Roger Garaudy

The French philosopher and writer Garaudy joined the Communist Party’s youth wing in 1933 and worked at various levels of the party for thirty-seven years. He rose through the ranks of the party, gaining fame through his writings, lectures, and activism. He was awarded a medal of gratitude for his acts of heroism during World War II. He earned his doctorate at the Sorbonne University and later at the Moscow Academy of Sciences; he became a professor of philosophy and aesthetics. In addition to German, English, and Russian, he learned Arabic after converting to Islam. He served in parliament for sixteen years as a member of the National Assembly, a senator, and vice president of the National Assembly. He was expelled from the Communist Party in 1970 for criticizing the Soviet Union’s occupation of Prague. He viewed Islam as the religion most in line with his ideals and converted to Islam on July 2, 1982, in Geneva. He was harshly criticized by many Western media outlets and publications for his support of the Palestinian cause in his books. He passed away in Paris on June 13, 2012.