Robert Charroux
Encyclopedia
Robert Charroux was the best-known pen-name of Robert Grugeau (April 7, 1909 - June 24, 1978).
, appearing in the weekly magazine Mon Journal in the late 1940s. For the same magazine Charroux wrote a science fiction
adventure in serial form, "Prof. Barthelemy's Flying Island."
of ancient astronauts
, publishing at least six non-fiction works in this genre in the last decade of his life, including One Hundred Thousand Years of Man's Unknown History (1963, 1970), Forgotten Worlds (1973), Masters of the World (1974), The Gods Unknown (1974) and Legacy of the Gods (1974).
The influence that Charroux's first work (in its 1963 version) had on Erich Von Däniken
's first books (ca. 1966), as well as the influence that Von Däniken's early books had on Charroux, is widely appreciated, but Von Däniken seems to have been equally familiar with an earlier French work, The Morning of the Magicians by Louis Pauwels
and Jacques Bergier
(1960), which is likely to have been a direct inspiration for both Charroux and Von Däniken.http://kjmatthews.users.btopenworld.com/cult_archaeology/von_daniken.html Charroux's publisher contacted Von Däniken's in March 1968 concerning evidence of plagiarism, with the result that later printings of Chariots of the Gods
and Return to the Stars at least mentioned Charroux in the bibliography.
Charroux's theories concerning Ancient Astronauts were criticised by French archaeologist Jean-Pierre Adam
in 1975.
A similar writer on Ancient Astronauts who predated both Charroux and Von Däniken was Brinsley Le Poer Trench
, whose first book on the topic was published in 1960. The earliest writer on Ancient Astronauts seems to have been Morris K. Jessup
, whose book UFOs and the Bible was first published in 1956.
similar to Nordicism was a popular Nationalistic movement in France and Celtic countries in the early 20th century. Robert Chaurroux, for example in his book 'Lost Worlds: Scientific Secrets of the Ancients,' suggested that the Mayans and ancient Peruvians were ancient Celtic migrants. According to Charroux, 'The candle stick of the Andes and the Nasca Lines were created by a pre-celtic civilization, perhaps the same as those who created the Long Man of Wilmington
of Sussex in England. He also related the white skinned Gods mentioned in the Popul Vuh to ancient Celts from Hyperborea.
, instead he argued for human devolution. Charroux claimed that man is regressing and was more superior in the past, he claimed that "Atlantis and Mu are not dreams of spiritualists, but realities of a mysterious era". He further explained that the Atlantans and Hyperboreans were the ancestors of modern humans, and the first humans on earth were originally extraterrestrial.
Unlike most ancient astronaut writers, Charroux took a large interest in racialism
. According to Charroux Hyperborea was situated between Iceland
and Greenland
and was the home of a Nordic
White race with blonde hair and blue eyes
. Charroux claimed that this race was extraterrestial in origin and had originally come from a cold planet situated far from the sun. Charroux also claimed that the White race of the Hyperboreans and their ancestors the Celts had dominated the whole world in the ancient past. Some of these beliefs have influenced Esoteric Nazism
such as the work of Miguel Serrano
.
, following up claims made by Noel Corbu
in the local press in 1956 that it was discovered by Bérenger Saunière
during the late 19th century. In 1958, with his wife Yvette and other members of The Treasure Seekers' Club (that he founded in 1951), he scanned the village and its church for treasure using a metal detector
. Charroux also distributed a leaflet about this entitled L’ébouriffante histoire du "curé aux milliards" that has not survived, but is referred to in French newspapers of the period.He described his activities there in his 1962 book Trésors du Monde enterrées, emmurés, engloutis (Fayard) that was published in English in 1967.
Early career
Robert Charroux worked for the French post office until becoming a full-time writer of fiction in the early 1940s. He also wrote the scripts for a French comic strip, Atomas, about an atomic-powered superheroSuperhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
, appearing in the weekly magazine Mon Journal in the late 1940s. For the same magazine Charroux wrote a science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
adventure in serial form, "Prof. Barthelemy's Flying Island."
Ancient astronauts
Charroux was a pioneer of the theoryTheory
The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action...
of ancient astronauts
Ancient astronauts
Some writers have proposed that intelligent extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth in antiquity or prehistory and made contact with humans. Such visitors are called ancient astronauts or ancient aliens. Proponents suggest that this contact influenced the development of human cultures,...
, publishing at least six non-fiction works in this genre in the last decade of his life, including One Hundred Thousand Years of Man's Unknown History (1963, 1970), Forgotten Worlds (1973), Masters of the World (1974), The Gods Unknown (1974) and Legacy of the Gods (1974).
The influence that Charroux's first work (in its 1963 version) had on Erich Von Däniken
Erich von Däniken
Erich Anton Paul von Däniken is a Swiss author best known for his controversial claims about extraterrestrial influences on early human culture, in books such as Chariots of the Gods?, published in 1968...
's first books (ca. 1966), as well as the influence that Von Däniken's early books had on Charroux, is widely appreciated, but Von Däniken seems to have been equally familiar with an earlier French work, The Morning of the Magicians by Louis Pauwels
Louis Pauwels
Louis Pauwels was a French journalist and writer.- Biography :Louis Pauwels was a teacher at Athis-Mons from 1939 to 1945 , Louis Pauwels wrote in many monthly literary French magazines as early as 1946 until the...
and Jacques Bergier
Jacques Bergier
Jacques Bergier , was a chemical engineer, member of the French-resistance, spy, journalist and writer...
(1960), which is likely to have been a direct inspiration for both Charroux and Von Däniken.http://kjmatthews.users.btopenworld.com/cult_archaeology/von_daniken.html Charroux's publisher contacted Von Däniken's in March 1968 concerning evidence of plagiarism, with the result that later printings of Chariots of the Gods
Chariots of the Gods
Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past is a book written in 1968 by Erich von Däniken...
and Return to the Stars at least mentioned Charroux in the bibliography.
Charroux's theories concerning Ancient Astronauts were criticised by French archaeologist Jean-Pierre Adam
Jean-Pierre Adam
Jean-Pierre Adam is a French archaeologist, specialising in ancient architecture.Following a special diploma from the School of Architecture in 1965, he entered the ancient architecture department of the CNRS...
in 1975.
A similar writer on Ancient Astronauts who predated both Charroux and Von Däniken was Brinsley Le Poer Trench
Brinsley Le Poer Trench, 8th Earl of Clancarty
William Francis Brinsley Le Poer Trench, 8th Earl of Clancarty, 7th Marquess of Heusden was a prominent ufologist. He was an Irish peer, as well a nobleman in the Dutch nobility.-Biography:...
, whose first book on the topic was published in 1960. The earliest writer on Ancient Astronauts seems to have been Morris K. Jessup
Morris K. Jessup
Morris Ketchum Jessup , had a Master of Science Degree in astronomy and, though employed for most of his life as an automobile-parts salesman and a photographer, is probably best remembered for his pioneering ufological writings and his role in "uncovering" the so-called "Philadelphia...
, whose book UFOs and the Bible was first published in 1956.
Celticism
Some see his works as examples of Celticism. CelticismCelticism
Celticism may refer to:*a word or linguistic property adapted from a Celtic language **List of English words of Celtic origin**List of English words of Scottish Gaelic origin**Irish words used in the English language...
similar to Nordicism was a popular Nationalistic movement in France and Celtic countries in the early 20th century. Robert Chaurroux, for example in his book 'Lost Worlds: Scientific Secrets of the Ancients,' suggested that the Mayans and ancient Peruvians were ancient Celtic migrants. According to Charroux, 'The candle stick of the Andes and the Nasca Lines were created by a pre-celtic civilization, perhaps the same as those who created the Long Man of Wilmington
Long Man of Wilmington
The Long Man of Wilmington is a hill figure located in Wilmington, East Sussex, England on the steep slopes of Windover Hill, northwest of Eastbourne. The Long Man is tall and designed to look in proportion when viewed from below....
of Sussex in England. He also related the white skinned Gods mentioned in the Popul Vuh to ancient Celts from Hyperborea.
Other views
Writing in his book Lost Worlds Charroux rejected evolutionEvolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
, instead he argued for human devolution. Charroux claimed that man is regressing and was more superior in the past, he claimed that "Atlantis and Mu are not dreams of spiritualists, but realities of a mysterious era". He further explained that the Atlantans and Hyperboreans were the ancestors of modern humans, and the first humans on earth were originally extraterrestrial.
Unlike most ancient astronaut writers, Charroux took a large interest in racialism
Racialism
Racialism is an emphasis on race or racial considerations. Currently, racialism entails a belief in the existence and significance of racial categories, but not necessarily that any absolute hierarchy between the races has been demonstrated by a rigorous and comprehensive scientific process...
. According to Charroux Hyperborea was situated between Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
and was the home of a Nordic
Nordic
Nordic may refer to:* The Nordic countries, the northwestern European countries of Scandinavia , as well as Iceland and Finland; or a native of one of the Nordic countries...
White race with blonde hair and blue eyes
Blue eyes
Blue eyes may refer to:*Blue eye color*Blue-eyes or Pseudomugilidae, a family of fish*Blue Eyes , a hentai manga by Tohru Nishimaki*Blue Eyes White Dragon, a fictional monster from the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe...
. Charroux claimed that this race was extraterrestial in origin and had originally come from a cold planet situated far from the sun. Charroux also claimed that the White race of the Hyperboreans and their ancestors the Celts had dominated the whole world in the ancient past. Some of these beliefs have influenced Esoteric Nazism
Esoteric Nazism
The term Esoteric Nazism refers to semi-religious developments of Nazism in the post-World War II period. After 1945, esoteric elements of the Third Reich were developed into new völkisch religions of white identity. Examples of post-war Nazi mystical philosophies include Esoteric Hitlerism and...
such as the work of Miguel Serrano
Miguel Serrano
Miguel Serrano was a Chilean diplomat, explorer and author of poetry, books on spiritual questing and Esoteric Nazism...
.
Rennes-le-Château
Robert Charroux developed an active interest in the alleged treasure of Rennes-le-ChâteauRennes-le-Château
Rennes-le-Château is a commune in the Aude department in Languedoc in southern France.This small French hilltop village is known internationally, and receives tens of thousands of visitors per year, for being at the center of various conspiracy theories, and for being the location of an alleged...
, following up claims made by Noel Corbu
Noel Corbu
Noël Corbu is best known as a former restaurateur in the Southern French village of Rennes-le-Château, who from the mid-1950s circulated the story that Bérenger Saunière discovered the treasure of Blanche of Castile....
in the local press in 1956 that it was discovered by Bérenger Saunière
Bérenger Saunière
François Bérenger Saunière was a Roman Catholic priest in the French village of Rennes-le-Château, in the Aude region, officially from 1885 until he was transferred to another village in 1909 by his bishop, a nomination he declined and subsequently resigned...
during the late 19th century. In 1958, with his wife Yvette and other members of The Treasure Seekers' Club (that he founded in 1951), he scanned the village and its church for treasure using a metal detector
Metal detector
A metal detector is a device which responds to metal that may not be readily apparent.The simplest form of a metal detector consists of an oscillator producing an alternating current that passes through a coil producing an alternating magnetic field...
. Charroux also distributed a leaflet about this entitled L’ébouriffante histoire du "curé aux milliards" that has not survived, but is referred to in French newspapers of the period.He described his activities there in his 1962 book Trésors du Monde enterrées, emmurés, engloutis (Fayard) that was published in English in 1967.
External links
- Atomas
- Morning of the Magicians, a probable influence on Charroux
- More on Ancient Astronaut influences in 1960s France
- http://monsite.orange.fr/robert-charroux robert charroux and co the French site