- Abel Hermant
Abel Hermant (1861 - 1950) was a French novelist, playwright, essayist and writer, and member of the
Académie française .The son of an architect, Hermant received a degree from the
École Normale Supérieure in 1880, and published his first volume of verse in 1883, "The Contempt". After several youthful novels, he moved to ironic analysis of the popular mores of theBelle Époque and achieved popular success. His first semi-autobiographical novel, "Monsieur Rabosson" of 1884, established his reputation as a satirical social observer. Its follow-up "Le Cavalier Miserey" of 1887, dealt with the issue of homosexuals in the military.Between 1901 and 1937 Hermant embarked on a series of 20 linked novels with the general title "Memoirs to Serve for a History of Society", but his contributions to literature included many popular plays, drama criticism for "
Le Figaro " and "Gil Blas", and a series of grammarian articles for "Le Temps" under the name "Lancelot" defending the purity of the French language.By 1899 Hermant was well-connected in society; for instance he was the guest of
Anna de Noailles atÉvian-les-Bains , where he became friends withMarcel Proust . After a number of tries Hermant was elected to the French Academy on June 30, 1927.During
World War II Hermant's contributions toJean Luchaire 's pro-Nazi evening daily "Les Nouveaux Temps", beginning in 1940, his open support of theVichy regime , and his criticisms of the French Army, marked him as a collaborator. Over 80 years of age, he was sentenced to life in prison on December 15, 1945. Hermant achieved the negative distinction of being one of the four "immortals" removed from theAcadémie française afterWorld War II for collaboration with Germany. Hermant andAbel Bonnard were expelled outright, in disgrace;Charles Maurras ofAction Française and MarshallPhilippe Pétain had their seats declared vacant and were not replaced until their deaths.Pardoned and released in 1948, Abel Hermant tried to justify its conduct during the Occupation in his "Thirteenth Notebook". He died shortly thereafter.
Sources
* Columbia Dictionary of Modern European Literature, by Jean Albert Bédé, William Benbow
* Marcel Proust, by William C. Carter, page 269
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