André Thirion (14 July 1907 – 4 January 2001) was a French writer, a member of the group of

surrealists Surrealism is an art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike scenes and id ...

, a theorist and political activist.

Biography

After becoming a trade unionist, he turned to communism, a party he joined in 1925. His character led him to the group of surrealists he joined in 1928. A friend of

Louis Aragon Louis Aragon (; 3 October 1897 – 24 December 1982) was a French poet who was one of the leading voices of the Surrealism, surrealist movement in France. He co-founded with André Breton and Philippe Soupault the surrealist review ''Littératur ...

and

Georges Sadoul Georges Sadoul (; 4 February 1904 – 13 October 1967) was a French film critic, journalist and cinema writer. He is known for writing encyclopedias of film and filmmakers, many of which have been translated into English. Biography Sadoul w ...

, he participated in the activities of the Surrealists between 1928 and 1934. His photograph composes the framework of the work of

René Magritte René François Ghislain Magritte (; 21 November 1898 – 15 August 1967) was a Belgium, Belgian surrealist artist known for his depictions of familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts, which often provoked questions about the nature ...

, ''Je ne vois pas la

emme Emme may refer to: People: * Ivan Fyodorovich Emme (1763–1839), Russian lieutenant general in the Napoleonic Wars * Otto J. Emme, American politician and World War I veteran * Emme Gerhard (1872–1946), American photographer * Emme Rylan, Americ ...

cachée dans la forêt'' (1928); He appears in tenth position, starting in a clockwise direction from the upper left corner. In November 1930, with

André Breton André Robert Breton (; ; 19 February 1896 – 28 September 1966) was a French writer and poet, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism. His writings include the first ''Surrealist Manifesto'' (''Manifeste du surréalisme'') ...

, he draught the statutes of the "A.A.E.R." (''Association des artistes et écrivains révolutionnaires'') which the French Communist Party took over in 1932, changing the acronym to "A.E.A.R." and excluding the surrealists. Published in 1972, under the title ''Révolutionnaires sans révolution'', his testimony constantly "doubles as a critical commentary which revives surrealist thought while at the same time correcting its illusions". He participated to the magazine ''

Le Surrealisme au service de la revolution ''Le Surréalisme au service de la révolution (Surrealism in the service of the revolution)'' was a periodical issued by the Surrealist Group in Paris between 1930 and 1933. It was the successor of ''La Révolution surréaliste'' (published 1924� ...

'', supported the film '' L'Âge d'or'' by

Luis Buñuel Luis Buñuel Portolés (; 22 February 1900 – 29 July 1983) was a Spanish and Mexican filmmaker who worked in France, Mexico and Spain. He has been widely considered by many film critics, historians and directors to be one of the greatest and ...

and

Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (11 May 190423 January 1989), known as Salvador Dalí ( ; ; ), was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, ...

. He moved away from communism during the 1930s. He campaigned against Aragon during his departure from Surrealism to the French Communist Party in 1932. During the Second World War, he incorporated the Gaullist resistance and became an MP for the

Rassemblement du peuple français The Rally of the French People ( , RPF) was a right-wing French political party, existing from 1947 to 1955 and led by Charles de Gaulle. Foundation The RPF was founded by Charles de Gaulle in Strasbourg on 14 April 1947, one year after his resi ...

at the Liberation of France.

Work

His work is divided into two groups: the first consists of autobiographical works; The other of political and erotic novels. ''Révolutionnaires sans revolution'' is the main work of the first group. It is an autobiography that relates this period and analyzes the group of surrealists.

Autobiographical texts

*1972: ''Révolutionnaires sans révolution'', (

Prix Roger Nimier The Roger Nimier Prize () is a French literature award. It is supposed to go to "a young author whose spirit is in line with the literary works of Roger Nimier". Nimier (1925–1962) was a novelist and a leading member of the Hussards movement. The ...

) *1987
''Révisions déchirantes''

Novels

*1934 ''Le Grand Ordinaire'' *1975: ''Béatrice''

Short stories

*1993: ''Œdipe au bordel, suivi d'autres contes inconvenants et fantasques''

Theatre

*1976: ''Défense de : divertissement en 42 scènes'' *1988: ''L'Ange et les Homards''

Other publications

*1953: ''L'Automne sur la mer'' *1975: ''Les éboueurs ne sont plus en grève'' *1973: ''Éloge de l'indocilité'' *1981: ''Le Vocatif'' *1983: ''Le Charme éprouvée de la bourgeoisie : à propos d'Aragon'' *1989: ''Portrait d'André Breton suivi de Bavardages et Parodies'', Brussels, (with reproduction of the portrait of

Roger Van de Wouwer Roger Van de Wouwer (21 July 1933 – 22 October 2005) was a Belgian surrealist painter and illustrator. Biography Roger Van de Wouwer (sometimes incorrectly : Roger Van de Wouver) was born on 21 July 1933 in Hoboken (Antwerp). At the age of 1 ...

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

''André Thirion dans l'arbre''
photo on André Breton.fr
''Révolutionnaires sans révolution''
on

Actes Sud Actes Sud is a French publishing house based in Arles. It was founded in 1978 by author Hubert Nyssen. By 2013, the company, then headed by Nyssen's daughter, Françoise Nyssen, had an annual turnover of 60 million euros and 60 staff members. ...

Publications
on CAIRN
André Thirion
on Encyclopédie Larousse {{DEFAULTSORT:Thirion, Andre 1907 births 2001 deaths People from Baccarat, Meurthe-et-Moselle Rally of the French People politicians Writers from Grand Est French surrealist writers 20th-century French novelists Roger Nimier Prize winners