Biography
# André Malraux (3 November 1901 – 23 November 1976)
André Malraux was a French novelist, art theorist and politician. He was born on November 3, 1901, in Paris. His parents divorced when he was young, and he was raised by his mother and maternal grandmother. His father, who later fought in World War I, was largely absent from his childhood. Malraux developed an early interest in literature and art, but never completed his secondary education. Instead, he continued his studies independently, attending lectures and becoming involved in Parisian literary and artistic circles.
In 1923, he travelled to Indochina with his wife, Clara Goldschmidt, whom he had married in 1921. There, he became involved in an archaeological expedition and was arrested for removing ancient Khmer sculptures from a temple in Cambodia. He was sentenced to prison, but his case attracted the support of prominent French intellectuals, and his sentence was eventually reduced. His experiences in Indochina profoundly influenced his political and intellectual development, awakening in him a strong opposition to colonialism.
Until the age of fifty, Malraux seemed drawn to the great adventures of his time, placing himself at the intersection of history, revolution and human struggle. He became involved in revolutionary movements in China, fought on the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War, and later joined the French Resistance during World War II.
His direct encounters with the East inspired several of his early works, including *The Temptation of the West* (1926), *The Kingdom of Farfelu* (1928) and *The Conquerors* (1928), which explores the revolutionary struggle in China. In 1933, he published his masterpiece, *Man's Fate* (*La Condition humaine*), set in Shanghai during the 1927 Communist uprising. The novel won the prestigious Prix Goncourt. His opposition to the rise of Nazism found expression in *Days of Wrath* (1935), while his experiences and involvement in the Spanish Civil War inspired *Man's Hope* (1937).
During World War II, Malraux joined the French Resistance, adopting the name Colonel Berger. His wartime experiences provided the background for *The Struggle with the Angel*, a novel whose manuscript was partly destroyed by the Gestapo, with only fragments eventually surviving.
After the end of World War II, Malraux gradually turned his attention towards art, aesthetics and the history of human civilization. He became a close political associate of General Charles de Gaulle and, following de Gaulle's return to power, was appointed Minister of Cultural Affairs, a position he held from 1959 to 1969. During this period, he played an important role in shaping French cultural policy and promoting the preservation of historical monuments and artistic heritage.
Malraux married twice and had three children. He spent his final years reflecting on art, history, memory and the human condition. He died of cancer on November 23, 1976, in Créteil, near Paris, at the age of seventy-five.
