Berl, Emmanuel
BERL, EMMANUEL
BERL, EMMANUEL (1892–1976), French author. A relative of *Bergson and *Proust, Berl was a passionate political essayist and critic of the French bourgeoisie. His works include Mort de la pensée bourgeoise (1925), La politique et les partis (19322), Discours aux Français (1934), La culture en péril (1948), and Nasser tel qu'on le loue (1968). Berl was chief editor of the weekly, Marianne (1933–37). He also wrote short stories and novels including Sylvia (1952) and Rachel et autres grâces (1965), notable for their insight and an incisive style. Deeply affected by World War i after serving for two years, Berl, a convinced anti-fascist, adopted pacifist views that led him in June 1940 to write some of future Vichy leader Pétain's speeches. He quickly put an end to this cooperation when he became aware of the antisemitic direction of the new regime. After the war, he left politics and devoted himself exclusively to literature. In 1967, he was awarded the French Academy's Grand Prix de Literature.
bibliography:
B. Morlino, Emmanuel Berl: Les trbulations d'un pacifiste (1990); L.-A. Revah, Berl, un juif de France (2003).
[Dror Franck Sullaper (2nd ed.)]