Frédéric-Louis Sauser (1887 –1961), better known as
Blaise Cendrars, was a Swiss novelist and poet naturalized French in 1916. He
was a writer of considerable influence in the modernist movement.
During World War II, tragedy struck when his youngest son
was killed in an accident while escorting American planes in Morocco . In
occupied France ,
the Gestapo listed Cendrars as a Jewish writer of "French
expression."
In 1950, he ended his life of travel by settling down on
the rue Jean-Dolent in Paris ,
across from the La Santé Prison. There he collaborated frequently with
Radiodiffusion Française. He finally published again in 1956. The novel,
Emmène-moi au bout du monde !…, was to be his last work before suffering a
stroke in 1957.
In 1960, André Malraux bestowed upon him the title of
Commander of the Légion d'honneur for his wartime service. A year later, Blaise
Cendrars also received the Paris Grand Prix for literature. Shortly after, he
died. His ashes now rest at Le Tremblay-sur-Mauldre. His literary estate is
archived in the Swiss Literature Archives in Bern .
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