CÉLINE Louis-Ferdinand (1894 - 1961)

2 L.A.S. "Destouches", 1952 - 1955, to Jean-Louis TIXIER-VIGNANCOUR, and Céline's legal file, 1948-1955. Voluminous file on Céline's defense by his lawyer. This file comes from the office of Jean-Louis TIXIER-VIGNANCOUR (1907-1989), who defended Céline in several of his cases. The elements of this file concern not only his trial for treason which took place in absentia while he was in Denmark, but also various procedures, complaint in defamation against Julliard, complaint in counterfeit against Froissart editions, to recover his furniture after his return in France, etc. January 24 [1952], Céline to Tixier-Vignancour (2 p. in-fol., signed "Destouches") : "My dear and admirable defender ! Alas! alas! I cannot find this contract-frime Frémanger anymore! Was it not added to this file by Monnier at your place? No doubt not! My warmest wishes, g[ran]d friend for this year 52! I am trying to sort out a few rounds here and there...But I can see that I have been robbed in everything and everywhere! I owe money that's all! to all! to all! The house in Dieppe is not for sale! I am asked for money"... March 8, 1955, Céline to Tixier-Vignancour (or his associate Jean-Marc Dejean de la Batie; 2 p. folio, signed "Destouches"). He gives the address of Marcel Aymé. "I am very sorry not to move from my home for two years, at any price! I can't stand anymore! I thank you for taking care of this Froissard affair. As he is a fieffé hangman relentless cheeky rascal he is sure to be right, without any evil, and in front of all the justice and expertises. But if you have the courage to represent me, go ahead! For my part, I am too ill to offer the slightest resistance"... The file concerns several cases. Trial for treason. Céline took refuge with his wife in Denmark, where he was lodged by Thorvald MIKKELSEN. This lawyer organizes the writer's defense with his correspondent in France, Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour. This interesting file allows to follow all the events of the trial, through the correspondence between Thorvald Mikkelsen and Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour, from 1948 to 1951: 16 letters from Mikkelsen (one l.a.s. and 15 l.s.), with 15 double typed letters from Tixier-Vignancour, plus a telegram. 4 Nov. 1948. Mikkelsen asks his French colleague to explain to Céline the notion of an "incognito" presentation: "after all, it is not a question of a foreign sovereign, but - in the eyes of the law - of a hunted criminal. One of these days I will go to see him in the country. I know he is ill, but your letter will do him good. Between us, he feels persecuted. He worries me a little sometimes. May 4, 1949: "Here is the case at the critical point. What can we hope for? It is already very beautiful to have been able to gain 5 months! Thanks to you! The solution is in sight, but what solution? [The only thing that is certain is that he positively refuses to run the risk of going to France to be condemned; pessimistic as he is, he does not expect to be acquitted." Oct. 17, 1949: Tixier-Vignancour announces that the search for Céline has been stopped: Céline can return to France! Nov. 14, 1949. Tixier-Vignancour: "Does this mean that I advise him to return? No. Whether we like it or not, his trial will be resounding because of his personality and mine, I can say it without false modesty [...] In short, it is better that our friend let himself be judged by default and wait for better times"... Etc. Jan. 29, 1951, Tixier-Vignancour to Céline: "You have been sentenced to one year in prison by the Court of Justice"... - Copenhagen, April 7, 1951, letter from Pastor LOCHEN to Céline, concerning his registration and a possible pass Decisions, conclusions of the trial, denunciations of opposition to the judgment, bailiff's summonses, acknowledgement of receipt of the letter pronouncing Céline's amnesty, no. of Le Libertaire (13.I.1950) with an inquiry on the Céline trial, etc. Complaint against the Froissart publishing house. Pierre Monnier, a young admirer of Céline, intervened so that the publisher Charles Frémanger reissued Voyage au bout de la nuit under the name of Éditions Jean Froissart, but the affair went wrong. - Pierre MONNIER, 2 l.a.s. to Tixier-Vignancour. May 31, 1951, explaining the situation: Frémanger published the Voyage without a contract, contenting himself with an exchange of letters; but when Denoël reacts, Céline realizes that his new publisher has not paid him his royalties. Nov. 1, 1951, for the lawyer to obtain the sales figures. - Charles FRÉMANGER, 3 l.s. to Céline, in Denmark. Dec. 19, 1948, proposing a re-publication of the Voyage, either clandestine in France, or normal in Belgium, with a "draft contract, serious"... August 3, 1949 : 15 days after the first copies of the Voyage were released, Denoël starts to