Clément Lépidis
Encyclopedia
Clément Lépidis was a French novelist of Greek descent. He was born Kleanthis Tsélébidis into a Greek Orthodox family that had settled in Paris
, having fled the massacre of the Greek population in Anatolia
carried out by the Young Turks
during the Greek-Turkish war.
Lépidis spent his childhood and adolescence in the Parisian neighbourhood of Belleville
. His father, like many Greek and Armenian
refugees, worked in the shoe trade, which Clément too tried at one point as he later related in his books such as Ma vie en chantier, L'Arménien and La Main rouge. He tried several other careers, e.g., stockbroker's clerk, photographer, radio wireman, sales representative, cashier. His work experiences inspired the book The Tribulations of a Commercial Traveller. Afterwards, he devoted himself to painting and literature.
Among his friends were the photographer Robert Doisneau
, the accordionist whose biography he wrote, and the wrestler Tasso Miades. Lépidis loved his fellow Parisians. He described their happy and friendly character, but also wrote of the dark side of Paris during the German occupation when many Jews
and Armenians, his friends and neighbours from Belleville were rounded up. These he depicted in the novel The Armenian.
At his death in 1997, he left behind many works of literature, including poetry, short stories, and novels. His work was rooted in both the Mediterranean and his own Belleville neighbourhood.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, having fled the massacre of the Greek population in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
carried out by the Young Turks
Young Turks
The Young Turks , from French: Les Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favouring reformation of the administration of the Ottoman Empire. The movement was against the absolute monarchy of the Ottoman Sultan and favoured a re-installation of the short-lived Kanûn-ı Esâsî constitution...
during the Greek-Turkish war.
Lépidis spent his childhood and adolescence in the Parisian neighbourhood of Belleville
Belleville
-Places in North America:Canada*Belleville, Nova Scotia*Belleville, OntarioUnited States of America*Belleville, Arkansas*Belleville, California*Belleville, Illinois, the largest US city named Belleville**Belleville -Places in North America:Canada*Belleville, Nova Scotia*Belleville, OntarioUnited...
. His father, like many Greek and Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
refugees, worked in the shoe trade, which Clément too tried at one point as he later related in his books such as Ma vie en chantier, L'Arménien and La Main rouge. He tried several other careers, e.g., stockbroker's clerk, photographer, radio wireman, sales representative, cashier. His work experiences inspired the book The Tribulations of a Commercial Traveller. Afterwards, he devoted himself to painting and literature.
Among his friends were the photographer Robert Doisneau
Robert Doisneau
Robert Doisneau was a French photographer. In the 1930s he used a Leica on the streets of Paris; together with Henri Cartier-Bresson he was a pioneer of photojournalism...
, the accordionist whose biography he wrote, and the wrestler Tasso Miades. Lépidis loved his fellow Parisians. He described their happy and friendly character, but also wrote of the dark side of Paris during the German occupation when many Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
and Armenians, his friends and neighbours from Belleville were rounded up. These he depicted in the novel The Armenian.
At his death in 1997, he left behind many works of literature, including poetry, short stories, and novels. His work was rooted in both the Mediterranean and his own Belleville neighbourhood.
Awards
- La Rose de Büyükada (1963) - winner of the Prix des Deux MagotsPrix des Deux MagotsThe Prix des Deux Magots is a major French literary prize. It is presented to new works, and is generally awarded to works that are more off-beat and less conventional than those that receive the more mainstream Prix Goncourt....
- Le Marin de Lesbos (1972) - winner of the Prix du roman populiste
- L'Arménien (1976) - winner of the and Prix de la Société des gens de lettresSociété des gens de lettresThe Sociéte des gens de lettres de France is a writers' association founded in 1838 by the notable French authors Honoré de Balzac, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, and George Sand...