Paul Éluard (born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel) was a renowned French poet and a pioneering figure in the Surrealist movement. Born on 14 December 1895, Éluard adopted his pen name from his maternal grandmother in 1916. He was a key figure in the development of Dadaism and later became a passionate advocate for Surrealism, aligning his art with the political ideals of the Communist Party.

During World War II, Éluard wrote several influential poems against Nazism, which were distributed clandestinely, earning him the title of "The Poet of Freedom." He is celebrated as one of the most talented poets within the French surrealist movement, with his works echoing the major historical and social currents of the 20th century, including the World Wars and the Resistance.