Jean Anouilh portrays France’s moral struggle
On this day in 1910 the French dramatist Jean Anouilh was born. Much of Anouilh’s drama was produced during some of France’s darkest days during... Read More
Erich Maria Remarque becomes a big noise in the West
On this day in 1898 the German writer Erich Maria Remarque was born. Conscripted into the German army aged 18, he wrote one of the... Read More
Sartre and de Beauvoir’s strange relationship
On this day in 1905 Jean Paul Sartre, philosopher and writer was born. Sartre’s name is always linked with that of Simone de Beauvoir. Though... Read More
Kurt Schwitters makes art out of detritus
On this day in 1887 the German British artist and writer Kurt Schwitters was born. He came to England before World War II and was... Read More
Blaise Pascal invents the calculating machine
On this day in 1623 the French philosopher, mathematician and writer Blaise Pascal was born. One of the profoundest thinkers since the Graeco Roman period,... Read More
Wellington slept at Waterloo
On this day in 1815 the Battle of Waterloo was fought. As the Duke of Wellington later remarked, it was: ‘A damned close run thing.’... Read More
James Weldon Johnson leads the Harlem Renaissance
On this day in 1871 the American lawyer, civil rights activist and poet James Weldon Johnson was born. Johnson was also a diplomat who served... Read More