Jean Schopfer, better known by his pen name Claude Anet, was born in Morgan, Switzerland, in 1868 to a Swiss father and an English mother, who was born and educated in France. His father, a literary man of refined taste, encouraged his son to read the classics from a young age.
As a young man, Schopfer attended the Sorbonne and the Ecole du Louvre simultaneously, where he specialized in philosophy, arts, and literature. However, his true passion lay in sports, particularly tennis, and he went on to become a championship-caliber player, winning the 1892 French National Tennis Championship.
After completing his education, Schopfer worked for an American company in Paris before his sense of adventure got the better of him. He became a journalist, traveling extensively throughout Europe and publishing his first book, "Voyage Ideal en Italie: l'Art Ancien et l'Art Moderne," in 1899 under the pseudonym Claude Anet.
Throughout his career, Schopfer wrote novels, plays, biographies, and travel books, often using his pen name. In 1917, he was assigned by a French magazine to cover the Russian Revolution, but his involvement in certain "indiscretions" forced him to flee the country and seek refuge in the Arctic. He eventually made his way to Finland and returned home.
Schopfer continued to write prolifically, producing works that were often adapted for the stage and screen. His most famous novel, "Mayerling," has been adapted numerous times and remains his most enduring work.
Jean Schopfer, aka Claude Anet, passed away in Paris, France, in 1931, leaving behind a legacy as a talented writer and a passionate advocate for the arts and literature.
