François Cavanna

François Cavanna (Nogent-sur-Marne, 1923 – Créteil, 2014) was a French writer, journalist, cartoonist and editor, and a central figure in French satirical publishing. His name is linked to Hara-Kiri and Charlie Hebdo. His books are often grouped under proletarian literature, since he wrote from the experience of manual work and immigration.

The son of an Italian father, he grew up among Italian immigrant families near Paris. From the age of sixteen he worked a string of modest jobs, as a postman, fruit seller, errand boy and mason's labourer. During the German occupation he was forced into labour and sent to Berlin, where he remained until the Red Army took the city in 1945. Back in Paris he started working as a journalist for the daily Libération.

With Jean-Marc Reiser and Georges Bernier, known as Professor Choron, he founded Hara-Kiri, a satirical magazine that faced censorship several times. After a provocative headline about the death of General de Gaulle, it was closed for good. Cavanna went on to help create Charlie Hebdo, whose irreverent tone shaped several generations of readers.

His output, more than sixty books, moves between novels, essays, autobiography, satire and comics. Les Ritals recalls his childhood among Italian immigrants; Les Russkoffs describes his wartime years and won the Prix Interallié in 1979; Maria tells of a Ukrainian woman he lost touch with after the war. His last book, Lune de miel, deals with the Parkinson's disease he suffered from.

His legacy lies in fearless satire and independent humour journalism. After his death, the editor of Charlie Hebdo, Charb, described him as a key figure of French humour.