Gala and his friendship for Max. He refused to challenge Gala, and spent his nights in clubs: the Zelli, the Cyrano, the Parrot, and Mitchell. Gala's well-being was still what mattered to him above all and he tried to forget his anxiety by drinking. Éluard, depressed, wrote "Dying of not Dying". On 24 March 1924, Éluard disappeared. No one knew where he was. The night before he had had a worrisome meeting with Louis Aragon during which he confessed that he wanted to put an end to a present that tortured him. For his friends, Paul was gone forever. But Paul wrote to Gala and four months later, she bought a ticket to go and find him and bring him back, locating him in
Saigon , population_density_km2 = 4,292 , population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2 , population_demonym = Saigonese , blank_name = GRP (Nominal) , blank_info = 2019 , blank1_name = – Total , blank1_ ...
. Éluard supported the Moroccan Revolution, as early as 1925, and in January 1927, he joined the
French Communist Party The French Communist Party (french: Parti communiste français, ''PCF'' ; ) is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism. The PCF is a member of the Party of the European Left, and its MEPs sit in the European Unit ...
together with Aragon, Breton,
Benjamin Péret Benjamin Péret (4 July 1899 – 18 September 1959) was a French poet, Parisian Dadaist and a founder and central member of the French Surrealist movement with his avid use of Surrealist automatism. Biography Benjamin Péret was born in Rezé, ...
, and Pierre Unik. All explained their decision in a collective document entitled ''Au grand jour''. It was during these years that Éluard published two of his main works: '' Capitale de la douleur'' (1926) and ''L'Amour la Poésie'' (1929). In 1928, he had another bout of tuberculosis and returned to the Clavadel sanatorium with Gala. It was their last winter together. Gala met
Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarr ...
soon after and remained with him for the rest of her life. In 1934, Éluard married Nusch (Maria Benz), a
music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...
artist, whom he had met through his friends
Man Ray Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky; August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976) was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealism, Surrealist movements, although his t ...
and
Pablo Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
. The period from 1931 to 1935 were among his happiest years. He was excluded from the French Communist Party. He traveled through Europe as an
ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...
of the Surrealist movement. In 1936, in Spain, he learned of the Franquist
counterrevolution A counter-revolutionary or an anti-revolutionary is anyone who opposes or resists a revolution, particularly one who acts after a revolution in order to try to overturn it or reverse its course, in full or in part. The adjective "counter-revoluti ...
, against which he protested violently. The following year, the bombing of Guernica inspired him to write the poem "Victory of Guernica". During these two terrible years for Spain, Éluard and Picasso were inseparable. The poet told the painter "you hold the flame between your fingers and paint like a fire." Mobilized in September 1939, he moved to Paris with Nusch after the
Armistice of 22 June 1940 The Armistice of 22 June 1940 was signed at 18:36 near Compiègne, France, by officials of Nazi Germany and the Third French Republic. It did not come into effect until after midnight on 25 June. Signatories for Germany included Wilhelm Keitel ...
. In January 1942, he sent her to the home of some of his friends, Christian and Yvonne Zervos, near
Vézelay Vézelay () is a commune in the department of Yonne in the north-central French region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is a defensible hill town famous for Vézelay Abbey. The town and its 11th-century Romanesque Basilica of St Magdalene are de ...
—near the maquis. Éluard asked to rejoin the French Communist Party, which was illegal in
Occupied France The Military Administration in France (german: Militärverwaltung in Frankreich; french: Occupation de la France par l'Allemagne) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zo ...
. Thousands of copies of the twenty-one
stanza In poetry, a stanza (; from Italian language, Italian ''stanza'' , "room") is a group of lines within a poem, usually set off from others by a blank line or Indentation (typesetting), indentation. Stanzas can have regular rhyme scheme, rhyme and ...
s of his poem " Liberté", first published in the ''Choix revue'', were parachuted from British aircraft over
Occupied France The Military Administration in France (german: Militärverwaltung in Frankreich; french: Occupation de la France par l'Allemagne) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zo ...
. During the war, he also wrote ''Les sept poèmes d'amour en guerre'' (1944) and ''En Avril 1944: Paris Respirait Encore!'' (1945, illustrated by
Jean Hugo Jean Hugo (19 November 1894 – 21 June 1984) was a painter, illustrator, theatre designer and author. He was born in Paris and died in his home at the Mas de Fourques, near Lunel, France. Brought up in a lively artistic environment, he began ...
). In 1943, together with
Pierre Seghers Pierre Seghers (5 January 1906, in Paris – 4 November 1987, in Créteil) was a French poet and editor. During the Second World War he took part in the French Resistance movement. Career He founded, among other things, the famous line of boo ...
,
François Lachenal François Paul Lachenal (Geneva 31 May 1918 – 22 August 1997) was a Swiss publisher and diplomat, who beginning in 1940 played a significant role in publishing the writings of the French authors during the occupation of France by Germany. He ...
, and
Jean Lescure Jean Lescure (14 September 1912 – 17 October 2005) was a French poet. Biography Lescure was born in Asnières-sur-Seine. In 1938, he published his first plaquette of poems, "Le voyage immobile", and launched the review "Messages" (two issue ...
, he assembled the texts of several poets of the Resistance in a controversial book called ''L'Honneur des poètes'' (''The Honour of Poets''). Faced with oppression, the poets eulogised in it hope and freedom. In November 1943, Éluard found refuge in the
mental asylum The lunatic asylum (or insane asylum) was an early precursor of the modern psychiatric hospital. The fall of the lunatic asylum and its eventual replacement by modern psychiatric hospitals explains the rise of organized, institutional psychiatry ...
of Saint-Alban, headed by doctor Lucien Bonnafé, in which many resistants and Jews were hiding. At Libération, Éluard and Aragon were hailed as the great poets of the Resistance. On 28 November 1946, during a stay in Switzerland, he learned of Nusch's sudden death. Distraught, he became extremely depressed. Two friends, Alain and Jacqueline Trutat (for whom he wrote ''Corps mémorable''), gave him back the will to live. His grief at the premature death of his wife Nusch in 1946 inspired the work ''Le temps déborde'' in 1947 as well as "De l'horizon à l'horizon de tous", which traced the path that led Éluard from suffering to hope. The principles of peace, self-government, and liberty became his new passion. He was a member of the Congress of Intellectuals for Peace in
Wrocław Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
in April 1948, which persuaded Pablo Picasso to also join. The following year, in April, he was a delegate to the Council for World Peace, at the conference held at the
Salle Pleyel The Salle Pleyel (, meaning "Pleyel Hall") is a concert hall in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France, designed by acoustician Gustave Lyon together with architect Jacques Marcel Auburtin, who died in 1926, and the work was completed in 1927 by ...
in Paris. In June, he spent a few days with Greek partisans entrenched on the
Gramos Gramos ( sq, Gramoz, Mali i Gramozit; rup, Gramosta, Gramusta; el, Γράμος or Γράμμος) is a mountain range on the border of Albania and Greece. The mountain is part of the northern Pindus mountain range. Its highest peak, at the ...
hills to fight against Greek government soldiers. He then went to
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
to attend the commemorative celebrations of the centenary of the death of the poet
Sándor Petőfi Sándor Petőfi ( []; né Petrovics; sk, Alexander Petrovič; sr, Александар Петровић; 1 January 1823 – most likely 31 July 1849) was a Hungarian poet of Serbian origin and liberal revolutionary. He is considered Hungary' ...
. There he met Pablo Neruda.In September, he was in Mexico for a new peace conference. There he met Dominique Lemort, with whom he returned to France. They married in 1951. The same year, Éluard published ''Le Phénix'' (''The Phoenix''), a collection of poems dedicated to his reborn happiness. Among his best known quotations: 'There are other worlds, but they are all inside this one' He later eulogised
Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...
in his political writings. He even wrote a poem for him.
Milan Kundera Milan Kundera (, ; born 1 April 1929) is a Czech writer who went into exile in France in 1975, becoming a naturalised French citizen in 1981. Kundera's Czechoslovak citizenship was revoked in 1979, then conferred again in 2019. He "sees himself ...
recalled that he was shocked to hear of Éluard's public approval of the hanging of Éluard's friend, the
Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
writer
Záviš Kalandra Záviš Kalandra (10 November 1902 – 27 June 1950) was a Czechoslovak historian, theatre critic and theorist of literature. He was born in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm. He studied philosophy at the Charles University in Prague and then in Berlin ...
in 1950. Paul Éluard died from a heart attack on 18 November 1952 at his home, 52 avenue de Gravelle in
Charenton-le-Pont Charenton-le-Pont () is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, to the north of the confluence of the Seine and Marne rivers; the () part of the name refers to the stone bridge across ...
. His funeral was held in the
Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (french: Cimetière du Père-Lachaise ; formerly , "East Cemetery") is the largest cemetery in Paris, France (). With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Notable figures ...
, and organized by the French Communist Party; the French government having refused to organise a national funeral for political reasons. A crowd of thousands spontaneously gathered in the streets of Paris to accompany Éluard's casket to the cemetery. That day, Robert Sabatier wrote: "the whole world was mourning". His poem collection, L'Évidence Poétique Habitude de la Poésie, was translated into Arabic and published in the Egyptian magazine ''
Al Tatawwur ''Al Tatawwur'' (Arabic: تطور; ''The Development'') was an Arabic language literary and cultural magazine published in Egypt in the period January–July 1940. It was the first avant-garde, surrealist and Marxist-libertarian publication in t ...
'' in 1940.


Works

* ''Premiers poèmes'', 1913 * ''Le Devoir'', 1916 * ''Le Devoir et l'Inquiétude'', 1917, (
Artist's book Artists' books (or book arts or book objects) are works of art that utilize the form of the book. They are often published in small editions, though they are sometimes produced as one-of-a-kind objects. Overview Artists' books have employed a ...
with one etching by André Deslignères) * "Pour Vivre ici", 1918 * ''Les Animaux et leurs hommes, les hommes et leurs animaux'', 1920 * ''Répétitions'', 1922 * "L'Amoureuse", 1923 * "La courbe de tes yeux", 1924 * ''Mourir de ne pas mourir'', 1924 * ''Au défaut du silence'', 1925 * "Place du Tertre", 1925, peinture à l'huile * "La Dame de carreau", 1926 * '' Capitale de la douleur'', 1926 * ''Les Dessous d'une vie ou la Pyramide humaine'', 1926 * ''L'Amour la Poésie'', 1929 * ''Ralentir travaux'', 1930, in collaboration with
André Breton André Robert Breton (; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism. His writings include the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') o ...
and René Char * ''À toute épreuve'', 1930 * "L'immaculée conception", 1930 * ''Défense de savoir'', 1932 * ''La Vie immédiate'', 1932 * ''La Rose publique'', 1934 * ''Facile'', 1935 * ''Les Yeux fertiles'', 1936 * ''Quelques-uns des mots qui jusqu'ici m'étaient mystérieusement interdits'', 1937 * ''L'Évidence Poétique Habitude de la Poésie'', 1937 * "Les Mains libres" in collaboration with Man Ray, 1938 * ''Cours naturel'', 1938 * "La victoire de Guernica" 1938 * ''Donner à voir'', 1939 * "Je ne suis pas seul", 1939 * "Le Livre ouvert" 1941 * ''Poésie et vérité 1942'', 1942 * " Liberté", 1942 * ''Avis'', 1943 * "Courage", 1943 * ''Les Sept poèmes d'amour en guerre'', 1943 * ''Au rendez-vous allemand'', 1944 * ''Poésie ininterrompue'', 1946 * ''Le Cinquième Poème visible'', 1947 * ''Notre vie'', 1947 * ''À l'intérieur de la vue'', 1947 * ''La Courbe de tes yeux'', 1947 * ''Le temps déborde'', 1947 * ''Ode à Staline'', 1950 * ''Le Phénix'', 1951 * ''Picasso'', dessins, 1952


Selected translations into English

* Bilingual edition of ''L'amour la poesie'' (1929). Includes Stuart Kendall's English translations and introduction.


References


Further reading

* Buckley, C. (translator) (1995)
Shadows_and_Sun
/Ombres_et_Soleil:_Poems_and_Prose_(1913–1952)_by_Paul_Éluard..html" ;"title="Shadows and Sun">Shadows and Sun
/Ombres et Soleil: Poems and Prose (1913–1952) by Paul Éluard.">Shadows and Sun">Shadows and Sun
/Ombres et Soleil: Poems and Prose (1913–1952) by Paul Éluard.span>/Ombres et Soleil: Poems and Prose (1913–1952) by Paul Éluard. Durham, NH: Oyster River Press, .


External links

*
Nusch, portrait d'une muse du Surréalisme
Biography of Nusch Éluard *

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Eluard, Paul 1895 births 1952 deaths People from Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery Dada Surrealist poets French communists French atheists French Communist writers French Communist poets French male poets 20th-century French poets Communist members of the French Resistance French military personnel of World War I 20th-century pseudonymous writers