Origins & Early Life

Salvatore Quasimodo (Italian: [salvaˈtoːre kwaˈziːmodo]; 20 August 1901 – 14 June 1968) was an Italian poet and translator, awarded the 1959 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his lyrical poetry, which with classical fire expresses the tragic experience of life in our own times". Along with Giuseppe Ungaretti and Eugenio Montale, he was one of the foremost Italian poets of the 20th century. Quasimodo was born in Modica, Sicily, into a Sicilian-Greek family. His paternal grandmother, Rosa (née Papandreou), was from Patras, Greece.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Quasimodo integrated both of his ancestries in his works, in which he defined himself as a "Siculo-Greco" (lit. 'Sicilian-Greek'). In his biography for Elio Filippo Accrocca, he even sought to relocate his birthplace to Syracuse, the most notable city of Magna Graecia, instead of Modica, where he was actually born. Quasimodo spent his childhood in Roccalumera. In 1908 his family moved to Messina, as his father had been sent there to help the local population struck by a devastating earthquake.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The impressions of the effects of natural forces would have a great impact on the young Quasimodo. In 1919 he graduated from the local Technical College...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld — Contemporary (Died in 1901) (1901): Finland-Swedish baron, renowned geologist, and pioneering Arctic explorer.
• Alberto Giacometti — Contemporary (Born in 1901) (1901): Swiss master of existential sculpture, known for elongated, fragile human figures.
• Alexander Fadeyev (writer) — Contemporary (Born in 1901) (1901): Soviet writer and politician, co-founder of the Union of Soviet Writers.
• Ajay Devgn — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): Veteran Indian actor and filmmaker known for diverse roles in Hindi cinema.
• Alexander Gettler — Contemporary (Died in 1968) (1968): Pioneering American forensic toxicologist and father of modern medicolegal investigation.
• Alfredo Reinado — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): East Timorese military commander and rebel leader during the 2006 crisis.
• Adolf von Baeyer — Shared historical date (08-20 · Died) (1917): Pioneering German chemist known for indigo synthesis and IUPAC nomenclature.
• Al-Juwayni — Shared historical date (08-20 · Died) (1085): Preeminent Sunni scholar, theologian, and jurist, foundational to the Shafi'i school.
• Alois Alzheimer — Shared historical date (06-14 · Born) (1864): Pioneering psychiatrist credited with identifying early dementia cases.
• Benedict Arnold — Shared historical date (06-14 · Died) (1801): American-born British officer known for service in the Revolutionary War and subsequent treason.
• 1901 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1901
• August 20 (08-20) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 20
• 1968 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1968
• June 14 (06-14) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 14