By Nikos Mottas.
The 17th of May marked the 150th birth anniversary of French novelist, journalist and member of the French Communist Party, Henri Barbusse. He rose to fame following the publication of his novel “Le Feu” (Under Fire) in 1916, which is based on Barbusse's experiences as a soldier on the Western Front during the First World War.
The Great October Socialist Revolution, the the world-changing event of 'the twentieth century, had a profound influence on Barbusse. In January 1918 he left France and moved to Soviet Russia where he joined Lenin's Bolshevik Party. Later, in 1923, he became a member of the French Communist Party.
