Voltaire, French writer and philosopher

May 05, 1978 - 200th anniversary of Death of Voltaire: 200 years ago on May 30th, 1778, in Paris died the French writer and philosopher Voltaire. Voltaire, real name Francois-Marie Arouet, one of the greatest intellectual personalities of Europe at that time, began with satirical poetry, which brought him in 1717 one year arrest in the Bastille. There he wrote his first successful tragedy, followed by a great number of lyrical, dramatic, historical, and philosophical works. The fighter for toleration, dignity of man and reason (general agent of the anti-clerical enlightenment), became the poetical master of Frederick the Great, whose court he visited in 1750, three years later he had to leave Prussia, because of his critical remarks, during his life was arrested and often obliged to flee. From 1760 Voltaire lived in Ferney near Geneva; at the age of 84 years the great philosopher died on May 30th, 1778

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1717 1750 1760 1778 200th Arouet Bastille Critical Dignity Ferney Flee Followed Francois-marie Generally Geneva Intellectual Lived Lyrical Obliged Often Philosophical Poetical Reason Remarks Toleration Voltaire Wrote

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