La France Goy by Christophe Donner

 La France Goy

by Christophe Donner traces the story of antisemitism in France at the end of the XIX century, and then the entrance in scene of Henri Gosset, the father of Jean Gosset dead in a concentration camp during the last second world war conflict.

I adore Jewish people, I love to be surrounded by them where possible and if possible, so to me reading some passages of this book have been pretty painful but here we are and let's try to define through the pages of this book written very well by Christophe what it meant anti-semitism in France.

OK: that word was born as you'll learn reading the book, that years, defined by a thinker. And now, imagine Alphonse Daudet.

Close to people he loved to be surrounded by like Emile Zola, Victor Hugo, there was also the frequentation with this certain Drumont that will become the central character of this book. 

Drumont was still a little journalist when met the first time Daudet: he didn't make a lot of his existence yet, but for many reasons Alphonse Daudet liked him immediately. Drumont became also close friend with Leon, Daudet's son. He had an extreme simplicity in the interaction with the little son of Daudet, influencing him heavily.

Drumont was not appreciated by all the friends of Daudet for his fixation regarding Jewish people. He hated them and he dreamed to see a jewishless world. When Zolà read some of his writings he had an animated conversation with Daudet: he understood that maybe he could not appreciate some jewish because of their behaviors, and we find good and bad people everywhere and a classification is a big error: totalizing, added Zolà, come on! was too much. 

Daudet asked to Drumont, where possible, of continuing to write something on Jewish people and Drumont accomplished the desire of Daudet creating a book long something like 1200 pages, and called La France Juive. 

Once finished, Daudet suggested to Drumont Les Editions Flammarion for the publication. At the Flammarion they appeared pretty...embarassed, when they received the manuscript. And not because they didn't want to publish the book for the thematic treated: no, no, in France there was freedom of expression but...It was too long, too heavy. Who could buy a book like that one? They risked to lose money in a bad investment. It wasn't the case. 

Daudet decided to speak with the guys at Flammarion, paying for the publication. The book was released in two tomes. At first it didn't sell any copy and no one, no one, reviewed it.

So, one day, Daudet had a conversation with the editor of Le Figaro. "Why is that?" he asked him.

"It's an embarassing situation..." started the editor of Le Figaro.

Daudet was categoric.

"Someone must write a review: also a very negative one, but I want to see a review in Le Figaro."

The editor looked at him perplexed, but with the idea of accomplishing that influential writer.

The review appeared, negative, (as I always say, they pay much more than when we write a positive review because there is more curiosity in the reader and be sure that in that case they will buy the book!), and the book became incredibly successful: a comparison that we can make? La France Juive became a sort of Bible: no one read it, but everyone had a copy in their houses.

Drumont didn't suffer anymore of economical problems and became a politician as well. His main crusade of course was his hate for Jewish people.

The hate spread by Drumont in his 1200 pages was big and when you plant that seed, you introduce in the society a dangerous and poisoned plant. His hate meant a personal fight against many jewish people: the story of Panama and the affaire Dreyfus is just an example. 

If Alphonse was becoming old, a new generation of antisemitists was becoming important: Leon Daudet, the son of Alphonse is a case. When his father died, with him died also that social peace still existing in France. That years in fact we assisted at several, turbulent events. 

Henri Gosset once in Paris entered in strict contact with Leon Daudet and his antisemitism. Henri was the father of Jean, later deported in a concentration camp during the last world war where he died. Jean was a philosopher, an anarchist. Jean was born thanks to the immense love felt by Henri for an anarchist called Marcelle. Thanks to this union, the arrival of Jean.

You will see terrorist attacks, fake news, false incidents, duels, departures, lies, suicides... 

Enjoy the reading. The book leaves more than an important message to all of us and the importance of building a good society, vehicoling healthy and positive messages of inclusion, friendship.

Highly recommended.

I thank Editions Grasset for the physical copy of the book.

Anna MariaPolidori