Materials consist primarily of correspondence and official records that document 20th-century French poet René Char's activities during World War II, in particular, his involvement with the French Resistance as head of Section Atterrissage Parachutage (SAP) Region 2 in the Basses-Alpes.
The order of the materials, most likely established by René Char and Marie-Claude Char, was mostly maintained.
Resistance I, 1941-2004
Georges Lambrichs, 1947 January 8
René Armand, 1944 November 12
List of Names Represented, undated
A. Dumay, 1947-1948
Bellion, 1957 March
Azan, Général A., 1945 March 5
Broïda, E., 1945-1948
Bouvier, Emile, 1952 June 20
Clément, 1945 February 2
Fradisse, Olga, 1944 February 11
Gairaud, Jean, 1948 March 13
Garcin, Jean, 1979 February 9
Gay, Jeanette, 1945 March 13
Imbert, Achille, 1954 October 19
Martin, Paul, 1944-1947
Martin, A., 1946 July 17
Martin, Jean, de Reillanne, 1947
Navi, Ferdinand, 1947 January 15
Masoiro, Joseph, 1945 February 27
Micheli, 1945 May 23
Mourier, Captain, 1945-1946
Nicault, Claude, 1945 February 14
Panza, A., 1945-2004
Pelloux, Sabine et Lucien, 1946-1947
Poix, 1945 May- June
Rua, Jean, 1946 May 12
Roux, Emile, 1951 October 2
Seignon, Marceau, 1945-1977
Thro, Henri, 1945 January 30
Villa, 1951
Walquemanne, 1945 May- December
Marcel Brunot, 1941-1942
Letter from "Jean", 1950 October 22
L'Assemblée Amicale d'Entraide des Anciens Officiers Correspondence and Convocations, 1946-1972
Resistance II, 1942-1998
Compagnons de Céreste, 1942-1980
List of Correspondents, undated
Albertingo, Emile, 1945-1974
Armand, Emile, 1948 September 27
Balazuc, Marc, 1946 May
Bassanelly, Maurice, 1947-1949
Brunet, 1945 July- August
Charmasson, Arthur Christol, 1945
Charmasson, Bruno, 1948-1959
Chaudon, Roger, 1945
Delfini, François, 1944-1947
Gillet, 1945
Godchot, 1944
Jeanjean, R., 1945-1946
Léon, Pierrot, 1945
Julien, 1945
Lignon, André, 1942-1946
Loretti, Marcel, 1943
Nervi, Ferdinand, 1949 September 16
Nestoux, Jean, 1946-1949
Recco, Vincent, 1945-1947
Ribiere, Roger, 1944-1946
Rieu, Jean (Gendarme), 1947-1949
Roux, Claude, 1945
List of Correspondents, undated
Bardouin, 1946-1956
Cavagni, Pierre, 1946
Derbez, Emile (Leo), 1946
Rostagne, Denis, 1947-1965
Royer, Raymond, 1949-1961
Testanière, Marius, 1944-1997
Testanière, Ismael, 1945
Forcalquier, R. Vincent, 1957
Dumay, Pougel, 1947
Sicard, Tecla, 1954-1958
Others, 1944-1998
Beyne (Colonel), 1956 December 6
Besson, Gabriel, 1944-1946
Chaudon, Andree Delphine, 1945-1946
Christol, Albert, 1948-1955
Domaine, E. Michaud, 1956
"Eva", undated
de Floquierol, Armand, undated
Fontaine, Joesph, 1945 February 12
de Garnier, 1946 June
Genin, A., 1951 March 16
Gonnet, Maurice, 1946
Maurice, Julien, 1945 August 21
de Mazan, Jean Menut, undated
Polyte, 1946 May 6
Sidoine, Marcelle, 1946
Sylvain, Blanc, 1954 October 16
Thro, Henri, 1945 November 18
Resistance III, 1935-1987
Papelon, Louis, 1943
Poulet Affair, 1943-1987
Poulet Affair, 1943-1947
Poulet Affair, 1948-1949
Poulet Affair, 1946-1987
Potet, Jean, 1935-1940
Bouvier, Emile, 1944-1957
Inderkummen, Pierre, 1945-1956
Louis Laurens Affair, 1946-1959
Resistance IV, 1941-1968
Letters of Denunciation, undated
Signed Note by Char, undated
Radio Messages, undated
Alger, 1944-1945
Ordre de Mission, 1944
Ordre de Mission Permanent, 1944
Passe Temporaire, 1944
Carte Verte Spéciale Opération, 1944
Newsletters (Actions à Alger), 1944
Resistance V, 1929 July 6-1976
Unidentified Sender, 1929 July 6
Miscellaneous Letters, 1940-1943
Miscellaneous Letters, 1944
Miscellaneous Letters, 1945
Miscellaneous Letters, 1946-1948
Miscellaneous Letters, 1950-1962
Miscellaneous Letters, undated
General A. Azan, 1945-1949
Roger Brielle, 1945-1956
[Resistance VI], 1939-2008
B.O.E.M. Booklet, undated
Bariadnisky, Madeleine, 1940 June 8
Dantant, Georges, 1940-1969
Pascal, Pierre, 1939 December 8
Sicard, Jean, 1940-1945
Lapierre, Charles H., 1941 June 6
Baudry, Robert, 1940
Pascal, Pierre, 1947
Royer, Chanoine, 1956
Damgalongue, S., 1940 February 25
Marc, Georges, 1982 September 15
Fonjallaz, Anne, 1940-1942
Maquis Emblem Drawing, undated
Photographs, 1943
Note from Char to Marcelle, undated
Letter from Marcelle, 1948
Text entitled "Le Devoir", 1942
Mairie Pons de Céreste Letter, 1946
Denis Rogstagne Letter, undated
Claude D. Letter, 1966
Emile Bouvier Letter, 1950-1952
Gabriel Cousier, 1937-1939
Ramirez Letter, 1952
H. Dumay Letter, 1947
Maurice Gonnet Letter, 1946
General Cochet Letter, 1945
Philippe Farine Letter, 1952
Unidentified Letter, 1939
Marie-Claude Char Note, undated
Demand D'attestation, 1949
Cne Alexandre, 1944-1945
États des Services, 1944-1945
Notes de Service, 1944-1945
Resistance Texts, 1939-2002
Jacques Gilet Letters, 1945-1946
Memo by Goebbels, 1944 January 4
List of Personnel, undated
Exhibit Labels, 1944
Récits de Résistance, undated
Service Records, 1939-1944
Important Staff Records, 1972-1976
Résistance, 1944-1945
Résistance, 1944-1945
Names and Registration Numbers, 1944
Pierre Bonvalet Letters, 1986
Jean Garcin Letters, 1986-1988
Blanchard, 1946 May-June
Brielle, Roger, 1945-1956
Captain Beyler, 1945 August 25
Marcenac, Jean, 1945
Alquié, Ferdinand, 1945 May 21
Audisio, Gabriel, 1945 May 26
Tavernier, René, undated
Jean Sicard "Serge", undated
Monnerot, Jules, 1945-1946
General Cochet, 1945-1947
Armand, Emile, 1974 January 12
Assorted Letters to Char, 1940-1961
Avon, Roger, 1948
Bardouin, 1950
Bouvier, Emile, 1946-1956
Cabot, Andred, 1979-1980
Castor, H., 1945
Decision No. 777, 1940-1944
Lea Piquet, 1970
Michel, Pierre, 1944 May
Péri, H., Colonel, 1963-1967
Renaud de Jouvenel, 1951 November 8
Ribaille, Jean, 1947-1955
Rostagne, Denis, 1950-1959
Rouit, Eugene, 1955 May 26
Rousseaux, André, 1955 May 14
Royer, Raymond, 1950-1953
Testanière, Jean (Jeannot), 1949
Ytier, Robert, 1974 December 30
Zyngerman, Pierre, 1967-1993
Zyngerman Interview, 1951-1967
Marie-Claude Char, 1994-2003
Primarily includes correspondence dating from the late 1920s until the late 2010s received by René Char and Marie-Claude Char. Correspondents include: Pierre-André Benoit, Éditions Gallimard, and others publishers; Yves Bonnefoy, Pierre Boulez, René Magritte, Joan Miró, Man Ray, Anna Seghers, Tristan Tzara, and other authors, critics, editors, translators, journalists, artists, and musicians; as well as some letters from Char, including those to Georgette Goldstein, his first wife, and to Marie-Claude Char. Related documents, manuscripts, photographs, ephemera, and printed materials accompany some of the correspondence. Some of this includes materials about correspondents that Marie-Claude Char presumably added to the collection. Some letters correspond with René Char's time with the French Resistance during World War II.
Similar to the chronological run of correspondence, the letters of identified individuals are primarily in chronological order.
Pierre-André Benoit, 1951-1988
José Corti, 1946-1987
Guy Levis-Mano, 1936-1981
Fontaine (revue), 1945-1978
Pierre Seghers, 1945-1979
Edwin Engelberts, 1958-1988
Les Cahiers du Sud, 1946-1975
Personnalités Politiques, 1946-1968
"Sagesse", 1932-1933
Concerning Surrealism, 1931-1947
Paul Éluard, 1929-1948
Albert Camus, 1949-1985
Jean Senac, 1949-1980
Yves Battistini, 1945-2004
Pierre et Denise Naville, 1951-1977
Jacques Dupin- L'Épervier, 1958
Jacques Dupin, 1947-1988
Gilbert Lely, 1936-1977
André Du Bouchet, 1953-1968
Pierre Guyotat, 1955-1956
Georges Bataille, 1935-1962
Antonin Artaud, 1948
Pierre Unik, 1930-1933
Marcel-Edouard Fourrier, 1931-1945
Arthur Adamov, 1945-1950
Louis Aragon et Elsa, 1946 August
Elisabeth Ratel, 1934-1935
Pierre Yoyotte, undated
Joe Bousquet, 1931-1949
André Breton, 1941-1948
Hans Bellmer, 1936-1959
Divers Courriers, 1931-1935
Paul Chaulot, 1952-1969
Jean Mambrino, 1950-1984
Robert Marteau, 1973
Jean-Guy Pilon, 1954-1978, 2007-2019
Lorand Gaspar, 1966-1981
Armen Tarpinian, 1947-1960
Pierre & Michette Mabille, 1935-1952
Jean Vagne, 1947-1962
Greta Rau-Wolfer, 1956-1958
André & Aimée Ravaute, 1946-1988
Marcelle & René Menard, 1947-1983
Jean Dasté, 1972-1978
Docteur Jean-Louis Lévy, 1962-1988
René Cazelles, 1949-1966
J. J. Jully, 1950-1987
Maurice Racol, 1964-1998
Edmond Jabès, 1955-1981
Lutfi Ozkok, 1973-1979
Robert Besson, 1950-1960
Jean-Marie Fage, 1950-1987
Jacques Charpier, 1945-1946
Yves de Bayser, 1950-1981
Catherine Sellers, 1973-1975
Salah Stétié, 1979
Paulene Aspel, 1965-1976
Georges Drano, 1958-1966
André Tournon, 1946-1964
Pierre Torreilles, 1950 October-1957
Jean Lescure, 1946-1977
Pierre-Albert Jourdan, 1957-1976
Pierre Berger, 1949-1954
Jean-Louis Bedoin, 1947
Henri and Simone Coste, 1946-1966
Jules Monnerot, 1939-1962
Michel De M'Uzan, 1949-1964
Jean Penard, 1953-1986
Henry Bonnier, 1965-1977
Roger Lesbats, 1959-1963
Gabrielle Althen, 1974-1981
Jean Laude, 1946-1969
Jean Rousselot, 1950-1953
Gil Jounnard, 1963-1971
Jerome d'Astier, 1969-1977
Victor Lanoux, 1969-1972
Simone Fortune, 1963
Marcel Béalu, 1952-1960
Fontaine de Vaucluse, 1966-1983
Presse, undated
Maurice Blanchard, 1939-1965
René Micha, 1946-1950
Louis Broder, 1953-1961
Poésie et Surréalisme Belge, 1937-1976
Jean-Claude Brisville, 1977-1986
François Mauriac, 1961
Guy Dumur, 1955-1970
François Weyergans, 1960-1987
André Chastel, 1964-1982
Henri Cartier Bresson, 1977-1980
Bernard Courtin, 1949-1953
Francis Ponge, 1947-1964
Jean Vilar, 1947-1966
Compagnie Jacques Guimet, 1967-1968
Compagnie Agnes Capri, 1957-2013
Denise Zigante, 1957-1979
Georges Berger, 1957-1962
Paul Veyne, 1960-1991
Georges Blin, 1949-1979
Marie-Jeanne Durry, 1958-1973
Edmond Nogacki, 1975
Raymond Jean, 1965-1977
Michel Deguy, 1964-1966
François Vezin, 1964-1987
Barbara Cassin, 1969-1971
François Fédier, 1962-1987
Maurice Blanchot, 1948-1964
Roger Laporte, 1954-1984
Hans Bellmer, 1936
Nico et Tiggie Ghika, 1948-1958
Janine Rebourg, 1977-1978
Gisèle Prassinos, 1976
Man Ray, 1936
Alexandre Calder, 1952
Boyan et Fay Boyan, 1970-1979
Denise Esteban, 1974-1985
Subira Puig, 1967-1972
Albert Hirsch, 1981-1984
Jean Hugo, 1940-2002
Balthus, 1947
Pierre Tal Coat, 1947-1948
Joan Miró, 1940-1976
Jean Hélion, 1956-1976
Paul Valet, 1952-1980
Jacques Hérold, 1960
Wifredo Lam, 1954-1975
Jesse Reichek, 1960-1984
Joseph Sima, 1963-1970
Victor Brauner, 1941-1963
Josette Gris, 1937
Colette Brunschwig, 1958-1966
Jean Villeri, 1936-1974
Louis Fernandez, 1950-1973
Pierre Charbonnier, 1947-1977
Van Rogger, 1946-2003 (mostly 1946-1971)
Henri Thomas, 1946-1979
Margo Friters-Drucker, 1952-1962
Yves Breton, 1950-1963
Jean Bélias, 1968-1976
Relieurs, 1932-1986
Jean Hugues, 1951-1982
François Chapon, 1965-1970
Librairie Auguste Blaizot, 1971
Pierre Berès, 1958-1976
Pierre Souvtchinsky, 1930s-1981
Suzanne Tezenas, 1949-1968
Gilbert Amy, 1965-1977
Hélène Martin, 1966-1980
Pierre Boulez, 1948-1999
Francis Curel, 1952-1957
Demoiselles Roze, 1930-1945
Claude Lapeyre, 1971-1994
Comte d'Aulan, 1948-1951
Roger Louis, 1946-1955
Amis Isle et Environs, 1936-1987
Famille Mathieu de Lagnes, 1946-1970
Jeanne Polge, 1950-1979
Georgette Goldstein, 1932-1978
Yves Bonnefoy, 1966-1981
Alphabetical Correspondence, 1945-1980
Alphabetical Correspondence, 1928-1987
"Divers" Correspondence, 1945-2019
Alphabetical Correspondence, 1946-1987
Maryse Lafont, 1951-1969 (mostly 1951-1966)
Yvonne Zervos, 1945-1980 (mostly 1951-1972)
Andrée Chedid, 1950-1955
Jocelyne François, 1964-1976
Helena Strassova, 1947-1978
Susan Wise, 1966-1986
France Huser, 1967-1980
Anne-Marie Char, 1968-1969
Gustavo Aguirre, 1950-1983, 2013-2014
Franz Wurm, 1957-1986 (mostly 1957-1974)
Jean Voellmy, 1971-1986, 2010-2013
Flora Klee-Palyi, 1953-1959
Elisabeth Tassing, 1957-1963
Ebbe Traberg, 1959
Mary-Ann Caws, 1951
Vadim Kozovoï, 1973-1981
Michail Kuzmin, 1976-1977
Guennadij Aigui, 1969-1970
Gellu Naum, 1969
António Ramon Rosa, 1952-1967
Alberto de Lacerda, 1967
Emilio Araúxo, 2009
Piero Bigongiari, 1962-1968
Enrico Terracini, 1977-1987
Stefano Agosti, 1983
Maxime Fischer, 1945-1974
La planche de vivre, 1981
La nuit talismanique, 1972
Chants de la Balandrane, 1977-1978
Le nu perdu, 1971-1972
L'âge cassant, 1965
L'AN 1964 (PAB), 1964
Traducteurs Pays de l'Est, 1967-1984
Jackson Matthews, 1953-1957
Arthur Hackett, 1949-1979
Traducteurs, 1948-1977
Correspondence, 1931-1949
Correspondence, 1950-1955
Correspondence, 1955-1957
Correspondence, 1957-1958
Correspondence, 1959
Correspondence, 1960
Correspondence, 1961
Correspondence, 1962
Correspondence, 1963
Correspondence, 1964
Correspondence, 1965
Correspondence, 1966
Correspondence, 1967
Correspondence, 1968
Correspondence, 1969
Correspondence, 1970
Correspondence, 1971
Correspondence, 1972
Correspondence, 1973
Correspondence, 1974
Correspondence, 1975
Correspondence, 1976
Correspondence, 1977
Correspondence, 1978
Correspondence, 1979
Correspondence, 1980
Correspondence, 1981
Correspondence, 1982
Correspondence, 1983
Correspondence, 1984
Correspondence, 1985
Correspondence, 1986
Correspondence, 1987
Correspondence, 1988
Correspondence, 1989-2002
- Scope and Contents
Consists primarily of the correspondence of 20th-century French poet René Char (1907-1988), including correspondence and records documenting his involvement with the French Resistance during World War II.
Most of the description included here is from an inventory provided by Marie-Claude Char and Librairie Benoît Forgeot, which brokered the acquisition of the collection.
- Arrangement
The order of the materials, most likely established by René Char and Marie-Claude Char, was mostly maintained.
- Collection Creator Biography:
Char, Marie-Claude.
Marie-Claude Char is a French editor and publisher. The widow of poet René Char, she has been involved in disseminating her late-husband's work, and preserving the history of his role in the French Resistance.
Char
Celebrated 20th-century French poet René Char(1907-1988) published more than 30 volumes of poetry, criticism, and plays during his lifetime, many of which were widely translated. He frequently collaborated with both writers and artists, including Georges Braque, Joan Miró, and Nicolas de Staël. He was also decorated military veteran, receiving recognition for his service in the French army and his involvement with the French Resistance during World War II.
In the early 1930s, Char was active in the surrealist movement, joining a community of writers and artists that included Louis Aragon, André Breton, and Pablo Picasso. From 1939 to 1940, he served as a private with the 173e RA (Régiment d'Artillerie) in Alsace for which he was awarded the Croix de Guerre. During the Nazi Occupation, Char and his first wife Georgette, who were under surveillance, took refuge in the town of Céreste. It was there, in 1941, when Char began his involvement with the Resistance. By 1943, under the nom de guerre Captain Richard Alexandre, he became the commander of landing operations and parachute drops in the Basses-Alpes (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) as head of Section Atterrissage Parachutage (SAP) Region 2. Char was awarded the Medal of the Resistance and also named to the Legion of Honor for his service. His prose poem collection Feuillets d'Hypnos documents his wartime experiences.
After the war, Char moved to the Luberon Mountains of southern France, near his birthplace. In his later years, he was involved with anti-nuclear activism.
- Acquisition:
Purchased from Marie-Claude Char in 2018 AM 2018-88; and in 2019 AM 2020-38.
Librairie Benoît Forgeot brokered both purchases.
- Appraisal
No materials were removed from the collection during 2018 and 2022 processing beyond routine appraisal practices.
- Processing Information
The papers on the French Resistance was processed by Faith Charlton with assistance from Julia English '19 and Matthew Oakland '20 in 2018. Finding aid written by Faith Charlton in 2018. Folder inventory added by Julia English '19 and Matthew Oakland '20 in 2018.
The correspondence was processed by Kelly Bolding, Faith Charlton, and Amy C. Vo in 2022. Finding aid updated by Kelly Bolding, Faith Charlton, and Amy C. Vo in 2022. During 2022 processing, archivists did some minor sorting and interfiling of unsorted letters in the Correspondence series. While materials were removed from binders, most were left in the enclosures (sleeves) in which they were housed at the time they arrived at the library.
- Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
- Conditions Governing Use
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
- Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
- Credit this material:
René Char Papers; Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library
- Permanent URL:
- http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/4q77fw20f
- Location:
-
Firestone LibraryOne Washington RoadPrinceton, NJ 08544, USA
- Storage Note:
- This is stored in multiple locations.
- Firestone Library (scamss): Boxes B-001233 to B-001243
- ReCAP (scarcpxm): Box 1-53