Louis-Ferdinand CÉLINE and his trial before the Court of Justice. 1950.

Louis-Ferdinand CELINE (1894.1961)

Signed autograph letter.

Two folio pages. Slnd. 29th (January 1950).

Unpublished letter to the Correspondence de la Pléiade.

Céline, worried and preoccupied, prepares for her trial by asking for help from her friends.

“My old man, I now learn that true friends who want to save my bone must write immediately in my favor and in a lyrical tone, to Mr. Drappier , directly, President of the Court of Justice , a good letter, very nicely toned and convincing. If I were ever too ill to go to the hearing, the letter would be read. You see ? I could play the little penitent, but then? I would even look good; I would have whined on all my friends' vests so that they would pull their claws off me! With you, it's different, I'm intimate if I dare say (…) everything so that the lawyer doesn't finish me off! He's already put me in a state. Affectionately. LF Celine. »

In 1950, the trial of Louis-Ferdinand Céline opened before the Paris Court of Justice, presided over by Jean Drappier. Céline is absent. His lawyers Naud and Tixier-Vignancour ensure his defense. The verdict was rendered on February 21, 1950. To the two questions: “Is Louis Ferdinand Céline guilty of having knowingly carried out acts in France from 1940 to 1944 likely to harm National Defense? » and “Was the action specified under question number one committed with the intention of favoring the enterprises of all kinds of Germany, a power enemy of France” the Court answers YES by a majority of votes . Céline is sentenced to one year's imprisonment, a fine of 50,000 francs, and is declared in a state of National Unworthiness.