The Hussards was a French literary movement in the 1950s which opposed

Existentialism Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and valu ...

and the figure of the politically engaged

intellectual An intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about the reality of society, and who proposes solutions for the normative problems of society. Coming from the world of culture, either as a creator or a ...

as personified by

Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was one of the key figures in the philosophy of existentialism (and phenomenology), a French playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and litera ...

Origins

Its name was coined by the literary critic

Bernard Frank Bernard Frank (11 October 1929, in Neuilly-sur-Seine – 3 November 2006, in Paris) was a French journalist and writer. Early life Bernard Frank was raised in a comfortable family, where his father was a bank manager. After his baccalauréat ...

, who grouped several figures under the ironic name of "''hussards''" (French for "hussars") in an article published in December 1952 in the journal ''

Les Temps modernes ''Les Temps Modernes'' (''Modern Times'') is a French journal, founded by Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. It first issue was published in October 1945. It was named after the 1936 film by Charlie Chaplin. ''Les ...

'', titled ''"Grognards et hussards"'' ("Old Guards and Hussars"). Frank chose that name because of

Roger Nimier Roger Nimier (31 October 1925 – 28 September 1962) was a French novelist. Life Nimier was born in Paris, and served in the French Army, specifically in the 2nd Hussard Regiment in the Second World War (until 1945). He began to write quite earl ...

's novel '' The Blue Hussar'' (''Le Hussard bleu'').

Membership

The Hussards were led by

Jacques Chardonne Jacques Chardonne (born ''Jacques Boutelleau''; 2 January 1884, in Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, Charente – 29 May 1968, in La Frette-sur-Seine) is the pseudonym of French writer Jacques Boutelleau. He was a member of the so-called Groupe de Barbe ...

and

Paul Morand Paul Morand (13 March 1888 – 24 July 1976) was a French author whose short stories and novellas were lauded for their style, wit and descriptive power. His most productive literary period was the interwar period of the 1920s and 1930s. He was mu ...

, and counted as core members

Antoine Blondin Antoine Blondin (11 April 1922 – 7 June 1991) was a French writer. He belonged to the literary group called the '' Hussards''. He was also a sports columnist in ''L'Équipe''. Blondin also wrote under the name Tenorio. Biography Blondin was ...

Michel Déon Michel Déon (; 4 August 1919 – 28 December 2016) was a French novelist and literary columnist. He published over 50 works and was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Prix Interallié for his 1970 novel, ''Les Poneys sauvages'' (The ...

Jacques Laurent Jacques Laurent or Jacques Laurent-Cély (6 January 1919 – 28 December 2000) was a French writer and journalist. He was born in Paris, the son of a barrister. During World War II, he fought with the Algerian Tirailleurs. Laurent was elect ...

and Roger Nimier. As in many literary or musical movements, the interested members rejected the label of "Hussards," Michel Déon (in ''Bagages pour Vancouver'') and Jacques Laurent (in ''Histoire égoïste'') denying the very existence of the literary movement. However, other authors were consciously attached to the movement, such as

Kléber Haedens Kléber Haedens (11 December 1913 in Équeurdreville – 13 August 1976), was a French novelist and journalist. He was a monarchist and a member of the Action Française in the 1930s. During World War II he worked as a secretary for Charles Maurra ...

Stephen Hecquet Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

Geneviève Dormann Geneviève Dormann (24 September 1933 – 13 February 2015) was a French journalist and novelist. The daughter of politician Maurice Dormann, she was born in Paris. Dormann worked as a journalist for the magazine ''Marie Claire'' and for the new ...

Félicien Marceau Félicien Marceau (16 September 1913 – 7 March 2012) was a French novelist, playwright and essayist originally from Belgium. His real name was Louis Carette. He was close to the Hussards right-wing literary movement, which in turn was close t ...

and Jacques Perret. The Hussards may best be understood as a literary expression of the monarchist ''

Action Française Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 f ...

'' (AF) or, in a broader sense, of the literary right. Almost all of the Hussards later participated to the ''Cahiers de la Table Ronde'', renamed ''

La Table Ronde LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

'', a review created for the purpose of contesting the predominance of ''Les Temps modernes'' and edited by

Roland Laudenbach Roland Laudenbach (20 October 1921 – 9 January 1991) was a French writer, editor, journalist, literary critic and scenarist. He had right-wing political beliefs aligned with the Action Française. After World War II he supported keeping Alge ...

to which famous writers such as

François Mauriac François Charles Mauriac (, oc, Francés Carles Mauriac; 11 October 1885 – 1 September 1970) was a French novelist, dramatist, critic, poet, and journalist, a member of the'' Académie française'' (from 1933), and laureate of the Nobel Priz ...

Jean Giono Jean Giono (30 March 1895 – 8 October 1970) was a French writer who wrote works of fiction mostly set in the Provence region of France. First period Jean Giono was born to a family of modest means, his father a cobbler of Piedmontese descent a ...

Jean Paulhan Jean Paulhan (2 December 1884 – 9 October 1968) was a French writer, literary critic and publisher, director of the literary magazine ''Nouvelle Revue Française'' (NRF) from 1925 to 1940 and from 1946 to 1968. He was a member (Seat 6, 1963–68 ...

contributed.

Bibliography

* Raphaël Chauvancy, ''Jacques Laurent'', Éditions Pardès, coll. « Qui suis-je? », 2009. * Marc Dambre, (dir.) ''Les hussards Une génération littéraire'', Paris, Presses Sorbonne Nouvelle, 2000. * François Dufay, '' Le soufre et le moisi. La droite littéraire après 1945. Chardonne, Morand et les hussards'', Paris, Perrin, 2006. * Bernard Frank, "Grognards & Hussards", ''

'', 1952. Réédition dans ''Grognards & Hussards, suivi de La Turquie'', Paris, Le Dilettante, 1984. * Pol Vandromme, ''La Droite buissonnière'', Paris, Les Sept Couleurs, 1960. French literary movements Action Française {{lit-mov-stub