André Castelot

André Castelot ( born January 23, 1911 in Antwerp, Belgium, † 18 July 2004 in Neuilly -sur -Seine, France; born under the name André Storms ) was a French historian.

Life

After a successful studies in Paris, he took the name of his mother Gabrielle Castelot. She was a well-read and educated Frenchwoman, who brought her son early into contact with the history by visiting the Palace of Versailles with him frequently.

During the occupation of France (1940-1944) by the Germans, he collaborated while working for the political and literary magazine La Gerbe of the Vichy regime, which was published by seasoned collaborator Alphonse de Châteaubriant. However Châteaubriant was sentenced after the war for his role during the occupation, André Castelot not.

1947 founded and directed Castelot the book series " Présence de l' Histoire " ( Librarie académique Perrin ). He described himself as a " writer and journalist since 1935" and has written for numerous newspapers and magazines such as Le Figaro, le Midi libre, or Histoire Historia Magazine. Especially in the basement of his country house in Port- Mort, a village in the Eure in Gaillon, he found the peace and quiet to write.

He has authored over 65 biographies and historical studies to great figures of history, especially the 16th, 18th and 19th century. He was often assisted by his friend Alain Decaux, with whom in 1951 he broadcast the weekly radio program " La Tribune de l' Histoire " ( German (free): forum history) founded based on the station France Inter to its end 1997 unmatched audience quotas reached. On French television, the two historians also the program " La caméra explore le temps " presented from 1957 to 1966 (English: The camera explores the time).

Castelot further wrote plays that were performed among others in Chambord and Compiègne. In 1984, he led the Palais Royal, a piece under the name " François 1er le Magnifique " (German: Franz I of the Magnificent ) on. For the plays " Jésus était son nom " and "The m'appelais Marie -Antoinette " (Eng. Jesus was his name ) (German: My name was Marie Antoinette ), he also collaborated with director and actor Robert Hossein.

While an extensive research, he discovered at a depot in Vienna a suitcase containing approximately 9,000 letters to the Empress Marie -Louise, wife of Napoleon I, .

Castelot was also a member of the support committee for the motion " l' Unité capétienne " (Eng.: Capetian unit ).

Awards

Castelot was an officer of the Legion of Honour, Commander of the Ordre du Mérite and the Belgian Order of Leopold. His other awards the " Grand Prix d' Histoire " of the Académie française part of his life's work.