Biography

Robert Desnos was born on July 4, 1900 in Paris, France. He was a writer and actor, known for Bonsoir mesdames, bonsoir messieurs (1944), Panurge (1932) and Et le mot frère et le mot camarade (1995). He died on June 8, 1945 in Terezín, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic].

Poet, journalist ,screenwriter, author of radio plays and ads-writer, he was member of the surrealist group . But he had differences with André Breton's leadership. He was part of the revolt against him with Georges Bataille. He became friend with Alejo Carpentier and was enamored with singer Yvonne George.

During WWII. as a literary critic , he became an enemy of Alain Laubreaux aka Daxiat of the collaborationist newspaper Je suis Partout. He became Jean-Louis Barrault's chosen brother as Jean-Louis later said. Desnos was part of the AGIR intelligence network directed by Michel Hollard. Captured by the Gestapo, Desnos was sent to a concentration camp.

As a journalist and poet, he was part of the group that included the Prévert brothers, Henri Jeanson. He lived with painter Foujita and his wife Youki who later became his companion.

The Nazis sent Desnos to the Terezin concentration camp in what was then Czechoslovakia. He was still alive when the Soviet Red Army liberated the camp in May 1945, but died there of typhoid one month later while waiting to return home. His ashes were brought back to Paris for burial.