Jean Amila

Jean Amila , pseudonym of Jean Meckert (born November 24, 1910 in Paris , † March 7, 1995 ibid) was a French writer . He was particularly known for his crime novels, which appeared in the Série noire (to be added to the Roman noir ) by Gallimard .

Life

Meckert grew up in Paris . In the First World War he lost his father who was shot for non-conforming behavior. Meckert's mother could not get over the death of the husband and was placed in a home for two years. During this time the boy lived in the orphanage. He started to work at the age of 13, did his military service and took on numerous, smaller jobs - including as a warehouse worker and a car mechanic. At the beginning of the Second World War , in 1939, Meckert was drafted, but his regiment was immobilized again very quickly. He was captured in Switzerland . A few months later he returned to Paris and took a job in the town hall of the XX. Arrondissements. He also worked in the Resistance and devoted himself intensively to writing. In 1942 he gave up his profession for literature. From 1950 he wrote for the Série noire . In 1971 he was beaten up in Paris, the circumstances of which remained in the dark. There may be a connection to his novel La Vierge et le taureau , in which he was critical of the nuclear and bacteriological experiments carried out by France on Tahiti. As a result of the attack, Meckert suffered amnesia that prevented him from writing for several years. It was not until 1981 that he published another novel. In 1995 he died in Paris at the age of 85. Meckert, who came from a humble background and had never studied, was an autodidact .

Origin of name

The name John / Jean Amila arose from the search for a suitable surname for an author of crime novels from the Série noire , which was still strongly American in 1950. First, the writer chose the pseudonym John Amilanar , borrowed from the Spanish amilinar (to be afraid). Francophone readers will also read ami l'anar and add a chiste . Marcel Duhamel , the editor of the Série noire, finally got Meckert to publish his titles as John Amila .

Literary work

Jean Meckert's work can hardly be classified into a fixed category and is constantly in the field of tension between Roman blanc (non- crime) and Roman noir (crime novel), as well as between Roman populaire (label for light entertainment literature) and Roman populiste (literary genre, in the life of the "little people" is processed). His first novels, non-thrillers, appeared under his maiden name Jean Meckert and were not very successful. With the entry into the Série noire in 1950, encouraged and supported by its publisher Marcel Duhamel , a long and successful collaboration developed that lasted until 1985. Under the pseudonym Jean Amila, 21 Roman noirs were created, which were devoted to various socially critical topics. The focus was mostly on rebels or groups that failed because of the state, society or economic power in post-war France. Again and again, his anti-military and, to a large extent, anarchist attitude became clear, which can be reconciled with his experiences in the war.

Posthumous reception

Meckert's work has little presence among the modern readership. At certain intervals some of his novels are reprinted as part of the Série Noire , but he remains largely alien to the general public. In the last few years Didier Daeninckx has tried to upgrade Amila. He puts a memorial to him in Nazis in the Metro (Transit, Berlin 1996. ISBN 978-3-88747-111-8 ) and 12, rue Meckert (not published in German). In Germany there are two translations of Jean Amila's novels from the 1970s ( Das Jurgericht , 1961 and Die Ausgestossenen , 1970) and an Amila series has been published by Conte Verlag in Saarbrücken since 2005 .

Awards

1985 Prix des visiteurs de l'ombre
1986 Prix Mystère de la critique for Au balcon d'Hiroshima

Catalog raisonné

German translations

The outcasts. Desch, 1970. (Original title: Les loups dans la bergerie)
The jury. Rowohlt, 1961. (Original title: Justice est faite)

Moon over omaha. Conte Verlag, 2005. ISBN 978-3-936950-33-5 (Original title: La lune d'Omaha)
Pity the rats. Conte Verlag, 2006. ISBN 978-3-936950-43-4 (Original title: Pitié pour les rats)
Until nothing works. Conte Verlag, 2007. ISBN 978-3-936950-53-3 (Original title: Jusqu'à plus soif)
Motus! Conte Verlag, 2008. ISBN 978-3-936950-79-3 (Original title: Motus!)
The attrition. Conte Verlag, 2009. ISBN 978-3-936950-96-0 (Original title: La bonne tisane )

Novels as Jean Meckert

La marche au canon. Unpublished manuscript, 1940 / Collection Arcanes, Éditions Joëlle Losfeld, 2005.
Les coups. Collection Blanche, Gallimard, 1941 / Collection folio poche, Gallimard, 2002.
L'homme au marteau. Collection Blance, Gallimard, 1943 / Collection Arcanes, Éditions Joëlle Losfeld, 2006.
La Lucarne. Collection Blanche, Gallimard, 1945.
Nous avons les mains rouges. Collection Blanche, Gallimard, 1947 / Encrage, 1993.
La ville de plomb. Collection Blanche, Gallimard, 1949.
Je suis un monstre. Collection Blanche, Gallimard, 1952 / Collection Arcanes, Éditions Joëlle Losfeld, 2005.
Nous sommes tous des assassins. Collection Blanche, Gallimard, 1952 / Collection Arcanes, Éditions Joëlle Losfeld, 2008.
Justice est faite. Collection Blanche, Gallimard, 1954 / Collection Arcanes, Éditions Joëlle Losfeld, 2008.
La Tragédie des Lurs. Collection Blanche, Gallimard, 1954 / Collection Arcanes, Éditions Joëlle Losfeld, 2007.

(Detective) novels as Jean Amila

La Vierge et le taureau. Presses de la Cité, 1973.
Le Neuf de Pique. Rayon Fantastique, Gallimard, 1956 / NéO - Le miroir obscur N ° 21, 1981.
Y'a pas de Bon Dieu! Série Noire, Gallimard, 1950 / Carré Noir, Gallimard, 1972.
Motus! Série Noire, Gallimard, 1953 / Carré Noir, Gallimard, 1974.
La bonne tisane. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1955 / Série Noire, Gallimard, 1998.
Sans attendre Godot. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1956 / Série Noire, Gallimard, 1981.
The loups in the bergerie. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1959.
Le Drakkar. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1959.
Jusqu'à plus soif. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1962 / Folio Policier, Gallimard, 2005.
Long radieux. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1963 / Carré Noir, Gallimard, 1984.
Pitié pour les rats. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1964 / Série Noire, Gallimard, 1997.
La lune d'Omaha. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1964 / Carré Noir, Gallimard, 1970 / Folio Policier, Gallimard, 2003.
Noces de soufre. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1964 / Folio Policier, Gallimard, 1999.
Les Fous de Hong Kong. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1969.
Le Grillon enragé. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1970.
La Nef des dingues. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1972 / Série Noire, Gallimard, 1998.
Contest flic. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1972 / Carré Noir, Gallimard, 1986.
Terminus léna. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1973 / Carré Noir, Gallimard, 1986.
À qui ai-je l'honneur ...? Série Noire, Gallimard, 1974 / Carré Noir, Gallimard, 1982.
Le Pigeon de Faubourg. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1981.
Le Boucher des Hurlus. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1982 / Folio Policier, Gallimard, 2001.
Le Chien de Montargis. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1983.
Au Balcon d'Hiroshima. Série Noire, Gallimard, 1985.
L'Écluse noire. Dans: Claude Mesplède (dir.): Sous la robe erh le noir. Éditions le Mascaret, 1989 / Éditions l'Atalante, 1995.

Novels as Edouard, Edmond or Guy Duret

Bâti sur le mensonge. SEN, 1944.
Un grand scandale (Roman d'amour). SEN, 1944.
La lutte pour l'amour (Roman d'amour). SEN, 1944.
La cabane des dolomites. SEN, 1945.
Le feu du Sud (Roman d'amour). Collection Aphrodite, 1945.
Le Journal de Maire Laurent. Collection La rose bleu, 1945.
Le capitaine noir. Roman de cape et d'épée. SEN, 1945.
La tragique confession de Miss Brampton. Collection Amours vécues N ° 1, SEN, 1945.
L'éveil d'un coeur. Collection Amours vécues N ° 17, SEN, 1945.
La remplaçante. Collection Amours vécues N ° 12, SEN, 1946.
Bompied, le criminaliste. Collection SOS Police, 1944.
La lettre fatale. Editions Paul Dupont, 1945.
Un crime à l'auberge (l'insecte maléfique). Editions Paul Dupont, 1945.
La flamme froide ou l'amour bourgeois. Les Éditions Fournier, undated
Le réveil en campagne. Les Éditions Fournier, undated
Le grand amour des Demoiselles Dumesnil. Les Éditions Fournier, undated
The express de nuit. Les Éditions Fournier, undated
La grande amie. Les Éditions Fournier, undated
La bonne fille. Collection La rose pourpre, IFC, undated
Maria Christina. Collection La rose pourpre, IFC, undated

Novels as Mariodile

Pour son enfant. SEN, 1944.
La fille sans coeur. SEN, 1944.
Le professeur de vertu. SEN, 1944.
Le rendez-vous précédé, La mort entrera à minuit. SEN, 1944.
La délaissée. SEN, 1944.
Elle était trop belle. SEN, 1944.
Camille. n.v., 1945.
Il m'avait pardonné. Collection Variété N ° 1, SEN, 1945.
J'ai su me taire. Collection Variété N ° 3, SEN, 1945.
Mon ami d'enfance. Collection Variété N ° 4, SEN, 1945.
Derriére le décor (Roman d'amour). SEN, 1945.
Je t'ai choisie. Collection La rose bleue, SEN, 1945.
Je m'étais trompée sur toi. Collection La rose bleue, SEN, 1945.
Ma dernière chance. Collection La rose bleue, SEN, 1945.
Mon plus beau rêve. Collection Amours vécues N ° 19, SEN, 1946.
Fatal amour. Le carré d'as. Les Éditions et revues françaises, 1946.
Une femme passera. Les Éditions Fournier, undated

Novels as Albert Duvivier

La première enquête de l'inspecteur Lentraille. Nouvelles Publications, 1940 / Shanghaï Express N ° 1 and 2, March and April 2006.

Novels as Marcel Pivert

Des femmes ont disparu… Les Éditions Fournier, undated
L'hallucinante adventure chez les incas. Les Éditions Fournier, undated
On a volé un mort… Les Éditions Fournier, undated
Le tueur inconnu. Les Éditions Fournier, undated
L'hallucinante aventure du professeur Corbier. Les Éditions Fournier, undated

Filmography

Justice est faite. A film by André Cayatte and Charles Spaak, 1950.
Nous sommes tous des assassins. A film by André Cayatte and Charles Spaak, 1952.
La bonne tisane. A film by Hervé Bromberger, 1957.
Quand la femme s'en mêle. According to Sans attendre Godot . A film by Yves Allégret , 1957.
The loups in the bergerie. A film by Hervé Bromberger, 1959.
Jusqu'à plus soif. A film by Maurice Labro , 1961.
Fleur d'oseille. According to Langes radieux . A film by Georges Lautner , 1967.

Le Drakkar. Movie made for TV by Jacques Pierre, 1973.
Noces de soufre. TV film by Raymond Vouillamoz, broadcast on TF1 as part of the Série Noire series, 1984.
Pitié pour les rats. TV film by Jacques Ertaud, broadcast on TF1 as part of the Série Noire series, 1984.
La lune d'Omaha. Film by Jean Marboeuf, broadcast on TF1 as part of the Série Noire series, 1984.
Sortez of rank. After Le Boucher des Hurlus. Movie made for TV by Jean-Denis Robert, 1996.

literature

German-language literature

Bernd G. Bauske u. a. (Ed.): French Connection IV. Jean Amila. February 2004. ISSN 1610-5036 .
Bernd G. Bauske u. a. (Ed.): French Connection VIII. Amila read on. February 2007. ISSN 1610-5036 .
Julian Löffler: On the translation of the crime novels by Jean Amila: Roman populaire, roman populiste? Annex to: Bernd G. Bauske u. a. (Ed.): French Connection VI. Romain Slocombe. January 2006. ISSN 1610-5036 .
Didier Daeninckx: Amila ABC. Conte Verlag, 2008. ISBN 978-3-936950-91-5 . Free download from the publisher's website (PDF; 161 kB)

French-language literature

Jean-Paul Schweighaeuser: John Amila, l'homme rouge du roman noir. L'Almanach du crime, 1982.
Jean Amila, un vétéran du roman noir. Le Monde libertaire N ° 684, December 3rd 1987.
Didier Daeninckx: L'Abécédaire de Jean Amila. Révolution N ° 503, October 20, 1989.
Jean Amila. Polar N ° 16. Editions Rivages, 1995.
Didier Daeninckx: Jean Meckert. L'inconnu du noir-express. La Quinzaine littéraire N ° 859, August 2003. Revisited in: La Mémoire longue. Textes and images. 1986-2008 . Le cherche Midi, 2008.

Web links

Literature by and about Jean Amila in the catalog of the German National Library
Amila on the crime thriller couch
Conte Amila
Biography (french)

Individual evidence

^ Julian Löffler: On the translation of the crime novels by Jean Amila: roman populaire, roman populiste? Appendix to: Bernd G. Bauske (Ed.): French Connectíon VI. Romain Slocombe . P. 15.
↑ Julian Löffler: Back to civilization, back to the wild. Jean Meckert, La vierge et le taureau. In: Bernd G. Bauske (Ed.): French Connection VIII. Amila read on . P. 32/33.
↑ Amila on the crime thriller couch
^ Julian Löffler: On the translation of the crime novels by Jean Amila: roman populaire, roman populiste? Appendix to: Bernd G. Bauske (Ed.): French Connectíon VI. Romain Slocombe . P. 1.

personal data
SURNAME	Amila, Jean
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	John Amilanar
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	French author
DATE OF BIRTH	November 24, 1910
PLACE OF BIRTH	Paris
DATE OF DEATH	March 7, 1995
Place of death	Paris

[1] Julian Löffler: On the translation of the crime novels by Jean Amila: roman populaire, roman populiste? Appendix to: Bernd G. Bauske (Ed.): French Connectíon VI. Romain Slocombe . P. 15.

[2] Julian Löffler: Back to civilization, back to the wild. Jean Meckert, La vierge et le taureau. In: Bernd G. Bauske (Ed.): French Connection VIII. Amila read on . P. 32/33.

[3] Amila on the crime thriller couch

[4] Julian Löffler: On the translation of the crime novels by Jean Amila: roman populaire, roman populiste? Appendix to: Bernd G. Bauske (Ed.): French Connectíon VI. Romain Slocombe . P. 1.