Georges Valensi was born in Tunis on May 1, 1908. After obtaining his high school diploma, he went to Paris in 1925 to study medicine. While there he mingled in intellectual circles and married Yolande Oliviero, the secretary of the Association of Revolutionary Writers and Artists. She introduced him to the surrealist milieu, where he became acquainted with the novelist René Crevel and other notable figures.

      In Paris, Valensi was one of the founders of the Clinic des Bleuets, which served metalworkers in a working-class district. He joined the Communist Party during the Popu…