Victor Basch
Encyclopedia
Basch Viktor Vilém, or Victor-Guillaume Basch (August 18, 1863/1865, Budapest
- January 10, 1944) was a French politician and professor of germanistics and philosophy at the Sorbonne
descending vom Hungary. He was engaged in the Zionist Movement, in the Ligue des droits de l'homme
(president from 1926 to 1944) and in Anti-nazism .
His father was the journalist
and political activist, Raphael Basch
. Born in Budapest in 1863, Victor Basch emigrated with his family to France as a child, and later studied at the Sorbonne
. In 1885 he was appointed professor
at the University of Nancy, and in 1887 at the University of Rennes
, where he became friends with Jean Jaures
. During the Dreyfus affair
Basch was the leader of the Dreyfusards at Rennes, who were placed in a serious and difficult position when the case was tried in that city. Both as a Jew and a Dreyfusard, Basch was subjected to persecution at the hands of the fanatical anti-Semitic populace. In a 1916 interview cited by his biographer and granddaughter, the French historian Françoise Basch, Victor Basch declared, "Je suis vraiment un juif. J'ai lutte et souffert pour ma judeite." However, biographer Françoise Basch underscores that her grandfather identified with his family history and the suffering of persecuted Jews, and not with Judaism as a religion per se. As both a member of the League against Imperialism
created in Brussels in 1927, and as President of the Ligue des Droits de l'Homme from 1926–1944, Basch was one of the architects of the Popular Front
. He fought and suffered for the principles of legal and social justice, and human rights.
On January 10, 1944, Victor Basch and his wife, Ilona Basch (née Helene Furth) aged 81,were taken from their home in Lyon and assassinated by Joseph Lecussan und Henri Gonnet of the anitisemitic Vichy French Milice Française
under orders of the regional chief Paul Touvier
.
He also contributes frequently to the "Siècle" and the "Grande Revue" of Paris.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
- January 10, 1944) was a French politician and professor of germanistics and philosophy at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
descending vom Hungary. He was engaged in the Zionist Movement, in the Ligue des droits de l'homme
Human Rights League (France)
The Human Rights League of France, is a Human Rights NGO founded on 4 June 1898 by the republican Ludovic Trarieux to defend captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jew wrongly convicted for treason - this would be known as the Dreyfus Affair...
(president from 1926 to 1944) and in Anti-nazism .
His father was the 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...
and political activist, Raphael Basch
Raphael Basch
Raphael Basch, also Rafael Basch was a Bohemian-Austrian writer and politician. He was the father of Victor Basch ....
. Born in Budapest in 1863, Victor Basch emigrated with his family to France as a child, and later studied at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
. In 1885 he was appointed professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the University of Nancy, and in 1887 at the University of Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, where he became friends with Jean Jaures
Jean Jaurès
Jean Léon Jaurès was a French Socialist leader. Initially an Opportunist Republican, he evolved into one of the first social democrats, becoming the leader, in 1902, of the French Socialist Party, which opposed Jules Guesde's revolutionary Socialist Party of France. Both parties merged in 1905 in...
. During the Dreyfus affair
Dreyfus Affair
The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s and the early 1900s. It involved the conviction for treason in November 1894 of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish descent...
Basch was the leader of the Dreyfusards at Rennes, who were placed in a serious and difficult position when the case was tried in that city. Both as a Jew and a Dreyfusard, Basch was subjected to persecution at the hands of the fanatical anti-Semitic populace. In a 1916 interview cited by his biographer and granddaughter, the French historian Françoise Basch, Victor Basch declared, "Je suis vraiment un juif. J'ai lutte et souffert pour ma judeite." However, biographer Françoise Basch underscores that her grandfather identified with his family history and the suffering of persecuted Jews, and not with Judaism as a religion per se. As both a member of the League against Imperialism
League against Imperialism
The League against Imperialism was founded in the Egmont Palace in Brussels, Belgium, on February 10, 1927, in presence of 175 delegates, among which 107 came from 37 countries under colonial rule. The Congress aimed at creating a "mass anti-imperialist movement" at a world scale, and was...
created in Brussels in 1927, and as President of the Ligue des Droits de l'Homme from 1926–1944, Basch was one of the architects of the Popular Front
Popular Front (France)
The Popular Front was an alliance of left-wing movements, including the French Communist Party , the French Section of the Workers' International and the Radical and Socialist Party, during the interwar period...
. He fought and suffered for the principles of legal and social justice, and human rights.
On January 10, 1944, Victor Basch and his wife, Ilona Basch (née Helene Furth) aged 81,were taken from their home in Lyon and assassinated by Joseph Lecussan und Henri Gonnet of the anitisemitic Vichy French Milice Française
Milice
The Milice française , generally called simply Milice, was a paramilitary force created on January 30, 1943 by the Vichy Regime, with German aid, to help fight the French Resistance. The Milice's formal leader was Prime Minister Pierre Laval, though its chief of operations, and actual leader, was...
under orders of the regional chief Paul Touvier
Paul Touvier
Paul Touvier was a French Nazi collaborator. In 1994, he was the first Frenchman convicted of crimes against humanity for his actions in Vichy France.- Early life :...
.
Literary works
His published works include an important study:- "(Essai critique sur) L'Esthétique de Kant", Paris, 1896; the first volume of a work in 4 volumes on the history of esthetics;
- "(La) Poétique de Schiller";
- "La Vie Intellectuelle à l'Etranger";
- "Les Origines de l'Individualisme Moderne"
- L'indivisualisme anarchiste, 1904
- Max Stirner, 1904
- Titian, 1927
- "Schumann, A Life of Suffering", 1931, translated from French by Catherine Alison Phillips
- Essai d'esthétique de Kant, 1936
He also contributes frequently to the "Siècle" and the "Grande Revue" of Paris.