Author. Grigol Robakidze was a Georgian author of the 20th century, who published more than 15 books in his native Georgian language as well as Russian, French, Czech, and German. Born in Sviri, a rural village in western Georgia, he took courses after high school at the University of Tartu in Estonia and the University of Leipzig in Germany, returning to Georgia in 1908. He was a student of the well-known Georgian writer, Vazha-Pshavela and in 1911, published his first book, "Georgian Poet: Vazha Pshavela." He wrote novels, poems, plays, political pieces for magazines, and biographies. He became active with a group of young Georgian authors, who practiced symbolism, a style of writing in absolute truths symbolically through language. In 1915, he founded and led the "Blue Horns," a new group of symbolist poets and writers, which would later play an important role in the next two decades. In 1917 he supported the formation of the Union of Georgian Writers. After World War I, he held a diplomatic position in 1919 at the Paris Peace Conference, as the executive secretary to the state delegation from the Democratic Republic of Georgia. From 1918 to 1921 Georgia was an independent state. In despite of war and destitution, the nation witnessed an explosion of poetry, prose, and other political writings. Even the Russian avant-garde writers and painters found sanctuary and freedom of expression in Georgia for their art. After Georgia was forcefully annexed into the Soviet Russia in February of 1921, he remained in his home country but was known for his anti-Soviet sentiments and his views of Communism. His play "Lamara" received the 1930 Moscow Drama Olympiad. Using the ploy of having business in Germany concerning publishing his books after translation, he and his wife escaped in self-exile for political reasons to Germany in 1930. Later, the couple settled in Switzerland. "Lamara" was still being performed in the Soviet countries but without his name on the credits. After his exile and the 1930 suicide of author, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Georgian writers were not as persuasive in their words about the fate of Georgia becoming one of Joseph Stalin's Communist countries and addressing Stalin's "Great Purge," executing thousands of citizens under his rule. While in exile, he was deeply homesick for Georgia. In 1932 he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, which was presented to British author John Galworthy for his book "The Forsyte Saga." During World War II, he participated in the right-wing patriotic exile organizations such as the Committee of Independence of Georgia in 1941, the Union of Georgian Traditionalist in 1942, and Tetri Giorgi. Written in the German language, "Adolf Hitler in the Eyes of an Unknown Poet" in 1937 and "Mussolini" in 1939 are two of his most recognized biographies. Some critics claimed his books supported the Nazi Party, while Georgians rejected this claim. Robakidze developed the themes of Vazha-Pshavela's "The Snake-Eater" in "The Snake Skin," a tale of a poet's search for his real identity. His 1923 novel "The Snake's Skin" has been compared by critics to "Ali and Nino," with claims of extensively plagiarism. The 1937 novel "Ali and Nino," which was published under the pen name of "Kurban Said," is a love story between a Muslim boy and a Christian Georgian girl. He died a broken, homesick author. After his remains were taken to France, he was buried in a cemetery, which is a burial ground destinated for the Georgians, who emigrated to Europe. In 1992 Grigol Robakidze University was opened as a prestigious private educational facility, with studies in arts, law, and business, but known for its excellence in the school of medicine.