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Francois Szulman was born on June 5, 1931, in Paris and raised in the Belleville district. He was the only son of working parents who had immigrated from Poland. His father was a knitting worker, and then a garment worker. After Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, France declared war on Germany. Szulman’s father volunteered for the French army and was captured and made a prisoner of war.

In May 1940, Germany invaded France and, after the June surrender, Paris became the seat of the German military occupation government. Anti-Jewish measures were introduced, including the confiscation of businesses and mass arrests and deportations. On July 16, 1942, Szulman and his mother were arrested during the Vel D’Hiv round-ups as the Germans began to rid Paris of all its Jews. Because his father was a prisoner of war, they soon were released. In order to avoid persecution or another arrest, Szulman and his mother went into hiding. Szulman’s mother died on December 24, 1943, due to a lack of medical care. She had become ill, but could not be admitted to a hospital.

Paris was liberated by American troops on August 24, 1944. Szulman was able to return to school, and developed his gift for drawing. In 1946, Szulman was accepted at the Paris College of Applied Arts. He later had to abandon his studies and go to work in a knitting factory. He became a garment cutter, but continued painting at night. In 1950, he married and had two children. He had his first exhibition in 1967 at Gallery Regis Langlois. It was a success and eventually Szulman was able to devote himself exclusively to painting.