Legacy resurfaces after 90 years

Ninety years after his death, the legacy of Jacques Bainville, a prominent writer and historian linked to the royalist movement Action française, has resurfaced in public discourse. A conference on Bainville was held on October 9 at the Académie des sciences morales et politiques (ASMP), organized by historian Georges-Henri Soutou, an emeritus professor at Sorbonne and author of a work on the geopolitics of Action française. Bainville was a member of the Académie française and aligned with the royalist movement of Charles Maurras.

Controversy over the tribute

The event sparked controversy, as Antoine Triller, a neurobiologist and perpetual secretary of the second division of the Académie des sciences, publicly criticized the tribute. He stated that the Académie des sciences denounced the honor paid to a figure of the far right, described as antisemitic and xenophobic.

Political references and debate

On October 27, during a live broadcast on BFMTV, Julien Odoul, a deputy from the National Rally (RN), cited a famous phrase by Bainville: "The French people is a composite. It is better than a race. It is a nation." In response, socialist Arthur Delaporte challenged him, saying, "You know who Jacques Bainville is? Stop citing Jacques Bainville." This is not the first time a politician has referenced Bainville.

Debates on antisemitism

Bainville, as the main theorist of the foreign policy of the royalist movement, was a companion of Charles Maurras and Léon Daudet, known for their antisemitism. However, historian Christophe Dickès, a student of Soutou, claims no line of Bainville's work is antisemitic, while Laurent Joly uncovered some less favorable passages. In 1907, Bainville wrote, "To his sole immodesty, the Jew reveals himself as a foreigner among us," and in 1927, regarding a poem by Heinrich Heine, he stated, "This Jewish neurosis, with everything, with the healthiest feelings, with the strongest ideas and if necessary with the elements most foreign to Judaism, knows how to create turmoil in minds and hearts." These texts have led some to label Bainville as an antisemitic writer.

Early life and views

In 1898, when Bainville was 19 and before joining Action française, he was in Germany during the Dreyfus affair. He wrote to his correspondent Georges Guéneau, expressing his support for the Dreyfusard cause and demanding the revision of the trial. However, he disapproved of Zola's attacks on the army. He was influenced by Barrès and Maurras, leading him toward nationalism. According to historian Henri Rollet, Bainville still defended Dreyfus's innocence in 1912.

Historical predictions and influence

In Les Conséquences politiques de la paix (1920), Bainville anticipated the political contradictions of the Treaty of Versailles, predicting events that would lead to World War II. He foresaw the annexation of Austria, the claims on Czechoslovakia, the crisis of the Dantzig corridor, and a Germano-Russian rapprochement at the expense of Poland. His work was widely distributed in Nazi Germany, with some suggesting Hitler may have used it as a reference. Bainville's legacy is complex, with some arguing that his antisemitic views should not overshadow his contributions.