Maurice Druon

French writer Maurice Druon was born April 23, 1918 in Paris. The father of the future writer - actor Lazar Kessel, came from Orenburg. In 1908 he and his family left Russia and moved to Nice, where he played under the pseudonym of an actor Sibert and committed suicide at age 21. Maurice took the surname of his stepfather R. Druon.

In Russia, his family roots in Languedoc, Flanders and Brazil. Early years Druon took place in Normandy. He studied at the Lycц?e Michelet. Began to be published at the age of eighteen years, spoke with bloggers in literary journals.

In 1937-1939 he studied at the School of Political Sciences in Paris in 1940 - in the school Samyur. Druon gravitated toward naturalism (novella "The fiery cloud", 1938).

During the Second World War was an officer in the cavalry. After the defeat of France, he moved into a zone of Vichy, and in Monte Carlo has published a play called Megareus ".

Took part in the resistance, and in 1942 Druon through Spain and Portugal, made his way to London where he joins the "Free French". In 1943, together with his uncle Joseph Kessel, he wrote "Songs of the guerrillas". Political Druon journalistic credo expressed in the Letters European "(1944), which states: either the elite" save "after the war, Western Europe on how federal and technological progress, or people" ruin "her in the civil war. Until the end of the war Druon was a war correspondent, and from 1946 he devoted himself entirely literary career. It turns out his war story "The Last Brigade".

In 1948, Maurice Druon publishes first novel trilogy "Strengths of this world," brought him Goncourt Prize, the second and third came in 1950 and 1951. In the trilogy realistically recreated the era between the wars, the history of moral and political degradation of the ruling caste that led France to the Munich Agreement of 1938 and a national catastrophe in 1940

. Peru also owned by Maurice Druon aphoristic "Notes" (1952), naturalistic novel "The Sensuality of Being" (1954), mythology duologue Memoirs of Zeus "(1963, 1967), the book maxims" Power "(1965), the cycle of stories" The happiness of one. .. " (1967)
.

Glories, however, he brought an action historical novels, amounting to seven-cycle "Cursed Kings" (1955-1977). In December 1966 Maurice Druon was elected a member of the French Academy.

In the 1970-1980's writer actively engaged in political activities - served as Minister of Culture (1973-74), was a deputy of the European Parliamentary Assembly, served as president of the Association Goncourt Prize laureates. His contribution to the motherland marked by several French awards, including the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor.

. In July 1993 presidential decree of Boris Yeltsin, Maurice Druon was awarded the order for his great contribution to the development and strengthening of cultural relations between Russia and France "

. In January 2003, Maurice Druon, visited Vladimir Putin's residence outside Moscow in Novo-Ogaryovo
. Putin and Druon talked for several hours and talked not only about literature but also about history and politics. In addition, Putin and Druon exchanged literary gifts. Vladimir Putin gave the writer a collection of books on the Russian folk crafts, and Dryuon gave the president a third three-volume edition of his works, for the presentation of which he visited Russia.

. A month later, in February 2003, the former head of Russia's state paid a return visit of the writer
. They met in Paris during a visit to Russia as the third president of the Institute of France, and the next day, Vladimir Putin has been a guest of the renowned French writer Maurice Druon in his suburban estate.

In the same year, Maurice Druon visited Orenburg steppes. Fund 'Eurasia' explored the roots of Russia's writer. The writer gave the foundation his memoirs and a biography of Joseph Cassel, which led to the idea to combine the fragments of these works. Printed house 'Dimur' implemented this idea in the 90 th anniversary of Maurice Druon, and 110-th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Kessel.

. Book 'Maurice Druon and Joseph Kessel: Russia roots', with color illustrations, numbering 230 pages, was published in 2008 a limited edition: only 1000 copies.

. In 2007 the writer became a foreign member of the Russia Academy of Sciences.

. 30 May 2008 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during his visit to France, met again with the French writer Maurice Druon
. The writer Maurice Druon called Putin "the main Russian friend" and said inter alia: "I have all the latest six months was sure, . that after the addition of presidential authority, you become prime minister, . lead the government, . you do not change the constitution and continue to work as chairman of the government. ",

. April 14, 2009, before reaching up to 91, several days, Maurice Druon, died at his home about six o'clock local time
. President Nicolas Sarkozy, commenting on the sad news, said that the death of Druon France lost a great man. "I want to say goodbye to a great writer, a great resistance fighter, a great statesman, a great master of the pen, who had a great soul," - said in the communique of the French President.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, in turn, expressed his condolences to relatives of the famous writer.

Creativity

1938 Fire cloud (short stories)
1942 Megareus (heroic and patriotic drama)
1943 Train 12 November ... (chronicles)
1943 Songs of the guerrillas (with M. Kessel)
. 1944 Letters European (writing)
. 1946 Last Brigade (the story of the war)
. 1962 Lords of the Plain (cycle 'knights' stories)
. 1948-51 powerful of this world (trilogy - Prix Goncourt)
. 1952 Notes
. 1954 Sensuality being (naturalistic novel)
. 1955-60 Damned kings (tt.1-6), 1977 Cursed Kings (v.7)
. Iron King
. Uznica Chateau-Gaillard
. Poison and crown
. Negozhe pryast
. French wolf
. Lily and the Lion
. When the king of ruining France
. 1958 Alexander the Great or a book about God
. 1963.1967 Memoirs of Zeus' (v.1-1963, v.2-1967, mythical dilogy)
. 1965 Power
. 1967 Happiness alone ..
. (cycle of stories)
1968 Future in disarray (a pamphlet on the general strike in 1968 in France).