About
Blaise Cendrars, born Frédéric Louis Sauser, was a Swiss-born writer who became a French citizen. He adopted his pseudonym in 1912, evoking fire and ashes. A major figure of modernism, he is known for his innovative poetry and novels, such as La Prose du Transsibérien (1913) and L'Or (1925). He volunteered for the French Foreign Legion during World War I and lost his right arm. His autobiographical works of the 1940s are considered his literary peak. He died in Paris in 1961.
* 1887-09-01 — † 1961-01-21
Major works
- Les Pâques à New York (1912)poem
- La Prose du Transsibérien et de la petite Jehanne de France (1913)poem
- L'Or (1925)novel
- Moravagine (1926)novel
- L'Homme foudroyé (1945)autobiography
Key milestones
- 1916Naturalized French citizen
- 1915Severely wounded during World War I, right arm amputated
- 1960Appointed Commander of the Legion of Honour
Themes
travelmodernitymemorywarartistic creation
Sources: nb.admin.ch · britannica.com