Robert Poulet (4 September 1893 – 6 October 1989) was a Belgian writer, literary critic and journalist. Politically he was a Maurras-inspired integral nationalist who became associated with a collaborationist newspaper during the occupation of Belgium by Nazi Germany.
Educated at the Faculté des Mines in his hometown, Poulet served in the First World War and before taking odd jobs in Belgium and France.[1] He began writing for a number of literary reviews in the 1920s and published his first novel, the surrealistHandji, in 1931.[2] He became a part of the 'Groupe du Lundi' that built up around Franz Hellens which attacked the regional novels prevalent in France at the time and instead endorsed magic realism.[3] As a literary critic he became noted for his rejection of female authors, dismissing them as midinettes en diable.[4]
Politicsedit
Poulet was involved in politics during the early 1930s when he was a member of the corporatist study group Réaction.[5] Although not altogether enamoured of Nazism he became the 'political director' of Le Nouveau Journal, a collaborationist paper launched by Paul Colin in October 1940.[5] A strong supporter of Belgian independence, he was heavily influenced by Charles Maurras and the Action Française and by 1941 was in agreement with Raymond de Becker that a corporatist, authoritarian party of state should be created. His idea was soon abandoned however when the Nazis decide to instead back Léon Degrelle and Rexism, a philosophy to which Poulet was opposed.[6]
Despite all of this Poulet never opposed the Nazis and frequently wrote in support of them during his time at Le Nouveau Journal.[7] He also praised them in their war against the Soviet Union due to his own strict anti-communism.[8] He was sentenced to death in October 1945 for collaboration but, after serving six years imprisonment, ostensibly on 'death row', he was released and allowed to return to France.[9]
Later yearsedit
Following his move to France he published a number of autobiographical novels in which he sought to justify his war-time collaboration as merely trying to safeguard the monarchy and Belgian independence. He would also act as a reader at Éditions Denoël and Plon, as well as writing for the far right journal Rivarol, the Catholic paper Présent and Ecrits de Paris, amongst other publications.[10] He was a close friend and supporter of Robert Faurisson and joined him in advocating Holocaust denial.[11] Despite Poulet's controversial opinions, famed The Adventures of Tintin cartoonist Hergé, who worked for Poulet during the war, maintained a lifelong friendship with Poulet until Hergé's death in 1983.[11] Poulet's autobiography, Ce n'est pas un vie, appeared in 1976. He died in 1989.
^ abMark McKinney, History and Politics in French-Language Comics and Graphic Novels, p. 38
Bibliographyedit
King, Adele (2002). Rereading Camara Laye. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN978-0-8032-2752-1.
January 01, 1970
robert, poulet, september, 1893, october, 1989, belgian, writer, literary, critic, journalist, politically, maurras, inspired, integral, nationalist, became, associated, with, collaborationist, newspaper, during, occupation, belgium, nazi, germany, born, 1893,. Robert Poulet 4 September 1893 6 October 1989 was a Belgian writer literary critic and journalist Politically he was a Maurras inspired integral nationalist who became associated with a collaborationist newspaper during the occupation of Belgium by Nazi Germany Robert PouletBorn 1893 09 04 4 September 1893Liege BelgiumDied6 October 1989 1989 10 06 aged 96 Marly le Roi FranceNationalityBelgianOccupation s journalist literary critic writer Contents 1 Literature 2 Politics 3 Later years 4 References 5 BibliographyLiterature editEducated at the Faculte des Mines in his hometown Poulet served in the First World War and before taking odd jobs in Belgium and France 1 He began writing for a number of literary reviews in the 1920s and published his first novel the surrealist Handji in 1931 2 He became a part of the Groupe du Lundi that built up around Franz Hellens which attacked the regional novels prevalent in France at the time and instead endorsed magic realism 3 As a literary critic he became noted for his rejection of female authors dismissing them as midinettes en diable 4 Politics editPoulet was involved in politics during the early 1930s when he was a member of the corporatist study group Reaction 5 Although not altogether enamoured of Nazism he became the political director of Le Nouveau Journal a collaborationist paper launched by Paul Colin in October 1940 5 A strong supporter of Belgian independence he was heavily influenced by Charles Maurras and the Action Francaise and by 1941 was in agreement with Raymond de Becker that a corporatist authoritarian party of state should be created His idea was soon abandoned however when the Nazis decide to instead back Leon Degrelle and Rexism a philosophy to which Poulet was opposed 6 Despite all of this Poulet never opposed the Nazis and frequently wrote in support of them during his time at Le Nouveau Journal 7 He also praised them in their war against the Soviet Union due to his own strict anti communism 8 He was sentenced to death in October 1945 for collaboration but after serving six years imprisonment ostensibly on death row he was released and allowed to return to France 9 Later years editFollowing his move to France he published a number of autobiographical novels in which he sought to justify his war time collaboration as merely trying to safeguard the monarchy and Belgian independence He would also act as a reader at Editions Denoel and Plon as well as writing for the far right journal Rivarol the Catholic paper Present and Ecrits de Paris amongst other publications 10 He was a close friend and supporter of Robert Faurisson and joined him in advocating Holocaust denial 11 Despite Poulet s controversial opinions famed The Adventures of Tintin cartoonist Herge who worked for Poulet during the war maintained a lifelong friendship with Poulet until Herge s death in 1983 11 Poulet s autobiography Ce n est pas un vie appeared in 1976 He died in 1989 References edit Adele King Rereading Camara Laye 2002 p 132 King Rereading Camara Laye p 133 King Rereading Camara Laye p 134 Toril Moi Simone de Beauvoir The Making of an Intellectual Woman 1994 pp 78 9 a b David Littlejohn The Patriotic Traitors London Heinemann 1972 p 152 King Rereading Camara Laye p 135 King Rereading Camara Laye p 137 Lindsay Waters amp Wlad Godzich Reading de Man Reading 1989 p 16 King Rereading Camara Laye pp 137 8 King Rereading Camara Laye p 138 a b Mark McKinney History and Politics in French Language Comics and Graphic Novels p 38Bibliography editKing Adele 2002 Rereading Camara Laye Lincoln University of Nebraska Press ISBN 978 0 8032 2752 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Poulet amp oldid 1176933072, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
