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Tract honouring Messali Hadj

[Manifesto against the Algerian war].

Manuscript

Author

Author André Breton
People cited Claude Bourdet, Messali Hadj

Description

Handwritten notes by André Breton, dated 9 April 1956, in defence of Messali Hadj and the right to insubordination during the Algerian War.

On 9 April French and international news once again called upon André Breton, who, in addition to the position he had taken on the XXth Congress, was impelled to intervene on subjects close to his heart: censorship, which had seen to the seizure of the newspaper Le Libertaire and the arrest of Trostkyist militants, and the war waged by colonialist France in North Africa. Vigorously denouncing the collusion of politicians, he called for a tribute to Messali Hadj, a militant for Algerian independence who then symbolised a cause and the injustice inflicted on an entire people. Breton, getting used to avoiding conflict with the communists, is here attacking a leftist government which seems to him in complete contradiction with its principles. [Atelier André Breton website, 2004]

Handwritten manuscript signed, dated Paris, 9 April 1956
One handwritten page, dated and signed by André Breton in black ink, with erasures and corrections.
‘Whatever the vicissitudes to which such thought is exposed in its necessary relationship with revolutionary action, surrealism gives itself the task of maintaining and exalting the latent, permanent content of revolution...
‘Moreover, by means of its dialectical conception of individual revolt, surrealism intends to remain the pole of the vigilance with regard (...) to all the attacks on the revolution as an idea as well as a fact.
‘Tribute to Messali Hadj - Impose a ceasefire in Algeria - Denounce the Mollet-Ducros collusion - Hands off Claude Bourdet - Actively support Le Libertaire and La Vérité when they are threatened. [sale catalogue, 2003]