Who Is Albert Camus? Age, Biography and Wiki
Albert Camus was born on November 7, 1913, in Mondovi, Algeria, and passed away on January 4, 1960. Renowned as a novelist, playwright, and philosopher, he is often associated with existentialism and absurdism. Over the years, his works such as The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus have stirred discussions on the meaning of life and the human condition. While Camus was just in his forties at the time of his death, his influence continues to resonate in literature and philosophy. In 2025, we celebrate his enduring legacy, marking what would have been his 112th birthday.
| Occupation | Philosophers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | November 7, 1913 |
| Age | 46 Years |
| Birth Place | Mondovi, French Algeria |
| Horoscope | Scorpio |
| Country | Algeria |
| Date of death | 4 January, 1960 |
| Died Place | Villeblevin, France |
Popularity
Albert Camus's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details regarding Albert Camus's physical appearance in terms of modern height and weight measurements may not be widely documented, it is noted that he had a slim stature, likely standing around 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall. His health was impacted by tuberculosis throughout his life, which contributed to a frail look in his later years.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Albert Camus married Francine Faure in 1940, and the couple had two children, Catherine and Jean. While his marriage was complex and marked by periods of both affection and strife, Camus is also famous for his various romantic intrigues, including a notable affair with actress Maria Casarès. In 2025, the focus is more on Camus's impact on literature and philosophy than his personal relationships, cementing him as an intellectual rather than a romantic figure.
His mother, Catherine Hélène Camus, was French with Balearic Spanish ancestry. She was deaf and illiterate. He never knew his father, Lucien Camus, a poor French agricultural worker killed in action while serving with a Zouave regiment in October 1914, during World War I.
Camus, his mother, and other relatives lived without many basic material possessions during his childhood in the Belcourt section of Algiers. Camus was a second-generation French inhabitant of Algeria, which was a French territory from 1830 until 1962.
His paternal grandfather, along with many others of his generation, had moved to Algeria for a better life during the first decades of the 19th century. Hence, he was called a pied-noir – a slang term for people of French and other European descent born in Algeria. His identity and poor background had a substantial effect on his later life.
Nevertheless, Camus was a French citizen and enjoyed more rights than Arab and Berber Algerians under indigénat. During his childhood, he developed a love for football and swimming.
Net Worth and Salary
Although it is difficult to estimate the exact net worth of Albert Camus today, his literary achievements have ensured that his estate remains valuable. His books continue to sell millions of copies, contributing to an indefinite income posthumously. Scholars and collectors notably covet first editions and original manuscripts, further increasing their worth in the literary market.
Career, Business, and Investments
Camus’s career was predominantly spent as a writer and journalist. He was a significant figure in the French resistance during World War II and wrote extensively for the newspaper Combat. His work often intertwined philosophy with literary expression, leading him to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957. He was not known for business ventures or traditional investments; instead, his life revolved around his thoughts, writings, and advocacy for social justice.
He spent his childhood in a poor neighbourhood and later studied philosophy at the University of Algiers. He was in Paris when the Germans invaded France during World War II in 1940. Camus tried to flee but finally joined the French Resistance where he served as editor-in-chief at Combat, an outlawed newspaper.
After the war, he was a celebrity figure and gave many lectures around the world. He married twice but had many extramarital affairs. Camus was politically active; he was part of the left that opposed Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union because of their totalitarianism. Camus was a moralist and leaned towards anarcho-syndicalism.
He was part of many organisations seeking European integration. During the Algerian War (1954–1962), he kept a neutral stance, advocating a multicultural and pluralistic Algeria, a position that was rejected by most parties.
Social Network
In 2025, while social media did not exist during Camus's lifetime, his ideals and quotes are widely shared across various platforms. Philosophers, literature enthusiasts, and fans of existential thought actively engage with his ideas on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Websites, pages, and online forums dedicated to discussing Camus's philosophies continue to thrive, uniting admirers globally.
Many existentialist writers have addressed the Absurd, each with their own interpretation of what it is and what makes it important. Kierkegaard suggests that the absurdity of religious truths prevents people from reaching God rationally. Sartre recognizes the absurdity of individual experience.
Camus's thoughts on the Absurd begin with his first cycle of books and the literary essay The Myth of Sisyphus, his major work on the subject. In 1942, he published the story of a man living an absurd life in The Stranger. He also wrote a play about the Roman emperor Caligula, pursuing an absurd logic, which was not performed until 1945.
His early thoughts appeared in his first collection of essays, Betwixt and Between, in 1937. Absurd themes were expressed with more sophistication in his second collection of essays, Noces (Nuptials) in 1938. In these essays, Camus reflects on the experience of the Absurd. Aspects of the notion of the Absurd can also be found in The Plague.
Education
Albert Camus attended the University of Algiers, where he studied philosophy and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree. His education profoundly shaped his thoughts and writings. The philosophical tenets he explored during his academic career would later influence his literary works, making him a pillar in both philosophical and literary circles.
Under the influence of his teacher Louis Germain, Camus gained a scholarship in 1924 to continue his studies at a prestigious lyceum (secondary school) near Algiers. Germain immediately noticed his lively intelligence and his desire to learn.
In middle school, he gave Camus free lessons to prepare him for the 1924 scholarship competition – despite the fact that his grandmother had a plan for him to be a manual worker so that he could immediately contribute to the maintenance of the family.
Camus maintained great gratitude and affection towards Louis Germain throughout his life and he dedicated his speech for accepting the Nobel Prize to Germain. Having received the news of the awarding of the prize, he wrote:
