Claude Vigée facts for kids

Claude Vigée (born Claude Strauss; January 3, 1921 – October 2, 2020) was a French poet. He wrote his poems in both French and Alsatian. He often said he was "doubly Alsatian and doubly Jewish," meaning his background was very important to him.

Life of Claude Vigée

Claude Vigée was born in Bischwiller, a town in Bas-Rhin, France. His mother, Germaine Meyer, was a homemaker, and his father, Robert Schwartz, worked in business. His family had been cloth merchants in Alsace for a long time.

He spent his childhood in Bischwiller and then went to high school in Strasbourg. In 1940, when the Germans invaded, he had to leave Alsace. He began studying medicine in Toulouse.

Joining the French Resistance

During World War II, Claude Vigée joined the Résistance. This was a secret group that fought against the German occupation of France. In 1942, he published his first poems in an underground magazine called "Poésie 42".

In 1943, he moved to the United States for safety. There, he earned a special degree in Romance Languages and Literature in 1947.

Teaching and Writing Career

After his studies, Vigée taught French Language and Literature at several universities in the United States. These included Ohio State University, Wellesley College, and Brandeis University.

From 1950 onwards, he regularly published his poetry in France. In 1960, he moved to Israel and lived there until 2001. He taught at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem until he retired in 1983.

On March 18, 2000, a special place called the "Claude Vigée" Cultural Center opened in his hometown of Bischwiller.

Themes in his Poetry

Claude Vigée's poems often talked about important topics. He wrote about the struggles of Jewish people, Alsatians, and Alsatian Jews. He also wrote about the simple beauty of rural life and how things change over time.

A big theme in his work was the search for peace and understanding between people. His early poems, like those in La Lutte avec l'ange (1949), had a strong, almost religious tone. He explored big ideas about time, space, and finding meaning.

Later works, such as La Corne du Grand Pardon (1954) and Canaan d'exil (1962), often expressed a feeling of being an outsider. This feeling came from living away from his home in Alsace and from his Jewish heritage.

After moving to Israel, he wrote Le Poème du retour (1962). In this work, he shared his happiness about finding a new home and being able to help his community.

Claude Vigée passed away in Paris on October 2, 2020, at the age of 99.

Awards and Honors

Claude Vigée received many awards for his poetry and writings. Some of these include:

• Johann-Peter-Hebel-Preis (1984)
• Grand prix de Poésie de la Société des Gens de Lettres de France (1987)
• Prix de la Fondation du Judaïsme français (1994)
• Grand prix de Poésie de l'Académie française (1996)
• Würth Prize for European Literature (2002)
• Elisabeth Langgässer Literature Prize (2003)

Works by Claude Vigée

Claude Vigée wrote many books of poetry. Some of his works have also been translated into English.

English Translations

• Flow tide: selected poetry and prose. Translator Anthony Rudolf. Menard/King's. 1992. ISBN 978-0-9513753-7-2.
• Chants de l'absence. Translator Anthony Rudolf. Menard. 2007. ISBN 978-1-874320-59-3.

Poetry Books

• La lutte avec l'ange (1939–1949) Published 1950. Reissued by L'Harmattan 2005.
• La corne du grand pardon (1954)
• L'été indien (1957)
• Canaan d'exil (1962)
• Le poème du retour (1962)
• Le passage du vivant
• Dans le creuset du vent
• Danser vers l’abîme
• Dans le silence de l'Aleph, Albin Michel, (1992)
• Les Puits d'eau vive, Albin Michel, (1993)
• Treize inconnus de la Bible, (1996)
• Être poète pour que les hommes vivent (2006)

See also

In Spanish: Claude Vigée para niños