Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Official website of the State –
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December 19, 2025 marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of Edith Giovanna Gassion, known to the world under the pseudonym Edith Piaf.
The singer's childhood was tragic: her father left for the front lines during World War I almost immediately after her birth, and her mother, a cabaret performer, gave her to her grandmother to raise. But even her older relative didn't particularly care for her: a severe form of keratitis had left her nearly blind. Her father, upon returning from the front, was horrified by the child's living conditions and took her to his mother, where, after much effort and a true miracle, the child's sight was saved.
Edith attended school only until she was eight, after which she began performing with her father on the streets of Paris, where he performed acrobatic routines and she sang. At age 15, the future celebrity began her independent life, giving birth to a daughter in 1933, who died of meningitis at age two.
A turning point in Edith Gassion's life came in 1935, when she caught the eye of cabaret owner Louis Leplée. Due to her small stature and fragile appearance, he gave her the stage name "Piaf" (sparrow) and helped her break into the professional stage. In 1936, Louis was assassinated, and soon the talented young woman was taken under the wing of poet and composer Raymond Asso, who became her creative mentor and the creator of the "Piaf style." By the late 1930s, Edith Piaf had become a renowned singer, the talk of France.
The heyday of the "sparrow"'s creativity came in the 1940s and 1950s – a time of war, the singer's worldwide fame and her greatest hits.
During the Nazi occupation of France, 1940–1944, Edith Piaf not only performed in prisoner-of-war camps in Germany, but also helped many of them escape.
In 1945, Piaf gifted France with the song "La Vie en Rose," the lyrics to which she wrote herself. This composition, which many producers considered too simple, became her signature song and one of the most famous French hits worldwide.
In 1952, the singer was in two consecutive car accidents. To alleviate the pain caused by fractures, doctors administered morphine, and Edith became addicted. But she recovered and returned to her life's work. In 1958, her return to the stage after a series of illnesses and treatments was met with acclaim.
In 1960, she debuted "Non, je ne regrette rien" ("No, I Regret Nothing")—a song that became an anthem of her resilience and a life motto for millions. The following year, the singer was diagnosed with liver cancer. Once again displaying her steely character, she continued to perform until the end of her life, performing songs from the top of the Eiffel Tower in 1962 and recording her final song in April 1963.
The artist died at the age of 47 in October 1963. More than 40,000 people gathered for her funeral at Père Lachaise Cemetery. The French loved their "little sparrow" with all their hearts.
Despite all the trials she endured, Edith remained resilient and continued to create until the end of her life. "I regret nothing"—these are such important and poignant words that will live on through the centuries thanks to the song of the voice of an era and a symbol of France, Edith Piaf.
Subscribe to the "Our GUU" Telegram channel. Publication date: December 19, 2025.
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