Curzio Malaparte
Curzio Malaparte, born Kurt Erich Suckert on June 9, 1898, in Prato, Italy, was a notable Italian writer, journalist, and political figure. Raised in a working-class family, he began his literary career while still in school and became actively involved in politics at a young age, joining the Republican Party and the Garibaldian League. Malaparte served in World War I, where he was severely affected by mustard gas, an experience that deeply influenced his later writings. He adopted the pen name Curzio Malaparte in the 1920s and gained prominence through various literary and political magazines.
His works, both fiction and political essays, often tackled themes of war, morality, and societal decay. Notable among his writings are "Kaputt" (1944), which portrays the collapse of European morality during wartime, and "La pelle" (1949), depicting the psychological scars left by conflict. Malaparte's political journey was tumultuous; initially a member of the Fascist Party, he later became disillusioned and critiqued the regime through satire and provocative writing. His outspoken views led to periods of imprisonment and forced residence. Malaparte passed away from lung cancer on July 19, 1957, leaving behind a complex legacy that continues to provoke discussion in literary and political circles.
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Subject Terms
Curzio Malaparte
Journalist
- Born: June 9, 1898
- Birthplace: Prato (near Florence), Italy
- Died: July 19, 1957
- Place of death: Rome, Italy
Biography
Curzio Malaparte was born Kurt Erich Suckert on June 9, 1898, in Prato, Italy, to Erwin and Evelina (Perelli) Suckert. Malaparte grew up in a working-class family and was raised by neighbors while his parents worked. He attended Collegio Cicognini and began contributing to local newspapers during his schooling.
At thirteen, Malaparte joined the Republican Party, siding with the Interventionists. In 1914, he joined the Garibaldian League and the battle at the French Front. Once Italy entered World War I, he volunteered for the infantry and spent three years fighting. He was attacked by mustard gas, which physically plagued him his entire life.
In 1918 he began working as an attaché to the Italian embassy in Belgium. In 1924 he founded a political magazine, La conquista dello stato, and began publishing under the name Curzio Malaparte, ridding himself of his father’s German name. By 1926, he became the editor in chief for the literary magazine La fiera letteraria and worked there until 1931 when he became the chief editor at Il mattino. He accepted the position of general editor at La stampa in 1929, and remained until he was forced to resign due to political differences in 1931. In 1937 Malaparte founded the literary magazine Prospettive (perspectives).
Malaparte continuously wrote both political essays and fictional works about Italy’s involvement in the war. His first novel, La rivolta dei santi maledetti (1921; the rebellion of the cursed saints), dealt with Italian soldiers led to battle under false pretenses which benefited the bourgeois, not the individual. Kaputt (1944), described as one of the most disturbing novels of the twentieth century, details the fall of Europe due to its erosion of morality and ethics. His most famous work, La pelle (1949), follows the lives of those who have survived the war physically but neither mentally nor emotionally. Extremely violent and disturbing, La pelle shows men, women, and children regressing from civility to savagery in an anarchic Europe devoid of morals or dignity.
Malaparte also published extensive political essays, many of which placed him on trial. In 1922 he became a member of the Fascist Party, believing that a conservative revolution that would benefit the masses must take place within the party. He quickly became disgusted by the fascists, and he began publishing satirical pamphlets attacking the party and Benito Mussolini. While living in Paris, Malaparte published Technique du coup d’état (1931; technique of the coup d’etat), which detailed the relationship of violence and power, and was immediately banned in Italy and Germany. This was followed with Le Bonhomme Lénine (1931; Lenin, the good man), documenting the October Revolution, and was also banned. Suspected of being associated with anti-fascists in Paris, Malaparte was arrested upon returning to Italy in 1933 and placed in a forced residence on the islands of Lipari and Ischia. Mussolini later pardoned him, and Malaparte continued to write for newspapers under a close watch.
Cruzio Malaparte died of lung cancer July 19, 1957. His individualism, combined with his strong beliefs and willingness to revaluate his positions, contributed greatly to his writings as well as post-war literary movements.