Sarah Powell
Encyclopedia
Sarah Gerau Powell was an influential French poet
of Jewish origin. Famous in large part for the impact she had on the early writing career of philosopher and novelist Simone de Beauvoir
, Powell was killed in the Dachau concentration camp in 1941 following the Fall of France. Her life is best chronicled in English language texts today by J.J. Douglas.
area of Paris. Powell was a frequent visitor to such literary salons as Les Deux Magots
and Le Flore
, both of which lie on the Boulevard St. Germain and were regular haunts for Beauvoir and Sartre
.
Powell was acknowledged by the École Normale Supérieure
(where she studied literature and philosophy) for her epic poem 'Rebecca the Clown', which was likely influenced by her college supervisor Rebecca Forde, with whom she later fell out. Beauvoir was also teaching in the Saint Germain-des-Pres district at this time.
. Lawrence was captured also, but his non-Jewish features were to ultimately save him. In the obituary he would later write for his wife, he stated that: "A love that obeyed no boundaries was what brought us together, but simply a Jewish face was what tore us apart."
Sarah Powell was executed in the Dachau concentration camp in 1941 (the exact date is unknown). Her name can be found today on the wall of Holocaust victims in the Jewish Museum of Paris
, Le Marais
district. Another name to be found alongside hers is that of Natalie Costanza, her friend and collaborator, who accompanied Sarah on the exodus from Paris. Costanza's Jewish background also worked against her. Lawrence Powell would later pen a poem, I don't get it, about the women's deaths.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
of Jewish origin. Famous in large part for the impact she had on the early writing career of philosopher and novelist Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone-Ernestine-Lucie-Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir, often shortened to Simone de Beauvoir , was a French existentialist philosopher, public intellectual, and social theorist. She wrote novels, essays, biographies, an autobiography in several volumes, and monographs on philosophy, politics, and...
, Powell was killed in the Dachau concentration camp in 1941 following the Fall of France. Her life is best chronicled in English language texts today by J.J. Douglas.
Marriage
In her late teens she married Lawrence Powell in April 1940. In the 1950s Powell married New York Times art critic Joan Bulaitis.Notable works
Sarah Powell's best known work was The Dwarf Boy Chronicles, which upon publication in early 1939 provoked much interest in Paris. The focus of interest in this poetry collection was held in the intellectual elite Left BankRive Gauche
La Rive Gauche is the southern bank of the river Seine in Paris. Here the river flows roughly westward, cutting the city in two: looking downstream, the southern bank is to the left, and the northern bank is to the right....
area of Paris. Powell was a frequent visitor to such literary salons as Les Deux Magots
Les Deux Magots
Les Deux Magots is a famous café in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of Paris, France. It once had a reputation as the rendezvous of the literary and intellectual élite of the city. It is now a popular tourist destination...
and Le Flore
Café de Flore
The Café de Flore, at the corner of the Boulevard Saint-Germain and the Rue St. Benoit, in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, has long been celebrated for its intellectual clientele....
, both of which lie on the Boulevard St. Germain and were regular haunts for Beauvoir and Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
.
Powell was acknowledged by the École Normale Supérieure
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
(where she studied literature and philosophy) for her epic poem 'Rebecca the Clown', which was likely influenced by her college supervisor Rebecca Forde, with whom she later fell out. Beauvoir was also teaching in the Saint Germain-des-Pres district at this time.
Marriage and Death
Powell met Lawrence Powell in January 1940, upon having visited London to promote her poetry collection. Lawrence Powell translated her work into English and she lived with him in his Kensington home in West London for several months before their marriage in April 1940. He was exempt from war duties as he was classified mentally unstable for combat, leading to them both moving back to Paris by May 1940. The timing was to prove fatal, with the German troops invading France and the Low Countries only weeks later. In the mass exodus from Paris, Sarah was captured by German troops when heading south towards the safe haven of BordeauxBordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
. Lawrence was captured also, but his non-Jewish features were to ultimately save him. In the obituary he would later write for his wife, he stated that: "A love that obeyed no boundaries was what brought us together, but simply a Jewish face was what tore us apart."
Sarah Powell was executed in the Dachau concentration camp in 1941 (the exact date is unknown). Her name can be found today on the wall of Holocaust victims in the Jewish Museum of Paris
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme
The Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme is a French museum of Jewish art and history located in the Hôtel de Saint-Aignan at 71, rue du Temple in the Marais district in Paris. The museum is open daily except Saturday . An admission fee is charged...
, Le Marais
Le Marais
Le Marais is a historic district in Paris, France. Long the aristocratic district of Paris, it hosts many outstanding buildings of historic and architectural importance...
district. Another name to be found alongside hers is that of Natalie Costanza, her friend and collaborator, who accompanied Sarah on the exodus from Paris. Costanza's Jewish background also worked against her. Lawrence Powell would later pen a poem, I don't get it, about the women's deaths.