Jacques de Lacretelle
Jacques de Lacretelle (1888-1985) was a prominent French writer known for his literary contributions and social advocacy. Born to a family with a notable heritage, he spent much of his youth abroad due to his father's diplomatic career, which enabled him to become fluent in both French and English. Lacretelle's literary fame largely stems from his novels "Silbermann" (1922) and "La Bonifas" (1925), which tackled significant social issues, including anti-Semitism and the respect for sexual differences, challenging societal norms of his time. Despite the popularity of his works in the 1920s, his progressive views led to delays in his recognition by the French Academy, where he was finally elected in 1936.
During World War II, he and his wife left France for North America, where he became an outspoken critic of French collaboration with the Nazis, facing censorship as his works were banned in France. Following the war, he returned to France and was honored with the Legion of Honor, reflecting his contributions to literature and society. Lacretelle’s legacy continued as he served as a significant figure in the French Academy and as an editor at Le Figaro. He passed away in Paris in 1985, leaving behind a notable impact on French literature and cultural discourse.
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Jacques de Lacretelle
Author
- Born: July 14, 1888
- Birthplace: Cormatin, Burgundy, France
- Died: January 2, 1985
- Place of death: Paris, France
Biography
Jacques de Lacretelle was born on July 14, 1888, and came from a family with a distinguished heritage, including two ancestors who had served in the French Academy. His father was a French diplomat, and de Lacretelle spent most of his childhood outside France in countries to which his father was assigned. By adolescence, he was fluent in both French and English. He later studied at the University of Cambridge. He returned to France in 1914 to become an officer in the French army, but poor health prevented him from become involved in direct combat. After World War I, he earned his living as a journalist, novelist, and translator.
Lacretelle owes his fame to two fairly daring novels, Silbermann (1922), and La Bonifas (1925). In Silbermann, Lacretelle effective denounced anti-Semitism; the novel provoked strong negative reactions from rabid anti-Semites, such as Charles Maurras, the head of the reactionary and influential Action française. La Bonifas presents the argument that Christians should be respectful of lesbians and should not judge them. Lacretelle maintained that democracy required people to respect religious and sexual differences.
Although Lacretelle’s novels were enormously popular in France during the 1920’s, intolerant people prevented him from being elected into the French Academy until 1936. In 1939, he and his wife left France for North America, where they stayed for the next five years. While in Canada and the United States, he wrote eloquently against his fellow French citizens who collaborated with the Nazis. His books were banned in France during the Nazi occupation of that country. Upon his return to France in 1944, he received the Legion of Honor, the nation’s most prestigious award. He resumed his work in the French Academy and in the 1950’s served as the general editor of the Parisian newspaper Le Figaro. When he died in Paris on January 2, 1985, he was the eldest and the longest-serving member of the French Academy.