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
A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely a ...
Regiment in the Second World War (until 1945).
He began to write quite early in his life. His first novel, ''Les Épées'' (''The Swords'') was published in 1948, when he was only 23.
Nimier was the recognized leader of the ''
Hussards
A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely a ...
'', a literary group which included notably
Antoine Blondin,
Michel Déon and
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 ...
, opposed to
existentialism. He was opposed to the figure of the "engaged writer" symbolized by
Jean-Paul Sartre.
Nimier most famous work is considered to be ''
The Blue Hussar
''The Blue Hussar'' () is a 1950 novel by the French writer Roger Nimier. Set in Germany in 1945–1946, it tells the story of ten French hussars who operate in the French occupation army right after World War II. The perspective shifts between sev ...
'' published in 1950. Nimier also wrote in
monarchist review ''
La Nation française''. He also worked with director
Louis Malle on the screenplay for Malle's 1958 film ''
Ascenseur pour l'échafaud
''Elevator to the Gallows'' (french: Ascenseur pour l'échafaud), also known as ''Frantic'' in the U.S. and ''Lift to the Scaffold'' in the U.K., is a 1958 French crime thriller film directed by Louis Malle, starring Jeanne Moreau and Maurice R ...
''.
The
Roger Nimier Prize was established in 1963 and goes to "a young author whose spirit is in line with the literary works of Roger Nimier".
Published works
* ''
Les Épées'' (1948)
* ''
Perfide'' (1950)
* ''
The Blue Hussar
''The Blue Hussar'' () is a 1950 novel by the French writer Roger Nimier. Set in Germany in 1945–1946, it tells the story of ten French hussars who operate in the French occupation army right after World War II. The perspective shifts between sev ...
'' (''Le hussard bleu'') (1950)
* ''
Les Enfants tristes'' (1951)
* ''
Nothing to Make a Fuss About'' (''Histoire d'un amour'') (1953)
* ''
D'Artagnan amoureux'' (1962)
* ''
L' Etrangere'' (1968)
See also
*
Hussards (literary movement)
References
1925 births
1962 deaths
Writers from Paris
French Army personnel of World War II
People affiliated with Action Française
Road incident deaths in France
20th-century French novelists
French male novelists
20th-century French male writers
{{France-writer-stub