Jacques Bainville
Encyclopedia
Jacques Bainville was a French
historian
and journalist
. A staunch monarchist, he was a leading figure in Action Française
. He first came to prominence as an activist against Alfred Dreyfus
.
A follower of Charles Maurras
, Bainville was a founder of Action Française and soon became an important figure in the Institut d'Action Française, a college of sorts ran by the organisation (it had no permanent buildings but ran lectures and study groups where possible).
Bainville became notorious in French political circles for his Germanophobia and this was one of the defining strands of his writing. His early works suggested that the history of Europe
was defined by the struggle between the superior French civilisation and the barbaric German kultur. His Histoire de deux peuples (1915) underlined the importance for France of German weakness and sought a return to the pre-Franco-Prussian War
status of Germany. His Les Conséquences politiques de la paix (Political Consequences of Peace, 1920), whilst intended as an answer to John Maynard Keynes
' views on Treaty of Versailles
, was actually translated into German
in Nazi Germany
and presented as evidence that France had a mission for German destruction. His other written works included Histoire de France, as well as political columns for a number of newspapers and editing La Revue Universelle for Maurras. He was however an admirer of Italian fascism
and when early reports came through about violent acts by Benito Mussolini
's fascio
in 1921 he praised it as proof that Italy
was regaining her strength.
Bainville was appointed to a chair at Académie française
in 1935, although he did not hold the position long as he died soon afterwards. A strong Catholic, he was denied the last rites
by Cardinal Jean Verdier
as the Pope had condemned Action Française in 1926. Nonetheless the sacrament, as well as his funeral, were performed by a canon who was sympathetic to the movement. Bainville's funeral proved a further source of controversy when Léon Blum
was set upon by a crowd of mourners during the funeral procession.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. A staunch monarchist, he was a leading figure in Action Française
Action Française
The Action Française , founded in 1898, is a French Monarchist counter-revolutionary movement and periodical founded by Maurice Pujo and Henri Vaugeois and whose principal ideologist was Charles Maurras...
. He first came to prominence as an activist against Alfred Dreyfus
Alfred Dreyfus
Alfred Dreyfus was a French artillery officer of Jewish background whose trial and conviction in 1894 on charges of treason became one of the most tense political dramas in modern French and European history...
.
A follower of Charles Maurras
Charles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras was a French author, poet, and critic. He was a leader and principal thinker of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-parliamentarist, and counter-revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced National Catholicism and "nationalisme...
, Bainville was a founder of Action Française and soon became an important figure in the Institut d'Action Française, a college of sorts ran by the organisation (it had no permanent buildings but ran lectures and study groups where possible).
Bainville became notorious in French political circles for his Germanophobia and this was one of the defining strands of his writing. His early works suggested that the history of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
was defined by the struggle between the superior French civilisation and the barbaric German kultur. His Histoire de deux peuples (1915) underlined the importance for France of German weakness and sought a return to the pre-Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
status of Germany. His Les Conséquences politiques de la paix (Political Consequences of Peace, 1920), whilst intended as an answer to John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes, Baron Keynes of Tilton, CB FBA , was a British economist whose ideas have profoundly affected the theory and practice of modern macroeconomics, as well as the economic policies of governments...
' views on Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
, was actually translated into German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and presented as evidence that France had a mission for German destruction. His other written works included Histoire de France, as well as political columns for a number of newspapers and editing La Revue Universelle for Maurras. He was however an admirer of Italian fascism
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
and when early reports came through about violent acts by Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's fascio
Fascio
Fascio, plural -sci /'faʃʃo, ʃi/ is an Italian word literally meaning "a bundle" or "a sheaf", and figuratively league, and which was used in the late 19th century to refer to political groups of many different orientations...
in 1921 he praised it as proof that Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
was regaining her strength.
Bainville was appointed to a chair at Académie française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
in 1935, although he did not hold the position long as he died soon afterwards. A strong Catholic, he was denied the last rites
Anointing of the Sick (Catholic Church)
Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of the Catholic Church that is administered to Catholics who because of sickness or old age are in danger of death, even if the danger is not proximate...
by Cardinal Jean Verdier
Jean Verdier
Jean Verdier, PSS was a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Paris from 1929 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1929.-Biography:...
as the Pope had condemned Action Française in 1926. Nonetheless the sacrament, as well as his funeral, were performed by a canon who was sympathetic to the movement. Bainville's funeral proved a further source of controversy when Léon Blum
Léon Blum
André Léon Blum was a French politician, usually identified with the moderate left, and three times the Prime Minister of France.-First political experiences:...
was set upon by a crowd of mourners during the funeral procession.