Robert de Roquebrune
Robert de Roquebrune, born Joseph-Robert-Hertel on July 29, 1889, in Quebec, Canada, was a notable figure in Canadian literature and history. He hailed from a prominent French Canadian family, which influenced his lifelong connection to his heritage and fascination with French aristocracy. Roquebrune was educated in prestigious institutions, including the College de France and the Sorbonne, and worked for the Archives Publiques du Canada in Paris for two decades, focusing on French Canadian history. During World War II, he returned to Canada to serve as the director of archives in Ottawa, later moving back to Paris to oversee the public archives there.
He co-founded "Le Nigog," an avant-garde literary magazine that spotlighted experimental Quebecois writers, despite its brief lifespan. Roquebrune's literary contributions include a trilogy of memoirs, with "Testament de mon enfance" being the most acclaimed. His historical novels, such as "Les Habites rouge," reflect significant Canadian events and are known for their authenticity and detail, derived from his archival work. Throughout his career, he published numerous essays and articles that enriched the understanding of Canadian and French Canadian culture. Roquebrune passed away on July 4, 1978, and is celebrated for his role in preserving and documenting French Canadian history through his extensive literary works.
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Subject Terms
Robert de Roquebrune
Writer
- Born: July 29, 1889
- Birthplace: Manoir de l'Assumption, Quebec, Canada
- Died: July 4, 1978
- Place of death: Cowansville, Quebec, Canada
Biography
Robert de Roquebrune was born Joseph-Robert-Hertel on July 29, 1889, in Manoir de l’Assomption, Quebec, Canada, to Louis- Rene-Hertel-Laroque and Marie-Anne Cordelia Lilia d’Irumberry de Salaberry. Roquebrune came from a well established French Canadian family, which afforded him a privileged upbringing. He developed a fascination and longing for French aristocracy and maintained his proud connection with his French heritage all of his life. He attended Mont Sanit-Louis, in Montreal, Canada, from 1902 though 1905. He continued his education in Paris, where he attended the College de France and the Sorbonne.
Roquebrune worked for the Archives Publiques du Canada in Paris from 1919 until 1939, where he conducted extensive research about French Canadian history. During World War II, Roquebrune returned to Canada, where he became the director of archives at the Public Archive in Ottawa, Ontario, from 1940 though 1946. After the war ended, he moved back to Paris and served as the director of the public archives of France and wrote for many publications.
In 1918, Roquebrune, along with Fernand Prefontaine and Leo- Pol Morin founded the magazine Le Nigog, the first avant- garde journal in Quebec and the only showcase for experimental Quebecois writers. Although the magazine lasted only one year and never had more than five hundred subscribers, it created much controversy and opposition.
Roquebrune incorporated his family heritage and French Canadian history into his historic fiction and memoirs. Testament de mon enfance (1951; Testament of My Childhood, 1964) was the first in a trilogy of memoirs Roquebrune published and the only one of the three to be translated into English. The memoir recounts the author’s childhood and the history of his family and of Canada. Most critics consider the memoir to be his best work.
Roquebrune’s novels Les Habites rouge, D’un ocean a l’Autre, Le Dames le Marchand, and La Seigneuresse are set against historical backdrops. Significant Canadian events throughout history, such as the British conquest of Canada in 1763, the rebellion of 1837, in which Quebecois nationalism and open pride was suppressed, and the westward expansion of Canada all play heavily into his novels’ plots. His years of work as an archivist gave his historical fiction accuracy and an attention to detail that was lacking in the works of other authors, and his personal love and interest in the subject matter gave his novels the charm of a bygone era. Drawing from his work at the archives, Roquebrune also published many articles and essays about Canadian, French, and French Canadian history and culture. His writings are considered by many to be among the best sociohistorical documents about Canada.
Roquebrune died on July 4, 1978 in Cowansville, Quebec, Canada. He received the Prix David and Prix d’Action Intellectuelle, both in 1923, for Les Habites rouge; the Prix d’Action Intellectuelle, 1925, for D’un ocean a l’autre; the Prix Duvernay, 1954, for Testamont de mon enfance; and the Academie Canadienne-Francaise (Paris) Medal, 1967. Roquebrune’s greatest contribution to Canadian literature was documenting and preserving French Canadian history through his novels, memoirs, and essays.