Louis-Ferdinand Céline is preparing for his trial before the Court of Justice.

Louis-Ferdinand CELINE (1894.1961)

Autographed letter signed.

Two folio pages. No place or date. The 29th (January 1950).

Unpublished letter to the Pléiade Correspondence.

"I would have cried on all my friends' vests so they would pull my claws out!"

Céline, worried and preoccupied, prepares for his trial by seeking help from his friends.

_____________________________________________

"My friend, I've just learned that true friends who want to save my skin must write a very strong and convincing letter immediately, in my favor and in a lyrical tone, to Mr. Drappier, President of the Court of Justice. If I were ever too ill to attend the hearing, the letter would be read. You see? I could play the repentant sinner, but then what? I'd look good, even; I'd have been crying to all my buddies to get them to pull me out of their clutches! With you, it's different, I'm close, if I may say so... anything to keep the lawyer from finishing me off! He's already put me through the wringer. Affectionately, LF Céline."

_____________________________________________

In 1950, the trial of Louis-Ferdinand Céline opened before the Paris Court of Justice, presided over by Jean Drappier. Céline was absent. His lawyers, Naud and Tixier-Vignancour, represented him. The verdict was delivered on February 21, 1950. To the two questions: "Is Louis-Ferdinand Céline guilty of having knowingly committed acts in France between 1940 and 1944 that were likely to harm national defense?" and "Was the action specified in question number one committed with the intention of aiding the enterprises of any kind of Germany, an enemy power of France?" the Court answered YES by a majority vote. Céline was sentenced to one year in prison, a fine of 50,000 francs, and was declared a national disgrace.