French essayist, novelist, poet, and Communist apologist

early member of Dadaist and Surrealist movements

joined Communist Party 1926 (left 1927, rejoined 1930) and became defender of Communism and Communist-endorsed social realism movement

wrote novels "Paris Peasant" 1926, "Holy Week" 1958, poem "Ode to Stalin" 1957

helped inspire Free French resistance forces during Nazi occupation of France