René Kalisky

René Kalisky (Brussels, 1936 - Paris, 1981) was a Belgian writer of Polish descent who is best known for the plays he wrote in the last 12 years of his life. Kalisky, whose father, Abraham Kaliski, was killed at Auschwitz, was himself hidden from harm during World War II. These wartime experiences first enabled him to write powerfully on Jewish subjects. Thereafter, he wrote essays and journalism as well as an extensive number of plays dealing with issues that were often questioning history, ethics, and furthermore with the human spirit and intimacy in relationships. His broad work, although he died at 44, is among the most powerful and influential of 20th century dramatic art.

Works

A picture of René Kalisky (left) with Antoine Vitez

• « L’origine et l’essor du monde arabe : L’essor et le déclin d’un empire » (1968), (1980), Marabout-Université
• « Le monde arabe à l'heure actuelle: Le réveil et la quête de l’unité », (1974), Marabout-Université
• « Le pique-nique de Claretta », (1973), France Culture
• « Sionisme ou dispersion », (1974), Marabout-Université
• « Charles le téméraire », (1975), Éd. Jacques Antoine
• « Le tiercé de Jack », (1975), Scénario
• « Europa » (1968), Alternatives théâtrales
• « L’impossible royaume », (1979), Seghers
• « Trotsky, etc... », (1969), «NRF», Gallimard
• « Skandalon », (1970), «NRF», Gallimard
• « Jim le téméraire » (1973), «NRF», Gallimard
• « Le pique-nique de Claretta », (1973), «NRF», Gallimard
• « La passion selon Pier Paolo Pasolini», (1977), Stock
• « Dave au bord de mer », (1977), Stock, L' Arche
• « Aïda vaincue » L' Arche
• « Sur les ruines de Carthage », (1980), Éd. Labor
• « Falsch », (1980), Éd. Labor

Movies:

• "Falsch" adapted in (1987) by Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne featuring Bruno Cremer

Bibliography

• Serge Goriely, Le théâtre de René Kalisky, Brussels, PIE Peter Lang, 2008.
• Translations of Plays in English:

Jim the Lionhearted, translated by David Willinger and Luc Deneulin Dave on the Beach, translated by David Willinger and Luc Deneulin, both in An Anthology of Recent Belgian Plays, Troy, NY, Whitston Publishing Company, 1984.

External links

• The Theatre of René Kalisky by Serge Goriely
• Encyclopædia Universalis
• Britannica
• Mechthild Kalisky's website