Albert Cohen (novelist) facts for kids
Albert Cohen (born August 16, 1895 – died October 17, 1981) was a famous writer. He was born in Greece and was from a group called Romaniote Jews. He later became a citizen of Switzerland. Albert Cohen wrote all his books in French. He also worked for big international groups, like the International Labour Organization. This organization helps workers around the world.
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Who was Albert Cohen?
Albert Cohen's full name was Abraham Albert Cohen. He was born in Corfu, Greece, in 1895. His parents were Greek Jews and owned a soap factory. When Albert was a child, his family moved to Marseille, France. He wrote about this time in his book Le Livre de ma mère (The Book of my Mother).
He went to a private Catholic school first. Then, in 1904, he started high school at Lycée Thiers. There, he became good friends with Marcel Pagnol, who was also a famous writer and filmmaker. Albert Cohen finished high school in 1913.
Life in Switzerland and Family
In 1914, Albert Cohen moved to Geneva, Switzerland. He studied Law at university and finished in 1917. After that, he studied Literature until 1919. In 1919, he became a Swiss citizen.
That same year, he married Elisabeth Brocher. They had a daughter named Myriam in 1921. Sadly, his wife Elisabeth passed away from cancer in 1924.
In 1925, Albert Cohen became the director of a magazine called Revue Juive (The Jewish Review). Famous thinkers like Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud wrote for this magazine. From 1926 to 1931, he worked for the government in Geneva. In 1933, he married his second wife, Marianne Goss.
Life during World War II
During World War II, Germany took over many parts of Europe. In 1940, Albert Cohen had to leave France. He went to Bordeaux and then to London. He worked for an organization that helped Jewish people. His job was to connect with governments that were also in exile.
On January 10, 1943, his mother died in Marseille. Later that year, he met Bella Berkowich, who would become his third wife. In 1944, he worked as a lawyer for a group called the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees. This group helped people who had to leave their homes because of the war.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1947, Albert Cohen moved back to Geneva. In 1957, he was offered a very important job: to be the Israeli Ambassador. But he said no. He wanted to spend all his time writing his books instead.
Albert Cohen passed away in Geneva when he was 86 years old. He is buried in the Jewish Cemetery in Veyrier, near Geneva.
Albert Cohen's Books
Albert Cohen's main books are like one long story about his own life. This is called autobiographical fiction. His main character is named Solal, who is a lot like Cohen himself. Solal is a good-looking and successful person who works for the League of Nations. His story shows his constant struggle between his Jewish background and his important social position.
His Most Famous Novel
His most famous book is Belle du Seigneur. This book was originally part of another novel called Les Valeureux. Belle du Seigneur is often called "the book of love." It tells the story of Solal's strong and sometimes difficult love for Ariane Deume. She was a married woman who was not Jewish.
In 1968, Belle du Seigneur won an important award from the Académie française (French Academy). Since then, it has been one of the most popular books from the famous Gallimard publishing house.
List of Works
- Paroles juives (Jewish Words) - (1921)
- Ézéchiel - (1927) - a play
- Solal - (1930)
- Mangeclous - (1938)
- Le Livre de ma mère (The Book of my Mother) - (1954)
- Belle du Seigneur - (1968) - won the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française
- Les Valeureux - (1970)
- Ô vous, frères humains (O Humans, My Brothers) - (1972)
- Carnets (Notes) - (1978, 1979)
See also
In Spanish: Albert Cohen para niños
