# Gabriel Marcel

_French philosopher, playwright, music critic and leading Christian existentialist (1889-1973)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/gabriel-marcel
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Gabriel Honoré Marcel was a French philosopher, playwright, music critic and leading Christian existentialist. The author of over a dozen books and at least thirty plays, Marcel's work focused on the modern individual's struggle in a technologically dehumanizing society. Though often regarded as the first French existentialist, he dissociated himself from figures such as Jean-Paul Sartre, preferring the term philosophy of existence or neo-Socrateanism to define his own thought. The Mystery of Being is a well-known two-volume work authored by Marcel.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 7 December 1889 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145#P569))
- **Place of birth:** 8th arrondissement of Paris ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145#P19))
- **Died:** 8 October 1973 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145#P570))
- **Place of death:** 7th arrondissement of Paris ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145#P20))
- **Citizenship:** France ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145#P27))
- **Occupation:** playwright; philosopher; literary critic; musician; writer; critic ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145#P106))
- **Education:** University of Paris ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145#P69))
- **Positions held:** president (1955–1973) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145#P39))
- **Awards:** Erasmus Prize; Peace Prize of the German Publishers' and Booksellers' Association; Grand prix de littérature de l'Académie française; Prix Brieux; Grand prix national des Lettres; Knight of the Legion of Honour; Grand Prix littéraire de la Ville de Paris ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145#P166))

## Questions

**When was Gabriel Marcel born?**  
Gabriel Marcel was born on 7 December 1889 in 8th arrondissement of Paris.

**What positions has Gabriel Marcel held?**  
Positions held by Gabriel Marcel include: president (1955–1973).

**Where did Gabriel Marcel study?**  
Gabriel Marcel was educated at University of Paris.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Gabriel Marcel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Marcel) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q154145](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154145) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Gabriel Marcel en 1969.jpg by Fotograaf Onbekend / Anefo (CC0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gabriel_Marcel_en_1969.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Gabriel Marcel, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Gabriel Marcel en 1969.jpg — Fotograaf Onbekend / Anefo, CC0.

## Cite this page

"Gabriel Marcel". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/gabriel-marcel. Retrieved 9 November 2026.