Robert Poulet
Encyclopedia
Robert Poulet 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
.
. He began writing for a number of literary reviews in the 1920s and published his first novel, the surrealist
Handji, in 1931. 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
. As a literary critic he became noted for his rejection of female authors, dismissing them as midinettes en diable.
study group Réaction. 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. 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.
Despite all of this Poulet never opposed the Nazis and frequently wrote in support of them during his time at Le Nouveau Journal. He also praised them in their war against the Soviet Union
due to his own strict anti-communism
. 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.
and Plon
, as well as writing for the far right
journal Rivarol
, the Catholic paper Présent and Ecrits de Paris, amongst other publications. He was a close friend and supporter of Robert Faurisson
and joined him in advocating Holocaust denial
. Despite his controversial opinions Poulet maintained a life-long friendship with the famed cartoonist Hergé
, who had worked for Poulet during the war, until the Tintin
creator's death in 1983. Poulet's autobiography, Ce n'est pas un vie, appeared in 1976.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
writer, literary critic and journalist. Politically he was a Maurras
Charles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras was a French author, poet, and critic. He was a leader and principal thinker of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-parliamentarist, and counter-revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced National Catholicism and "nationalisme...
-inspired integral nationalist who became associated with a collaborationist newspaper during the occupation of Belgium by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
Literature
Educated at the Faculté des Mines in his hometown, Poulet served in the First World War and before taking odd jobs in Belgium and FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He began writing for a number of literary reviews in the 1920s and published his first novel, the surrealist
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
Handji, in 1931. He became a part of the 'Groupe du Lundi' that built up around Franz Hellens
Franz Hellens
Franz Hellens, born Frédéric van Ermengem was a prolific Belgian novelist, poet and critic...
which attacked the regional novels prevalent in France at the time and instead endorsed magic realism
Magic realism
Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements blend with the real world. The story explains these magical elements as real occurrences, presented in a straightforward manner that places the "real" and the "fantastic" in the same stream of...
. As a literary critic he became noted for his rejection of female authors, dismissing them as midinettes en diable.
Politics
Poulet was involved in politics during the early 1930s when he was a member of the corporatistCorporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
study group Réaction. Although not altogether enamoured of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
he became the 'political director' of Le Nouveau Journal, a collaborationist paper launched by Paul Colin
Paul Colin (journalist)
Paul Colin was a Belgian journalist, famous as the leading journalist and editor of the Rexist collaborationist newspapers "Le Nouveau Journal" and "Cassandre".-Biography:...
in October 1940. A strong supporter of Belgian independence, he was heavily influenced by Charles Maurras
Charles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras was a French author, poet, and critic. He was a leader and principal thinker of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-parliamentarist, and counter-revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced National Catholicism and "nationalisme...
and the Action Française
Action Française
The Action Française , founded in 1898, is a French Monarchist counter-revolutionary movement and periodical founded by Maurice Pujo and Henri Vaugeois and whose principal ideologist was Charles Maurras...
and by 1941 was in agreement with Raymond de Becker
Raymond de Becker
Raymond De Becker was a Belgian journalist and writer who was born in Brussels. He edited the Belgian papers Independence and Avant-Garde...
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
Léon Degrelle
Léon Joseph Marie Ignace Degrelle was a Walloon Belgian politician, who founded Rexism and later joined the Waffen SS which were front-line troops in the fight against the Soviet Union...
and Rexism
Rexism
Rexism was a fascist political movement in the first half of the 20th century in Belgium.It was the ideology of the Rexist Party , officially called Rex, founded in 1930 by Léon Degrelle, a Walloon...
, a philosophy to which Poulet was opposed.
Despite all of this Poulet never opposed the Nazis and frequently wrote in support of them during his time at Le Nouveau Journal. He also praised them in their war against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
due to his own strict anti-communism
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
. 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.
Later years
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 DenoëlÉditions Denoël
Éditions Denoël is a French publishing house founded in 1930 by the Belgian Robert Denoël and the American Bernard Steele .Called the Éditions Denoël-Steel during its first few years, it had its first success in 1932 with Voyage au bout de la nuit by Louis-Ferdinand Céline...
and Plon
Plon (publisher)
Plon is a French book publishing company, founded in 1852 by Henri Plon and his two brothers.The Plon family were Walloons coming from Nivelle, France. One of their ancestors is probably the Danish typographer Jehan Plon who lived at the end of the 16th century.-History:The Editions Plon were...
, as well as writing for the far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
journal Rivarol
Rivarol (magazine)
- External links :* ...
, the Catholic paper Présent and Ecrits de Paris, amongst other publications. He was a close friend and supporter of Robert Faurisson
Robert Faurisson
Robert Faurisson is a French academic who is a Holocaust denier. Faurisson generated much controversy with a number of articles, published in the Journal of Historical Review and elsewhere, as well as various letters he has sent to French newspapers , which deny various aspects of the Holocaust,...
and joined him in advocating Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
. Despite his controversial opinions Poulet maintained a life-long friendship with the famed cartoonist Hergé
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
, who had worked for Poulet during the war, until the Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin is a series of classic comic books created by Belgian artist , who wrote under the pen name of Hergé...
creator's death in 1983. Poulet's autobiography, Ce n'est pas un vie, appeared in 1976.