Tristan Bernard French writer, journalist Date of Birth: 07.09.1866 Country: France

Biography of Tristan Bernard

Tristan Bernard was a French writer and journalist. He was born Paul Bernard in a Jewish family in Besançon, France. His father was an architect. At the age of 14, Paul moved to Paris with his father and enrolled in a local high school. Even during his time in school, Bernard showed great potential as a young writer.

In 1888, Paul became a father to a son named Jean-Jacques Bernard, who would later become a playwright like his father. After studying law for a while, Paul served in the army and eventually became the manager of an aluminum factory. In the 1890s, he also managed two cycling tracks in Paris, which were an important part of the city's cultural life at the time and were regularly visited by famous people such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

In 1891, Bernard was first published in "La Revue Blanche." Encouraged by his success, he focused on his writing career and adopted the pseudonym "Tristan." His distinctive style, which later made him famous as a playwright, could already be seen in his early works. His vaudevilles were particularly successful, but he also wrote novels and even poetry. Many remember Bernard for his witty aphorisms. In 1932, he attempted to become a member of the French Academy but received only two votes out of 39.

During World War II, Bernard was sent to a deportation camp. However, he was soon released due to public protests against the Nazis. Paul Bernard passed away in Paris in 1947, most likely due to an illness he contracted while in the camp. He was buried in Passy Cemetery.

One of the theaters in Paris was named in honor of Tristan Bernard. His descendants also achieved some success. His son Raymond Bernard became an influential filmmaker and used his father's works in several of his screenplays. Jean-Jacques, Tristan's grandson, published his father's memoirs in 1955.

Tristan Bernard's grandson Christian Bernard is the current Emperor of the Rosicrucian organization AMORC.