Fun Facts Friday: Count Maurice Maeterlinck

Maurice Polydore Marie Bernard Maeterlinck (29, August 1862 – 6, May 1949) was a poet, writer and playwright from Belgium.

Books by Maurice Maeterlinck*

1. Maeterlinck was born to a wealthy family in Ghent, Belgium.
2. His experience at the Jesuit College of Sainte-Barbe left him with a detestation for organized religion.
3. In 1885 Mr. Maeterlinck finished his law studies at the University of Ghent. He wanted to be a writer, but his father, a notary, pushed him to be a lawyer.
4. His first play, Princess Maleine (1889), was an immediate hit and made Mr. Maeterlinck famous. The play was adapted from Maid Maleen, by the Brothers Grimm.
5. The author’s 13 year relationship with actress Georgette Leblanc influenced his writing, and especially female characters, for at least 20 years.
6. Since his parents disapproved of his relationship with an actress, the couple moved to Paris. Mrs. Leblanc was not allowed to get divorced by the Catholic Church, but the couple lived together and frequently entertained guests.
7. Before World War I, Mr. Maeterlinck was seen in Europe as a “great sage”, he even received the Triennial Prize for Dramatic Literature from the Belgian government (1903).
8. The author won the 1911 Nobel Prize for Literature.
9. When Germany invaded France in 1914, Mr. Maeterlinck applied to enter the French foreign Legion but was denied due to his age.
10. In 1919 the author married actress Renée Dahon. The couple were invited to the US by Samuel Goldwyn who wanted Mr. Maeterlinck to produce film scenarios. None were used.

Books by Maurice Maeterlinck*

Zohar – Man of la Book
*Ama­zon links point to an affil­i­ate account