Emil Cioran: The Philosopher Who Saw Life as a Mistake
A retrospective on TheCollector highlights Emil Cioran, a Romanian-born philosopher who later became a French citizen, recognized for his nihilistic and absurdist perspectives. Cioran, born in 1911 in Rășinari, Romania, grew up in a devout family but eventually became agnostic, with one of his works banned in Spain due to its atheistic themes. He attended the University of Bucharest, where he formed friendships with Mircea Eliade and Eugène Ionesco, drawing inspiration from Nietzsche and Dostoevsky. In 1933, he received a scholarship to the University of Berlin, where he observed Hitler's ascent. His debut book, 'On the Heights of Despair,' earned an award in 1934. After relocating to France in 1949, he released 'A Short History of Decay.' Cioran passed away in 1995, with his philosophy focusing on themes of failure and absurdity.
Key facts
- Emil Cioran was born in 1911 in Rășinari, Romania (then Resinár, Kingdom of Hungary).
- His father was an Orthodox priest; his mother headed a women's Christian organization.
- He studied at the University of Bucharest, befriending Mircea Eliade and Eugène Ionesco.
- In 1933, he won a scholarship to the University of Berlin, witnessing the rise of Hitler.
- His first book 'On the Heights of Despair' won a prize in 1934.
- He moved to France and published 'A Short History of Decay' in 1949 with Gallimard.
- He lived reclusively in Paris with Simone Boué, both insomniacs.
- He died in 1995; Boué was found drowned in 1997.
- He expressed support for fascism and the Iron Guard, later calling it the worst folly of his life.
- He believed failure and insomnia give life value.
Entities
Artists
- Emil Cioran
- Mircea Eliade
- Eugène Ionesco
- Friedrich Nietzsche
- Arthur Schopenhauer
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Martin Heidegger
- D. H. Lawrence
- Ezra Pound
- Knut Hamsun
- Simone Boué
- Corneliu Zelea Codreanu
- Peter Paul Rubens
- Johann Heinrich Füssli
- Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Institutions
- University of Bucharest
- University of Berlin
- Gallimard
- Iron Guard
- Alte Pinakothek
- Fogg Museum
- TheCollector
Locations
- Rășinari
- Romania
- Kingdom of Hungary
- Bucharest
- Berlin
- Paris
- France
- Latin Quarter
- Munich
- Germany
- Cambridge
- Massachusetts
- USA