CAMIL PETRESCU (1894-1957)

The future play writer and novelist is born in Bucharest, but he loose his both parents and he is raised by a nany from the Mosilor suburb. Alone on the world, the little orphan understands his drama and begin to learn assiduously at the primary school from Obor and at the highschool Sf. Sava where he writes his first poems.

He perseveres and in 1913 he is student at the Letters and Philosophy University from Bucharest. He is the first at the contest for a scholarship. His spiritual model is the tempestuous journalist with left views N. D. Cocea (he is the prototype of his future hero Gelu Ruscanu)

In 1916 is mobilised and goes to the front where he is wounded. Recovered he is on the first line again and he is taken prisoner by the Hungarians. The environment of the war will be in his famous novel Ultima noapte de dragoste, întâia noapte de razboi. In 1918 he is released from the camp and he returns to Bucharest. He writes the play Jocul ielelor. Thakes his licence with brio. Is teacher in Timisoara. Become director of the National Theater from Bucharest, and from 1947 is member of the Romanian Academy. Till his death he have received many cultural medals, paying his tribute to the socialism.

He dies in 1957, May 14, in Bucharest, his massive social novel dedicated to Balcescu Un on între oameni remains unfinished. This book is considered by I. Negoitescu: a sad try.

His best works are those written before the world war II, as in the case of Sadoveanu: the novels Ultima noapte de dragoste, întâia noapte de razboi, (1930) and Patul lui Procust (1933) and the plays Jocul ielelor (1918), Suflete tari (1922) s.o.

Last update: 1999, September 8
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