Roger Peyrefitte

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Roger Peyrefitte (born August 17, 1907 in Castres , Département Tarn , † November 5, 2000 in Paris ) was a French writer and diplomat . He is considered a pioneer of homosexual literature.

Life

Born into a wealthy family from Languedoc in southwest France , he first attended various Jesuit and Lazarist colleges and later studied languages ​​and literature in Toulouse before joining the elite École libre des sciences politiques (today Institut d'études politiques de Paris ) entered. In 1930 he completed his studies as the best of his class and began his diplomatic career in the French Foreign Ministry in 1931. From 1933 to 1938 he was the embassy secretary in Athens . Back in Paris, he interrupted his work for the Foreign Ministry from October 1940 to May 1943 for personal reasons - in 2010 it became known: after he was caught having sexual intercourse with minors - (or on suspicion of collaboration) from October 1940 to May 1943. His career ended for good in 1945 because of the allegation of collaboration with Nazi Germany. However, he was rehabilitated in 1962.

Peyrefitte was openly gay . He also advocated pederasty : “J'aime les agneaux pas les moutons!” (I like the lambs, not the sheep!). Far more so than André Gide , and in contrast to Henry de Montherlant , whose friend he was for a long time, he represented his love for boys extensively in his literary career.

Despite his liberal views on sexuality, he was politically very conservative, which has made him a supporter of the right-wing extremist politician Jean-Marie Le Pen and his Front National party in recent years . At the same time, he was occasionally open to fundamentalist Catholicism. Although he repeatedly polemicized against the Catholic Church throughout his life, he received the Church's sacraments . Peyrefitte died of Parkinson's disease in Paris at the age of 93 and found his final resting place in the cemetery of Alet-les-Bains ( Département Aude ).

Writing career

In his often controversial works, he messed with many groups and individuals. He did not stop at his former employers on the Quai d'Orsay or at the Catholic Church. This brought him many enemies, including Marlene Dietrich , Françoise Sagan , André Gide and Henry de Montherlant .

Les Amitiés particulières (Secret Friendships)

For this work, published in 1944, Peyrefitte immediately received the Theophraste-Renaudot Prize in 1945 . The author caused a scandal with the book, because it uncovered quite unorthodox amorous tendencies in a Catholic boys' boarding school by describing the love of two 14 and 12 year old boys for each other. Although sexuality is only hinted at discreetly, it is always present in the background in the heated feelings of the boys and sometimes also of the adults. For example when the young Alexander asked his friend this question: "Georges, do you know things that one shouldn't know?"

One can understand this moving story in the midst of an exclusively male community as a tragic confrontation of two religions: that of Christ and that of the boy. Each of the main characters is more or less permeated by the struggle between mystical love on the one hand and love for boys on the other, between official Christianity and the secretly triumphant pederasty . It is this mystical character, so to speak, which, in conjunction with the author's versatility in classicist style and strict composition, made Les Amitiés particulières a cult book.

Twenty years after the book was published, Jean Delannoy filmed the novel in 1964 (see Secret Friendships ). The film received a triumphant reception at the Venice Biennale . Although it does not have the density and depth of the novel, it impresses with the acting qualities of Didier Haudepin (Alexandre), Michel Bouquet (Pater de Trennes) and Louis Seigner (Pater Lauzon). The biggest differences between book and film are the age of the two protagonists and the length of the relationship. In the film, Alexandre is 10 years old at the beginning of the relationship, while Georges is 17, and the relationship between the two lasts through Georges' three years of high school until he is close to high school. Another less significant difference is that Georges is blonde in the book, but black-haired in the film, which removes some of the allusions between himself and Alexandre about hair color.

While filming in the Abbey of Royaumont, Roger Peyrefitte fell in love with Alain-Philippe Malagnac d'Argens de Villele , who was then thirteen or fourteen , with whom he had a passionate relationship, which included the stories Notre amour and L'Enfant de cœur is thematized. Peyrefitte later supported him financially and in the 1980s even had to sell his coin, book and sculpture collections. His extensive collection of erotic art was auctioned in Paris in 1978. It now forms the basis of the "Dominik M. Klinger Collection", which with more than 4000 objects is one of the largest of its kind in private ownership worldwide.

Historical and satirical writings

1953 called the book Les Clés de saint Pierre , of which critics said, Peyrefitte mocked Pope Pius XII. caused a scandal. François Mauriac threatened to leave the weekly L'Express if it continued to advertise the book. The confrontation between the two writers intensified when the film Les Amitiés particulières came out, culminating in a harsh open letter from Peyrefitte who did not hesitate to address Mauriac's hidden homosexual tendencies and accuse him of hypocrisy.

Roger Peyrefitte's well-documented historical novels are based on real historical or current facts. The biography of Alexander the Great became the most important reference work for historians on this Macedonian conqueror.

The majority of his works, however, essentially consist of satires, even if these sometimes come unexpectedly close to reality (cf. Les Ambassades ). Some of his work is aimed at specialists ( Chevaliers de Malte , Les Juifs ). The work Les Juifs and the Jews treated the origin of most of the European ruling elite in areas such as politics and economics, claiming that almost every influential politicians, whether was in France, Germany or the Netherlands Jew. He was u. a. sued by the Rothschilds. Even if Peyrefitte's humor is quite appealing, some texts occasionally turn out to be a bit boring for the uninitiated ( Fils de la Lumière ).

In most of his works on contemporary issues, he could not help coming out well-known personalities as like-minded people with his sexual orientation, such as B. Henry de Montherlant . Roger Peyrefitte also denounced various mistakes made by people he staged to amuse the reader, which is why it was very dangerous for many to deal with him. One of the few personalities he was full of praise was his (platonic) girlfriend Sylvie Vartan . (see L'enfant de coeur )

Peyrefitte also wrote about Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen's exile in Capri ( L'Exilé de Capri ) and translated Greek pederastic love poems ( La Muse garçonnière ).

His works have been translated into many languages. In the features section of a high-circulation Athens newspaper, some of them appeared under the name Rozé Perfit at the end of the 1970s.

Honors

Works

Autobiography
  • Propos secrets . Albin Michel, Paris 1977/99
  1. Speaking of secrets I . 1977, ISBN 2-226-00502-1 .
  2. Propos secrets II . 1980, ISBN 2-226-00978-7 .
  3. L'innominato. Nouveaux propos secrets . 1999, ISBN 2-226-03492-7 .
Biographies
  1. The boy Alexander ("La Jeunesse d'Alexandre"). 1982, ISBN 3-442-06455-4 (2 volumes).
  2. Alexander the Conqueror ("Les Conquêtes d'Alexandre"). 1985, ISBN 3-442-06799-5 .
  3. Alexander the Great ("Alexandre le Grand"). 1988, ISBN 3-442-09159-4 .
  • Voltaire . Sa jeunesse et son temps . Albin Michel, Paris 1985 (2 volumes):
  1. 1985, ISBN 2-226-02480-8 .
  2. 1980, ISBN 2-226-02533-2 .
  1. 1992, ISBN 2-226-06020-0 .
  2. 1992, ISBN 2-226-06081-2 .
Illustrated books
  • Un Musée de l'Amour . Éditions du Rocher, Monte Carlo 1972 (photographs by Marianne Haas).
  • Louis Doucet : raconté par ... . Éditions Sun, Paris 1985, ISBN 2-7191-0226-1 (photographs by Rosine Mazin).
Letters
stories
  • Les Amours singulières . Flammarion, Paris 1970 (content: Le maîtresse de piano , Le Baron de Gloeden ).
  • La Sibylle de Cume . In the S. (Ed.): Les Œuvres libres, vol. 1 . Fayard, Paris 1951.
  • A travers la Campanie . In the S. (Ed.): Les Œuvres libres, Vol. 2 . Fayard, Paris 1952.
  • From Vesuvius to Etna. Narration (“Du Vésuve à l'Etna”). Stahlberg Verlag, Karlsruhe 1955 (translated by Johannes Piron).
  • Jeunes Proies . Flammarion, Paris 1956.
  • Les secrets des conclaves . Flammarion, Paris 1964.
  • Manouche. A woman in our time (“Manouche”). Lübbe Verlag, Bergisch Gladbach 1977, ISBN 3-404-00425-6 (translated by Gerhard Heller ).
  • L'Enfant Amour . Flammarion, Paris 1972.
  • Jack of Hearts. Narrative ("L'Enfant de cœur"). Heyne, Munich 1980, ISBN 3-453-01248-8 (translated by Sybille A. Rott-Illfeld).
  • Return to Sicile . Éditions du Rocher, Monte Carlo 1996, ISBN 2-268-02155-6 .
Novels
  • Secret friendships. Roman ("Les Amitiés particulières"). Gmünder Verlag, Berlin 2004, ISBN 3-86187-837-2 (translated by Günther Vulpius ).
  • Mademoiselle de Murville. Novel . Éditions J'ai lu, Paris 1969 (J'ai lu; 86).
  • L'Oracle. Roman , Flammarion, Paris 1974 ( Le Livre de Poche ; 4006).
  • La Mort d'une mère . Éditions J'ai lu, Paris 1986, ISBN 2-277-22113-9 (J'ai lu; 2113).
  • Diplomats. Roman ("Les Ambassades"). Fischer Taschenbuchverlag, Frankfurt / M. 1970 (translated by Grete Steinböck).
  • Diplomatic missions. Roman ("La Fin des ambassades"). Fischer Taschenbuchverlag, Frankfurt / M. 1973, ISBN 3-436-01731-0 (translated by Cajetan Freund).
  • The keys of Saint Peter. Roman ("Les Clés de Saint-Pierre"). Goldmann, Munich 1983, ISBN 3-442-06563-1 (translated by Hellmuth Ludwig).
  • Maltese knight. Roman ("Les Chevaliers de Malte"). Stahlberg Verlag, Karlsruhe 1957 (translated by Urban Fürst).
  • Exile in Capri. Roman ("L'Exilé de Capri"). Gmünder Verlag, Berlin 2004, ISBN 3-86187-839-9 (preface by Jean Cocteau , translated by Urban Fürst).
  • The sons of light. Roman ("Les Fils de la lumière"). Stahlberg Verlag, Karlsruhe 1962 (thematizes Freemasonry , translated by Günther Vulpius).
  • The nature of the prince. Roman ("La Nature du Prince"). Fischer Taschenbuchverlag, Frankfurt / M. 1970, ISBN 3-436-01307-2 (translated by Günther Vulpius).
  • The Jews. Roman ("Les Juifs"). Stahlberg Verlag, Karlsruhe 1966 (translated by Brigitte Weitbrecht).
  • The impossible love. Roman ("Notre Amour", 1967). Stahlberg Verlag, Karlsruhe 1968 (translated by Max Schmalfeldt).
  • Americans, Americans. Roman ("Les Américains"). Fischer Taschenbuchverlag, Frankfurt / M. 1984, ISBN 3-596-28098-2 (translated by Erika Wolber).
  • Paris is a whore. Roman ("Des Français"). Fischer Taschenbuchverlag, Frankfurt / M. 1984, ISBN 3-596-28099-0 (translated by Max Schmalfeldt).
  • La Coloquinte. Novel . Éditions J'ai lu, Paris 1973 (J'ai lu; 473).
  • Roy. Novel . Éditions TG, Paris 2005, ISBN 2-914679-17-3 .
  • L'Illustre écrivain. Roman Albin Michel, Paris 1982, ISBN 2-226-01482-9 .
  • The red cassock. Roman ("La Soutane rouge"). Goldmann, Munich 1986, ISBN 3-442-08470-9 (translated by Martin Schulte).
  • Le Dernier des Sivry. Novel . Éditions du Rocher, Monte Carlo 1993, ISBN 2-268-01486-X .
Non-fiction
  • Homage to Arno Breker . Festschrift for the 80th birthday of the sculptor . Marco Éditions, Paris 1980 (together with Volker G. Probst).
  • Reflection on De Gaulle . Société des Éditions régionales, Geneva 1991, ISBN 2-84035-003-3 .
  • C'etait De Gaulle . Editions de Fallois, Paris 1995/2000
  1. La France redevient la France . 1995, ISBN 2-213-02832-X .
  2. La France repend sa place dans le monde . 1997, ISBN 2-213-59458-9 .
  3. Tout le monde à besoin d'une France qui marche . 2000, ISBN 2-213-60059-7 .
theatre
  • Le Prince des neiges. Drama en 3 acts . Flammarion, Paris 1961 (Premiere Théâtre Hébertot , Paris 10 December 1947).
Translations
  • Lucian of Samosata : Les Amours . Flammarion, Paris 1954 (from the Greek).
  • Lucian of Samosata: La Muse Garçonnière . Flammarion, Paris 1973 (from the Greek).

literature

  1. Vichy ou les infortunes de la vertu . 2008, ISBN 978-2-226-18394-1 .
  2. De la grande protituée à la revanche des males . 2009, ISBN 978-2-226-18688-1 .
  • Jean Chalon (Ed.): Hommage à Peyrefitte. Love to roger; Festschrift for the 75th birthday . Marco Éditions, Paris 1982 (illustrated by Arno Breker , Salvador Dalí , Pierre-Yves Trémois , Amanda Lear , Jean Carzou , Yves Bayer ).
  • Paul-Xavier Giannoli: Roger Peyrefitte ou les clés du scandale . Fayard, Paris 1970.
  • Maurice Périsset: Roger Peyrefitte ou La boutiquière de Castres . Lefeuvre, Nice 1979.
  • Antoine Deléry: Roger Peyrefitte le sulfureux . H&O éditions, Le Triadou, 2011.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ This is how the French did it to the Germans. In: welt.de . August 28, 2018, accessed on January 13, 2020 (Review by: Patrick Buisson: 1940–1945. Années érotiques ).
  2. ↑ Vatican: Did the cardinals chat? In: Der Spiegel . No. 35 , 1955 ( online ).
  3. ^ Peyrefitte: Names and Noses . In: Der Spiegel . No. 29 , 1965 ( online ).

Web links

Commons : Roger Peyrefitte  - collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Peyrefitte, Roger
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French writer and diplomat
DATE OF BIRTH 17th August 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH Castres , south of France
DATE OF DEATH November 5, 2000
Place of death Paris