Denys Louis de Rougemont (September 8, 1906 – December 6, 1985), known as Denis de Rougemont (), was a

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

writer and cultural theorist who wrote in French. One of the

non-conformists of the 1930s The non-conformists of the 1930s were groups and individuals during the inter-war period in France that were seeking new solutions to face the political, economical and social crisis. The name was coined in 1969 by the historian Jean-Louis Loubet ...

, he addressed the perils of

totalitarianism Totalitarianism is a form of government and a political system that prohibits all opposition parties, outlaws individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high if not complete degree of control and reg ...

from a Christian point of view. After the Second World War, he promoted

European federalism The United States of Europe (USE), the European State, the European Federation and Federal Europe, is the hypothetical scenario of the European integration leading to formation of a sovereign superstate (similar to the United States of Americ ...

Life

He studied at the

University of Neuchâtel The University of Neuchâtel (UniNE) is a French-speaking university based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The university has four faculties (schools) and more than a dozen institutes, including arts and human sciences, natural sciences, law and eco ...

and in Vienna, and then moved to

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

in 1930. There he wrote for and edited various publications, associating with the

personalist Personalism is an intellectual stance that emphasizes the importance of human persons. Personalism exists in many different versions, and this makes it somewhat difficult to define as a philosophical and theological movement. Friedrich Schleierm ...

groupings and the

: with

Emmanuel Mounier Emmanuel Mounier (; ; 1 April 1905 – 22 March 1950) was a French philosopher, theologian, teacher and essayist. Biography Mounier was the guiding spirit in the French personalist movement, and founder and director of '' Esprit'', the magazine ...

and Arnaud Dandieu, he founded the magazines '' Esprit'' and ''L'Ordre Nouveau'', and he also co-founded a magazine, with

Roland de Pury Baron Roland de Pury (15 November 1907 – 24 January 1979) was a Swiss Protestant theologian, pastor, and writer. Living in France during World War II, he was a staunch opponent of Nazism and the Holocaust and publicly criticized and preached aga ...

, on existential theology, ''Hic et Nunc''. In June 1940, fearing that

defeatism Defeatism is the acceptance of defeat without struggle, often with negative connotations. It can be linked to pessimism in psychology, and may sometimes be used synonymously with fatalism or determinism. History The term ''defeatism'' is common ...

and the pressure of Nazi propaganda (and armies) would lead the federal government to submit to the Germans and give up the traditional democratic values of Switzerland, he led with Zurich University Professor

Theophil Spoerri Theophil Spoerri (10 June 1890, in La Chaux-de-Fonds – 24 December 1974, in Caux), was a Swiss writer and academic. Family Theophil Spoerri was the son of a Methodist Preacher called Jakob Gottlieb Spoerri and of his wife Maria Eugenie Th ...

a group of young people which created a

civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.Gotthard League The Gotthard League was a Swiss civil society movement formed in 1940 with the aim to combat defeatism and Nazi propaganda at a time when the Swiss were surrounded by triumphant and obviously aggressive Axis powers armies. Context In 1940, confront ...

in order to defend both Christian values and the independence of Switzerland. De Rougemont wrote the movement's manifesto and on 22 July an "Appeal to the Swiss People" which was widely published in the Swiss press to rally support for the movement. Later in 1940, after having authored a sharp column in a Swiss newspaper which infuriated the German government, he was sent to the United States and administered French broadcasting for the

Voice of America Voice of America (VOA or VoA) is the state-owned news network and international radio broadcaster of the United States of America. It is the largest and oldest U.S.-funded international broadcaster. VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content ...

. He likewise taught at the

École Libre des Hautes Études École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Sav ...

in New York before returning to Europe in 1946. He founded in Geneva the "Centre Européen de la Culture" in 1950 and in 1963 the "Institut Universitaire d'Etudes Européennes" (IUEE, "Graduate Institute of European Studies", attached to the

University of Geneva The University of Geneva (French: ''Université de Genève'') is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin as a theological seminary. It remained focused on theology until the 17th centu ...

). He was president of the Paris-based Congrès pour la Liberté de la Culture.Denis de Rougemont (1956/1966), ''Love in the Western World'', trans., Montgomery Belgion, revised edition, reprint, New York: Fawcett, p. Probably his most influential work is ''Love in the Western World'' (1939, 1956, 1972; English translations 1940, 1956, 1982). The 1989–1990 academic year at the

College of Europe The College of Europe (french: Collège d'Europe) is a post-graduate institute of European studies with its main campus in Bruges, Belgium and a second campus in Warsaw, Poland. The College of Europe in Bruges was founded in 1949 by leading ...

was named in his honour. He is buried at the Cimetière de Plainpalais in Geneva.

Works

* ''Les Méfaits de l'Instruction publique'' (1929) * ''Le Paysan du Danube'' (1932) * ''Politique de la Personne'' (1934) * ''Penser avec les Mains'' (1936) * ''Journal d'un Intellectuel en chômage'' (1937) * ''Journal d'Allemagne'' (1938) * ''L'Amour et l'Occident'' (1939, revised 1956 and 1972), translated as '' Love in the Western World'' (US) and '' Passion and Society'' (UK) * ''Nicolas de Flue'' (1939) * ''Mission ou Démission de la Suisse'' (1940) * ''Qu'est-ce que la Ligue du Gothard?'' (1940) * ''La Part du Diable '' (1942/1944) translated as ''The Devil's Share'' * ''Les Personnes du Drame'' (1944) * ''Journal des deux Mondes'' (1946) * ''Doctrine Fabuleuse'' (1946) * ''Vivre en Amérique'' (1947) * ''L'Europe en jeu'' (1948) * ''Lettres aux députés européens'' (1950) * ''L'Aventure occidentale de l'Homme'' (1957) * ''Comme Toi-Même'' (1961), translated as '' Myths of Love'' (1963) * '' The Christian Opportunity'' (1963) * ''Fédéralisme culturel'' (1965) * ''La Suisse ou l'Histoire d'un Peuple heureux'' (1965) * ''Journal d'une époque (1926-1946)'' (1968) * ''Les Mythes de l'Amour'' (1972) * ''L'Avenir est notre Affaire'' (1977) * ''L'Ecrivain et la politique: les problèmes de l'engagement'' (1978) * ''Vers la relance du débat européen? Le déclin de l'Europe, mythe et histoire'' (1978) * ''De l'Europe des Etats coalisés à l'Europe des peuples fédérés'' (1978) * ''Rapport au peuple européen sur l'état de l'union de l'Europe 1979'' (1979) * ''Formule d’une Europe parallèle ou rêverie d’un fédéraliste libertaire'' (1979) * ''Inédits'', ed by Jean Mantzouranis and François Saint-Ouen (1988) * ''Dictionnaire international du fédéralisme'' (Dir.), ed by François Saint-Ouen (1994)

References

Bibliography

* Bruno Ackermann, "A la recherche d'une éthique en littérature, l'oeuvre de Denis de Rougemont", ''La Licorne'', Poitiers, 1989, t. 16, p. 421-437. * Bruno Ackermann," Regards sur la Suisse dans l'oeuvre de Denis de Rougemont (1938-1940)", ''Equinoxe'', Lausanne, 1989, t. 1, p. 29-58. * Bruno Ackermann - François Saint-Ouen, "Rougemont, Denis de (1906-1985)", in Dictionnaire international du Fédéralisme'' (F. Saint-Ouen ed.), Bruxelles, Bruylant, 1994, p. 259-266. * Bruno Ackermann, ''Denis de Rougemont, une biographie intellectuelle'', Geneva, 1996. * Bruno Ackermann, ''Denis de Rougemont - De la personne à l'Europe'', Lausanne, 2000. * Andrée Bachoud - Josefine Cuesta - Michel Trebitsch (dir.), '' Les intellectuels et l'Europe, de 1945 à nos jours'', Paris, 2009. * Christian Campiche, ''Denis de Rougemont, le séducteur de l'Occident'', Geneva, 1999. * Christian Campiche, ''Le nègre de la rose, essai'', Charmey, 2004. * Alain Chardonnens, ''Le jeune Denis de Rougemont contre l'école-prison, suivi de : La construction européenne selon Denis de Rougemont et Gonzague de Reynold'', Geneva, 2001. * Ariane Chebel d'Appollonia, ''Histoire politique des intellectuels en France (1944-1954)'', Paris, 1991. * Collectif, ''Denis de Rougemont, aujourd'hui'', Lausanne, 2007. * Mary Jo Deering, ''Denis de Rougemont, l'Européen'', Lausanne, 1991. * ''Du personnalisme au fédéralisme européen, en hommage à Denis de Rougemont. Colloque'', Geneva, 1989. * Fabrizio Frigerio, "L'engagement politique de Denis de Rougemont", ''Cadmos'', Geneva, 1986, n.33, p. 115-124. * Fabrizio Frigerio, "Rougemont, Denis de", in: ''Schweizer Lexikon'', Mengis & Ziehr Ed., Luzern, 1991–1993, t. V, p. 428. * Fabrizio Fabrizio t alii "Fédéralisme chez Rougemont", in: ''Dictionnaire international du Fédéralisme'' (F. Saint-Ouen ed.), Bruxelles, Bruylant, 1994, p. 202-204 * Fabrizio Frigerio, "Le rôle de l'école selon Denis de Rougemont", ''Les Cahiers du Val-de-Travers'', 2006, n. 6, p. 12-14. * Anne-Caroline Graber, ''Denis de Rougemont: une philosophie politique et une pensée européenne pour éclairer notre temps'', Geneva, 2007. * Jean Jacob, ''Le retour de "L'Ordre Nouveau" Les métamorphoses d'un fédéralisme européen'', Geneva-Paris, 2000. *

Mario Kopić Mario Kopić (born 13 March 1965) is a philosopher, author and translator. His main areas of interest include: the history of ideas, the philosophy of art, the philosophy of culture, phenomenology and the philosophy of religion. Kopić is infl ...

, "Ljubav ili smrt", ''Zarez'', 2013, n. 365-366, p. 50. * Silvio Locatelli, ''Denis de Rougemont. La vita e il pensiero'', Milan, 1965. * Jean-Louis Loubet del Bayle, ''Les non-conformistes des années 30, une tentative de renouvellement de la pensée politique française'', Paris, 2001. * Alexandre Marc, ''Une lumière qui ne s'éteint jamais'', Nice, 1996. * Joan Alfred Martìnez i Seguì, ''La filosofia social i polìtica de Denis de Rougemont. Personalisme i federalisme integral'', València, 2009. * Elisabeth du Réau, ''L'idée d'Europe au XXe siècle: des mythes aux réalités'', Paris, 2001. * André Reszler, Henri Schwamm, ''Denis de Rougemont, l'écrivain, l'européen, Etudes et témoignages publiés pour le 70ème anniversaire de Denis de Rougemont'', Neuchâtel, 1976. * Sylvia Robert, Maryse Schmidt-Surdez, Michel Schlup, ''Denis de Rougemont: une vie pour l'Europe, exhibition 6.10.1995 - 2.3.1996, catalogue'', Geneva, 1995. * Undine Ruge, ''Die Erfindung des "Europa der Regionen". Kritische Ideengeschichte eines konservativen Konzepts'', Francfort, 2003. * François Saint-Ouen, ''Denis de Rougemont, introduction à sa vie et son oeuvre'', Geneva, 1995. * François Saint-Ouen, ''Les grandes figures de la construction européenne'', Geneva, 1997. * François Saint-Ouen, ''Denis de Rougemont et l'Europe des Régions'', Geneva, 1998. * François Saint-Ouen, ''Le fédéralisme'', Gollion, 2005. * François Saint-Ouen, "Denis de Rougemont, parcours d'une vie", in: ''Denis de Rougemont, l'Européen'', exhibition organised by the Centre européen de la culture and the Fondation Martin Bodmer, Geneva, 2006, p. 23-29. * François Saint-Ouen, "De la Culture et du dialogue des cultures chez Denis de Rougemont", in: ''Dialogue des Cultures à l’aube du XXIe siècle'' (sous la dir. de Dusan Sidjanski assisté de l’auteur), Bruxelles, 2007, p. 45-62. * François Saint-Ouen, "Celui qui a commencé par la Culture", in: ''Penser l’Europe à Genève : l’héritage de Denis de Rougemont'', (co-editeur avec Frédéric Esposito), Louvain-la-Neuve, 2008. * François Saint-Ouen, ''L'Europe de Denis de Rougemont'', Editions Academia, 2014. * Christina Schulz, "Neutralité et engagement : Denis de Rougemont et le concept de "neutralité active" ", ''A contrario'', Vol. 4, No. 2, 2006. * Pierre de Senarclens, ''Le mouvement "Esprit" 1932-1941'', Lausanne, 1974. * Dusan Sidjanski, "Denis de Rougemont, l'Européen", in: ''Denis de Rougemont, l'Européen'', exhibition organised by the Centre européen de la culture and the Fondation Martin Bodmer, Geneva, 2006, p. 9-21. * Nicolas Stenger
''Denis de Rougemont. Les intellectuels et l'Europe au XXe siècle''
Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2015. * Giangiacomo Vale, ''Pólemos. La dialettica federalista in Denis de Rougemont'', in ''Ripensare il federalismo. Prospettive storico-filosofiche'', a cura di S. Berardi e G. Vale, Nuova Cultura, Roma, 2013, p. 107-130 * Giangiacomo Vale, ''La croce, l’asse e la spira. Simbolismo dell’Occidente nell’opera di Denis de Rougemont'', in «Metabasis», VIII, n° 16, 2013, pp. 55-71 * Giangiacomo Vale, ''La nazione e la guerra. Genealogia e prognosi del nazionalismo nel pensiero di Denis de Rougemont'', in: ''Il senso di una guerra. Ragione, nazione, passione, irrazionalità alle origini della Grande Guerra'', a cura di G. Vale, Nuova Cultura, Roma, 2016, pp. 143-172. * Giangiacomo Vale, ''Una e Diversa. L'Europa di Denis de Rougemont'', Milano-Udine, Mimesis, 2017. * Bertrand Vayssière, ''Vers une Europe fédérale? les espoirs et les actions fédéralistes au sortir de la seconde guerre mondiale'', Bruxelles, 2006. * Verdaguer, Pierre, « Denis de Rougemont et la nouvelle censure », ''The French Review'', Vol. LIX, No. 2, December 1985. * Hélène Yèche, (dir.), ''Construction européenne: histoires et images des origines'', Paris, 2009.

External links

*
Videos: Denis de Rougemont
un dossier de la Télévision suisse romande.
''Etre un intellectuel'', interview with Denis de Rougemont (1971)
video on YouTube

(Geneva, May 1968).
Article on Denis de Rougemont
in the ''Dictionnaire Historique de la Suisse''.
Denis de Rougemont, by Benedikt von Tscharner

Lycée Denis de Rougemont
at Neuchâtel.
Alexandre Marc and Denis de Rougemont
by François Saint-Ouen.
Conférence sur Denis de Rougemont
by Jean-Pierre Gouzy (Paris, Maison de l'Europe, 2006).
Article sur Denis de Rougemont
by Alain de Benoist.
Centenaire de la naissance de Denis de Rougemont
by Jean-Baptiste Mathieu.
Rougemont 2.0 : The Complete Works of Denis de Rougemont online
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rougement, Denis De 1906 births 1985 deaths European integration pioneers People from Val-de-Travers District Swiss writers in French German–French translators University of Neuchâtel alumni Stateless nationalism in Europe 20th-century translators Winners of the Prix Broquette-Gonin (literature) Non-conformists of the 1930s

Life

Works

See also

References

Bibliography

External links