Louis-Ferdinand CELINE - Set of twelve letters from prison - 1947.

Louis-Ferdinand CELINE (1894.1961)

Extraordinary set of twelve autograph letters signed to his lawyer Thorvald Mikkelsen, during his prison detention in Denmark.

Twenty-four pages in-4° in total, on pink paper from Københavns Faengsler prison, covering the period from January 31 to February 25, 1947.

Almost all of the letters are unpublished in the Pléiade correspondence.

 

Refugee in Denmark since the Liberation, Céline found accommodation in the apartment of her friend Karen Marie Jensen. The French ambassador, learning in October 1945 of Céline's presence in Denmark, inquired with the Minister of Foreign Affairs what should be done. Georges Bidault replied that an arrest warrant had been issued against Céline in April 1945 and that it was necessary to obtain her extradition. On December 17, 1945, the couple was arrested, Lucette being released a few days later. For her defense, Céline turned to Thorwald Mikkelsen in Denmark, a French-speaking and Francophile lawyer met through Danish friends, and in France to Albert Naud, a former resistance lawyer approached through his friend Antonio Zuloaga, attaché Press release at the Spanish Embassy. The Danish government, considering the complaints against Céline insufficient, refused his extradition but kept him in prison until the end of February 1947, when he was transferred to a hospital in Copenhagen.

These twelve letters offer a fascinating vision of the prison hell experienced by a Céline who was at once revolted, dejected, sick, combative and hoping for his soon release. With scriptural frenzy, he wrote his complaints and hopes to Mikkelsen; here is the detail:

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I – January 31, 1947.

“My dear Master, Above all, do not relax your pressure for a second , we know from experience that the most official promises in Denmark are worth next to nothing, and that about-faces are the rule. If I am not directed to the Rigshospital during the week, I beg you to ask for my return to France . I wasted 13 months of torture in Danish prisons. That’s enough in the life of a 54-year-old man! Do you imagine that I have 200 years to live in Danish ministries? In any case, prison for prison, onward to France (where I would perhaps never have served so many prisons!). All this, which began very kindly, turns over time into something odious, sadistic and grotesque. All this fuss, these super-diplomatic subtleties are now burlesque and irrelevant. What was intelligent 18 months ago is today absurd and unbearable. Time passes. …Does the ministry know? Do we read the newspapers there? »

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II – February 1 ^, 1947.

“I look forward to having the right to be humbly judged as the lowest of convicts by real judges. »

“My dear Master, I am sure that you are like me, that you do not believe a word of the promise to have me transferred to Rigshospital. This is all nonsense. Only then please send me back to France without delay. I have now written to all four corners of the world. We know what I suffered here. Moreover, it is odious to play with words. The whole world knows that Westre is the harshest prison in Denmark and not at all a place of internment. Playing on words again is to pretend that it is impossible to find in Danish laws an article which prevents me from being freed. It's Holberg! [Ludvig Holberg, 18th century Danish satirist] It’s Molière! Precisely since I only depend on the police, everything is very easy with a little good will. It was very easy to hold me captive for 15 months under simple police powers! Tragic prank! I hope that the opinion of President Truman, the King of Sweden and the Pope will not be necessary to simply have me transferred to my country! And gallop! I've had enough of the ghosts of ministers who never meet and of immaterial offices where promises evaporate and where all the "yes" people mean no with a thousand fuss! I look forward to having the right to be humbly judged as the lowest of convicts by real judges who speak a real language. I'm dying in this nightmare. So, dear Master, no more reprieve, no more mirage! Back ! Back ! Back ! a thousand graces! a thousand infinite gratitudes for so much good will but enough enough enough. At 54, you don't have fifteen months to spend like it's raining! In the very unlikely event that you see the promises come to fruition, don't you think it would be appropriate to organize an intimate breakfast or dinner at your home between this French lady, my wife and the 2nd ^secretary you spoke to me about? . This could be extremely useful for re-establishing our intimate relations with France, which have so unfortunately been broken and are in the process of being recreated. Finally, all this is imaginary. What matters is my immediate shipment and without any further fuss to France, if they do not transfer me to Rigshospital…. ".

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III – February 2, 1947.

“No one cares a lot about my case and I understand this indifference very well.”

“My dear Master and friend, I admire your efforts and your magnificent dedication, but how deceived we were by the Danish ministers! Stooping to lie, to deceive a prisoner, would once have dishonored a Prince, a King, forever! The entire French monarchy was based for 16 centuries on the motto never transgressed: the King said it . Lying to a prisoner is an extremely cowardly act of irremediable ugliness, dishonoring once and for all. I, miserable, hunted by the whole world, who would have had a thousand excuses because of my weakness, to deceive and lie, I never said a word that was not strictly accurate , I never failed 1/1000th of my word. The shame is on the Danish government. So much contempt for me perhaps comes from the fact that your offices imagine that I am capable of swallowing any toad, lies, deception, prison, etc. to cling to Denmark? that I am so degraded by cowardice and fear that any nonsense is good enough for me, that I will always be satisfied. What a mistake ! But I only ask to return to France ! But I would rather return to France a thousand times than be tormented, carried around, lured, endlessly. I asked for asylum in Denmark, not prison or internment in prison! Oh no ! Let me be handed over quickly if the Danes are unable or unwilling to release me, but please no more subterfuges, evasions, miserable stratagems. We now know that the opposition does not come from France but from the Danish offices . Another lie that collapses. What do Danish offices fear? Danish public opinion? Svend Borberg had collaborated differently than me, he is free . Tandrup will be released in a month. Here are some comparisons for the famous Danish public opinion, please! In truth, the offices only fear a questioning in Parliament. Everything else, interventions, reasons, leaves them cold. But who will speak out for me in the Danish parliament? Obviously no one. People don't care much about my case and I understand this indifference very well. When it comes to offices I am a strange dog. They prove it to me . As for not finding a paragraph of Danish law to free me, that is pure Holberg! [Ludvig Holberg, 18th century Danish satirist] Do they realize it? In short, I spent 16 months in prison, condemned by the forger Politiken [Danish daily hostile to Céline] and only by Politiken. That's happy ! I'll remember it. let's laugh, dear Master, nothing is so funny in Molière! »

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IV – February 6, 1947.

“I feel like I'm going crazy in a forest of lies, filled with invisible sorcerers who enjoy torturing me and leading me astray.”

“My dear Master and friend, Tune Andersen has just told me that it is impossible to send me back to the hospital again! (Rigshospital) So, as I expected, the whole combination collapses, once again! SO ? What will we finally ! If I am given the honor and humanity to also ask my opinion, it is this – I no longer want to remain in Danish prison at any price , even if it is called Internment. Superfluous hypocrisy. If nothing else can be arranged, then let me be handed over to France quickly, without waiting for further decisions from the Pope or the Moon. Karen Marie Jensen went to the Department of Justice (I defended her, the bitch!). He was told there that if I was kept in prison it was because France forbade my release ! Lies again! Always lies! Everything we touch, dear Master, is lies! I feel like I'm going crazy in a forest of lies, filled with invisible sorcerers who enjoy torturing me and leading me astray. Really, it's enough. I gave 15 months of torture in Denmark. He can now let me go to my destiny. His offices were quite amused by my weakness. I can't wait for someone to hand me over and put an end to it. I can't wait to find myself in front of visible, real accusers, to get out of this cursed forest.

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V – February 9, 1947.

“Here we have literally been murdered, my wife and I. »

“My dear Master and friend, We can no longer at any price give the slightest importance to the hateful nonsense of the little hysterical drunkard Charbonniere. Your Ministry of Justice must not present these inept little arrogances to us as valid. I responded once and for all to French justice. For me the incident is closed. I refuse to be fooled by these antics. All this to make us lose sight of the fact that there is indeed a real score to settle, an explanation to give to me. By what right did the Danish Minister of Justice subject me to 16 months of torture in his prisons? By what right does he keep in his cell a Frenchman who was 75% disabled in the war – a military medal with more war credit against Germany than any Dane? The fact is monstrous and its persistence inconceivable. These 16 months in prison and the future are close to my heart, please believe it. Disease ? Parbleu stupid question! A 75% mutilated person at 54 years old and 3 years of martyrdom including 16 months of Danish torture is necessarily sick! and very sick! The strangeness, the wonder is that it is not punctured! My wife and I were literally murdered here. This is what the whole world is beginning to know and understand , even in France , especially in France . The pen or voice of a Charbonniere or a Rasmussen hardly goes beyond their antechamber. My books are awaited by the whole world. I'm tired of being the pain toy of your stupid Machiavelli of ministry or embassy! Enough ! These dogs in their place, please! The master will speak! you can warn them that one of these tiles will soon land on their face and leave marks on them! We have seen certain books sink states more solid than Denmark. The Beaumarchais race is not dead, let these idiots think about it before it is too late. I (nor the doctors) can't spend my time catching up on the criminal bullshit in your offices either. Enough of these hideous cowardice subterfuges. As for the “reason” for the exchanges of good legal procedures, deliveries of collaborators etc. with France, this is indeed the most ignoble reason that one can invoke. No more stratagems, fuss, evasions! Cards on the table! Demand my extradition immediately if I am not taken out of Westre immediately and once and for all! I am more made for massacre than for whining. I guarantee there won't be much left of the great Danish humanitarian reputation when I'm done with it.”

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VI – February 10, 1947.

“What right do these idiots have to throw my days away to the pigs, to the trash of their prison? »

“My dear Master and friend, It has been 21 days since I returned to Westre. When I am in the hospital I can only be released if I return to La Westre; when I'm at Westre we can't do anything without me going back to the hospital! What a vile comedy! all mixed with false clumsiness, so-called misunderstandings, feigned indignation! no, in truth these people consider me even stupider than I am. A 6 year old child would no longer believe this prank. In short, it seems that they want to kill me at all costs, to drive me crazy in Denmark so that the traces of a very nasty affair of arbitrary confinement, of a frankly despicable police force, disappear. However, I warn that I have already warned the whole world and in all the details of the torture , unworthy, completely illegal, deeply unjust that I am being subjected to here. Either I had to die in France two years ago, when I presented myself to the Danish justice system without making any secret of my person or my writings, or else I had to be released at least a year ago. We are now in the middle of a legal monstrosity . I am immediately requesting my extradition to France – request it for me. Enough of the antics. Denmark will miss me, I swear. The ministry made a mistake about me. He believes me to be without weapons, without a voice, without recourse. Wait a little bit! Mr. Rasmussen has not finished receiving reports of panic from his stupefied Legations. I'm going to wake everyone up! You will read the letter from Lucien Descaves, president of the Goncourt Academy, and have it read , it will give your bureaucrats a foretaste of what is going to happen. What right do these idiots have to throw my days away to the pigs, to the garbage of their prison? All this will be paid for. And then, please, come see me, and ask for more frequent and longer visits for my wife, as much as possible . »

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VII – February 11, 1947.

“Get out of this diabolical scam immediately! Please request my extradition. »

“My dear Master and friend, I have been told enough in every tone that I was not a prisoner but interned and not even interned, but we don't know what. This is why I have been dying in prison for 16 months. They don't know how to treat me without offending France , supposedly... But are they unaware of internment on parole in Denmark? My word of honor not to escape should be enough. This is not new. Thousands of officers throughout time have been, in all countries of the world, “prisoners on parole”. This seems an enormity for Danish designs. It is true that in a country where ministers perjure themselves , where directors of ministries deny themselves, cheat trust, cheat prisoners, contradict themselves from one hour to the next, it is quite ridiculous to talk about honor! These are no longer ministries but souks where trafficking in counterfeit money, false promises, small and big rascality are very common – where no one can be surprised. Although I slander the Arab leaders for whom the word given is absolutely sacred, and never in default. Denmark lacks Arab leaders. This is the past world! nothing new. Dr. Himeman simply asked if I was eating well! we continue to make pretenses. Nothing is decided. It is therefore necessary, dear Master, that we decide. Get out of this diabolical scam right away! Please request my extradition. Along with more frequent visits for my wife. We have been made fun of enough in the ministries. I don't want to be a clown to these evil idiots anymore. And let all this be done quickly! Let them procrastinate for another century. I get rid of them. Let them leave me alone. Goodbye to these monsters. »

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VIII – February 13, 1947.

“Everything I own now belongs to my wife born Lucette Almanzor... These are my last wishes..”

“My dear Master, I think that now we have been played with all the charade, told all the lies, regaled with all the grimaces! It's time to change theaters! Enough ! Enough ! I hope that you have already presented to the Minister of Justice my request for immediate extradition . He does not yet need, I imagine, to go and consult the Shah of Persia, the Archangel Gabriel, General Montgomery? Is it finally a decision that he can make without arguing, evading, confusing? Come on, let's go! The rest is my business. I will settle all my accounts in Paris, rest assured, the French and the Danes. There are big ones. I won't leave anything undone. Everything will be carefully and very copiously settled. But it would have to happen quickly. I will start to gain strength at Gram. Here on the Vestre diet I'm starting to waste away again. I wouldn't want to arrive in Paris too depressed and prison depresses me terribly. So let all this be finally, for the first time, decided strongly. Or should I write to Charbonniere? advise me. need to sign a paper for you. Everything I own now belongs to my wife born Lucette Almanzor. I give him everything. I do not have anything. Everything is hers and only hers. These are my last wishes. It will have to be said in Paris, and here. My daughter has nothing to do with this. Everything rightfully belongs to Lucie Georgette Almanzor. Nothing is mine anymore. She doesn't owe anyone an account. It's clear. I don't owe anyone anything (except yourself). Finally, I beg you, dear friend, to come and see me to clarify all of this. »

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IX – February 18, 1947.

“I know very well what is happening, it is about Jewish revenge which is trafficking, plotting, plotting in the depths of your offices”

“My dear Master and friend, I am still here of course, as it was easy to predict, in this country where yes means no , where straight away means never , where it is enough for someone to promise you for the opposite happens – always. It's been a month since I returned to this prison where I was officially promised that I would stay 3 days! We begin to dream in the face of so much brutality, sadism or inconsistency. What should be done ? Please advise me firmly. I no longer know how to make people understand that I have had enough – more than enough – that I want to return to France. We have been too cautious and diplomatic. We were made fun of, monstrously. There has been speculation about our good education and my personal cowardice . I don't want to stay in Danish prison anymore. I know very well what is happening, and I am amused by it, it is about Jewish revenge which is trafficking, plotting, plotting in the depths of your offices – a fine case of racial persecution very difficult to admit. Everything is here. Nothing else. It is difficult to deceive myself in this area. I'm not fooled. I seem to believe the nonsense people tell me, that's all. Come on, let's get this over with! We know perfectly well in your offices that in three months of freedom I would sort out everything and regularize my situation with France very well . But this is precisely what your offices want to prevent at all costs. I was labeled a traitor. I have to keep it by God! Hence these famous last-hour obstacles and these imbecile imbroglios… this stubborn ill will… all this stupid Chineseness…”

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X – February 20, 1947.

“This vile farce has gone on for at least 12 months too long! Why wouldn’t it last 12 years?”

“I know, unfortunately, my dear Master, that you are going to come see me in a few days to tell me that the wonderful library combination has once again (the 50th ^at least) gone bankrupt at the last moment… because… I am dying under the “because”. The “becauses” ended up taking away all my desire to live. What happens to me is what happens to cannibals where the victim begs at the end to be eaten so that they can finally leave him alone. I compare the reasons for the prestige, for the terror that Gram inspires. This is because he is one of the rare men in Denmark who does not count in the “because”. It takes him 2 minutes and a phone call to have me packed up in prison and galloping away! Five ministers (supposedly well-intentioned), fifty distinguished bureaucrats, in 16 months of palaver, do not manage, with the best reasons in the world, to get me out of it, and keep me there despite all rights and customs. and banal humanity… Entangled, muddled, tied up, strangled, exorbitated, completely stupid, buried as they are in the “because”. No, in truth, my dear friend, this vile farce has lasted too long by at least 12 months! Why wouldn't it last 12 years? Confusing explanations, grotesque defeats, contradictions and transparent deviousness, there is nothing left to listen to in this quirky doormat. Let the curtain be lowered quickly! You will certainly agree with me. It's just about our positions for the transfer to France as quickly as possible . Everything else is idle and imbecile. I had so many things to sort out with my wife. That damn Gram hit me too soon. Finally, leaving this barracks of lies will already be a relief. »

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XI – February 22, 1947.

“If they had lost 40 kilos of their damned bloated gut, we would hear their loud cries all the way to Greenland! »  

“My dear Master and friend, The sinister joke continues. Only I see that Tune Andersen is also starting to get annoyed by my presence and that next week he will simply send me back to the cell . Thus the cycle will be completed. This reminds me of the response of Emperor Charles V to Luther who criticized him for having him arrested despite all his promises: “One owes no word to an unbeliever”. Your offices also consider me unworthy of any consideration. My wife (according to you) tells me that the Danish doctors declare that I am not ill . So what does the 40 kilos I lost in Danish prisons give me back? If they had lost 40 kilos of their damned bloated gut, we would hear their loud cries all the way to Greenland! Holy damn abject tartufes! Gram is purple. His eyes are watering, Thune is overwhelmed with frenzied gibbering, and they think I'm in too good health. I wait another 2 or 3 days and then I write three letters which I am sure you will approve for Mrs Eimquist, Rasmussen and Charbonniere. In the same terms and at the same time, requesting my return to France – by the quickest route. The Danish torture has lasted long enough. Gram had me present all this “Oh, I can keep you for 6 months they won't have decided anything yet. The best thing for you would be a ticket to Malmö,” were his words. They say everything. The rest is a dirty mess, evasive babbling. But I would have liked to sort out my affairs with my wife, to write certain letters, I can't do it with two miserable 1/2 hour visits per week! They tie both my hands behind my back, they throw me into the sea, and they ask me to swim quickly! what vile buffoonery! Come quickly dear Master. »

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XII – February 25, 1947.

“We did not find Céline guilty of treason, and her anti-Semitic writings date from before the war”

“My dear Master, Attached is an article from the French Letters of 14-2, arch-communist, where the imbecile Claude Morgan implicitly recognizes the moron! that I did not collaborate . This is to remember . For example, he accuses me of anti-Semitism. Another idiocy. But this time your Eimquist is somewhat responsible. His declaration in my favor was admirable in its courage and clarity (you are the inspiration and architect) but he should have declared: “We have not found Céline guilty of treason, and her anti-Semitic writings date back to before the war and therefore do not fall under the French so-called purge laws. » That would have been entirely true and more clever. These dogs would have lost any opportunity to limp again. My wife told me yesterday that the librarian was kept in bed... Is it true that a law is being prepared on the eve of being promulgated concerning foreigners in prison? Would these be released or extradited? My poor wife perhaps concluded a little quickly. I would be very happy to receive a little note from you who writes French perfectly. The idea is to get out of here. »

 

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