Lettre autographe

Autograph draft, in ink.

N.p.n.d. [winter 1951?].
1 page (270 x 210 mm), in black ink, recto.

Draft letter by Albert Camus, in all likelihood addressed to a journalist at the Radiodiffusion Télévision Française: a broadcast devoted to the publication of L’Homme révolté was indeed scheduled for December 29, 1951, under the auspices of Léon Lalou, with extracts read by Pierre Raynal.

While declining to answer the journalist’s questions directly, Camus takes the opportunity to skillfully clarify his thinking on existentialism, at the heart of his quarrel with Jean-Paul Sartre, denouncing here the “orthodox existentialists” as “the advocates of tyranny and of a police state,” and referring his correspondent instead to “militant existentialists, such as Sartre.”

“Dear Sir,

I cannot sincerely answer your questions, for I am not and have never been an existentialist. Atheist existentialism, born in 1950 on original principles such as ‘there is no human nature [illeg.],’ ‘man exists before he is,’ or else ‘we are obliged, condemned to be free although no one forces us to be,’ or again ‘everyone is responsible for his fate and no one deserves the [illegible], but an exception must be made for the poor, who are the majority.’ Such luminous logic has always seemed apt to [mislead] prepare minds for anything [illeg.]. It was not long before the orthodox existentialists became today’s advocates of tyranny and of a police state.

L’Homme révolté did not create a schism; it politely denounced these contradictions, the nihilism of these positions which invoke [history?] and it alone. The future of the existentialists is, I believe, clearly shown there, and events have not proved me wrong. That is all I can say for my part.

An answer to the other questions could only be given by militant existentialists such as Sartre. [illegible].

I hope [in any case that this may] that you will find in my answer elements that may interest your listeners. I would in any case feel honored to have helped you in your task, as I would be grateful for the cordial interest you are kind enough to show me.

Believe me, dear Sir, to be sincerely yours.”

Provenance: Pierre Bérès à livre ouvert, Christie’s, December 13, 2012, lot 179.

This document was then accompanied by 11 autograph leaves of L’Homme révolté.

INA Archives: https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/audio/phz05069543/l-homme-revolte-d-albert-camus