Boualem Sansal
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Boualem Sansal ( ar, بوعلام صنصال; born 15 October 1949) is an Algerian author. In 2012, he was named winner of the
Prix du roman arabe The Prix du roman arabe of the "Council of Arab Ambassadors" is a French literary award established in 2008. Its aim is to "reward a work of high literary value as well as consolidate the intercultural dialogue between the Arab world and France by ...
, but the prize money was withdrawn due to Sansal's visit to
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
to speak at the Jerusalem Writers Festival.


Biography

Boualem Sansal was born in Théniet El Had,
Tissemsilt Tissemsilt ( ar, تسمسيلت, Tissamsīlt) is a municipality in Algeria. It is the capital of Tissemsilt Province Tissemsilt ( ar, ولاية تسمسيلت) is the 38th province of Algeria with the capital being Tissemsilt. Théniet El Ha ...
. Trained as an engineer with a doctorate in economics, he began writing
novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
s at the age of 50 after retiring from his job as a high-ranking official in the Algerian government. The assassination of President
Mohamed Boudiaf Mohamed Boudiaf (23 June 1919 – 29 June 1992, ar, محمد بوضياف; ALA-LC: ''Muḥammad Bū-Ḍiyāf''), also called Si Tayeb el Watani, was an Algerian political leader and one of the founders of the revolutionary National Liberat ...
in 1992 and the rise of
Islamic fundamentalism Islamic fundamentalism has been defined as a puritanical, revivalist, and reform movement of Muslims who aim to return to the founding scriptures of Islam. Islamic fundamentalists are of the view that Muslim-majority countries should return t ...
in Algeria inspired him to write about his country. Sansal continues to live with his wife and two daughters in Algeria despite the controversy his books have aroused in his homeland. At the 2007 International Festival of Literature in
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, he was introduced as a writer "exiled in his own country. " He claims that Algeria is becoming a bastion of
Islamic extremism Islamic extremism, Islamist extremism, or radical Islam, is used in reference to extremist beliefs and behaviors which are associated with the Islamic religion. These are controversial terms with varying definitions, ranging from academic unde ...
and the country is losing its intellectual and moral underpinnings.


Choices, topics, impact

Sansal writes in French.


''Poste restante: Alger'' (2006 essay)

Since the publication of ''Poste restante: Alger. Lettre de colère et d'espoir à mes compatriotes'' in 2006, Sansal's books have been banned in Algeria.


''Le village de l'Allemand'' (2008 novel)

Sansal's 2008 novel ''Le village de l'Allemand ou le journal des frères Schiller'', is the story of two Algerian brothers who burrow into the past and discover that their father had been a
Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
officer who fled to Algeria after the war. The book explores the fine line between
Islamic fundamentalism Islamic fundamentalism has been defined as a puritanical, revivalist, and reform movement of Muslims who aim to return to the founding scriptures of Islam. Islamic fundamentalists are of the view that Muslim-majority countries should return t ...
and
Nazism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
.Standing fast
by Avirama Golan,
Haaretz ''Haaretz'' ( , originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , ) is an Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel, and is now published in both Hebrew and English in the Berliner f ...
, 24 January 2008
''Le Village de l'allemand'' is the first of Sansal's novels to be translated into English, and was published in the US in September 2009 as ''The German Mujahid'' and in the UK as ''An Unfinished Business''. The novel follows the unique journey that brothers Malrich and Rachel Schiller individually took in discovering the dark past of their late father, a former SS officer, who was the responsible for the deaths of countless Jews during the Holocaust. Although the story is fictional, Sansal incorporates many historical events to create a very realistic backdrop. The most significant events Sansal addresses include the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
,
the Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
, the
Algerian War of Independence The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...
, and the rise of Islamic Fundamentalism within France. The novel is found to be very controversial because the destructive power of Nazi Germany during World War II is compared to that of Islamic Fundamentalists in Europe after the war. The narrative suggests various themes including the impact of both guilt and violence, the glorification of oppressors, and how the burden of one person's sins can be felt by others. It addresses how knowledge regarding the significance of the Holocaust is understood and misunderstood in vastly different ways around the world. Furthermore, Boualem Sansal highlights the fact that there is very little known about
National Socialism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hit ...
in the
Arab world The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western A ...
. National Socialism was the political ideology of the Nazi Party. The novel suggests that generations which follow World War II and, more specifically, the Holocaust, have a responsibility to educate themselves on the matter using whatever resources are available to them. People also must spread that knowledge to those who cannot access it themselves in order to ensure that such a terrible genocide never occurs again. The benefit to history is that we, as human beings, can learn from the mistakes of the past in order to make better decisions in the future. Sansal's story proves that individuals can have incredible impacts on improving the lives of others and protecting their communities. It does not take an army to enact change-or rather, it should not take an army to enact positive change.


Awards and critical acclaim

Sansal's work has won top literary awards in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, among them the Prix du Premier Roman in 1999 for his
debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...
, ''Le serment des Barbares'' ( Gallimard, 1999), which has since been made into a film based on a
screenplay ''ScreenPlay'' is a television drama anthology series broadcast on BBC2 between 9 July 1986 and 27 October 1993. Background After single-play anthology series went off the air, the BBC introduced several showcases for made-for-television, fe ...
by Jorge Semprún. On 16 October 2011 Sansal received the
Peace Prize of the German Book Trade is an international peace prize awarded annually by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (English: ''German Publishers and Booksellers Association''), which runs the Frankfurt Book Fair. The award ceremony is held in the Paulskirche in ...
. On 19 December 2011, he was announced as being on the jury for the
62nd Berlin International Film Festival The 62nd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 9 to 19 February 2012. British film director Mike Leigh was the President of the Jury. The first five films to be screened in the competition were announced on 19 December 2011. Am ...
, scheduled to be held in February 2012. Sansal was the recipient of the 2012 Editions Gallimard Arabic Novel prize for his book "Rue Darwin." The prize is awarded by the Arab Ambassadors Council, based in Paris. However, after the Council learned that Sansal had attended the Jerusalem Writers Festival earlier in the year, they revoked the 15,000 euros prize money he had been slated to receive. Commenting on the decision to withdraw the prize money, Sansal said it was "completely unacceptable", adding that Arab countries – and his home country, Algeria, in particular – had "shut themselves in a prison of intolerance".
France Culture France Culture is a French public radio channel and part of Radio France. Its programming encompasses a wide variety of features on historical, philosophical, sociopolitical, and scientific themes (including debates, discussions, and documentari ...
radio director and head of the jury that awarded the prize, Olivier Poivre d'Avror, said before resigning his post in protest, the prize money had been withdrawn as a "sordid" consequence of
Hamas Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Bri ...
pressure. "Between being nominated for the prize and actually receiving it, Boualem Sansal visited Israel … Hamas immediately issued a statement calling his presence an act of treason against the Palestinians. The reaction of Arab Ambassadors Council was a direct result of this." A spokeswoman for the Arab Ambassadors Council claimed the council's decision had not been influenced by the Hamas statement on the matter. Israeli Foreign Minister
Avigdor Lieberman Avigdor Lieberman (, ; russian: Эве́т Льво́вич Ли́берман, Evet Lvovich Liberman, ; born 5 June 1958) is a Soviet-born Israeli politician serving as Minister of Finance since 2021, having previously served twice as Deputy ...
urged the international community to denounce the boycott against Sansal. Sansal said he does not regret visiting Israel, stating, "I am glad I visited Israel and returned with great happiness." Sansal also said that "Israelis have all the reasons in the world to be proud of what they have achieved in their country in such a short period of time...In so many fields, Israel is at the international forefront and it is very impressive." Sansal also said that he was moved by Lieberman's support, and, "His statement was so gracious in comparison to Arab governments. He told them: 'You're persecuting intellectuals. We embrace them and care for their safety. That is why your citizens are rebelling against you.' That is a harsh blow to Arab governments." Sansal criticized Hamas as well, saying that it was a terrorist movement that "has taken Gazans hostage. It has taken Islam hostage." Sansal was awarded the 2015
Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française Le Grand Prix du Roman is a French literary award, created in 1914, and given each year by the Académie française. Along with the Prix Goncourt The Prix Goncourt (french: Le prix Goncourt, , ''The Goncourt Prize'') is a prize in French litera ...
for his novel '' 2084: la fin du monde''.


Published work


Novels

* 1999: ''Le Serment des barbares'', Gallimard.
Prix du Premier Roman The Prix du Premier Roman (''debut novel, First Novel Prize'') is a French literary prize awarded to an unpublished novelist between the ages of 18 and 30. The monetary reward is 3,000 Euros. The prize was first awarded in 1977. Starting with 1 ...
1999. Prix Tropiques, AFD, 1999 * 2000: ''L'Enfant fou de l'arbre creux'', Gallimard. Prix Michel Dard * 2003: ''Dis-moi le paradis'', Gallimard * 2005: ''Harraga'', Gallimard. English edition, 2014 by Bloomsbury, translated by
Frank Wynne Frank Wynne (born 1962) is an Irish literary translator and writer. Born in County Sligo in the west of Ireland, he worked as a comics editor at Fleetway and later at comic magazine ''Deadline''. He worked for a time at AOL before becoming a l ...
* 2008: ''Le village de l'Allemand ou le journal des frères Schiller'', Gallimard.
Grand prix RTL-Lire The grand prix RTL-''Lire'' is one of the main literary awards A literary award or literary prize is an award presented in recognition of a particularly lauded literary piece or body of work. It is normally presented to an author. Organizations M ...
2008,
Grand prix de la francophonie The Grand Prix de la francophonie is presented annually by the Académie française at the initiative of the Canadian Government to a personality who contributes to the development of the French language throughout the world. Laureates * 1986 ...
bestowed by the
Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...
2008 -Prix Nessim Habif- (
Académie royale de langue et de littérature françaises de Belgique The Académie royale de langue et de littérature françaises de Belgique - Royal Academy of French Language and Literature of Belgium - or ARLLFB is a Belgian institution which brings together personalities who, through their works, writings, le ...
). translated by
Frank Wynne Frank Wynne (born 1962) is an Irish literary translator and writer. Born in County Sligo in the west of Ireland, he worked as a comics editor at Fleetway and later at comic magazine ''Deadline''. He worked for a time at AOL before becoming a l ...
and published in the US as ''The German Mujahid'' (2009) and in the UK as ''An Unfinished Business'' * 2011: ''Rue Darwin'', Gallimard * 2015: '' 2084: La fin du monde'', Gallimard. Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française * 2018: ''Le Train d'Erlingen ou la Métamorphose de Dieu'', Gallimard * 2021: ''Lettre d’amitié, de respect et de mise en garde aux peuples et aux nations de la terre'', Gallimard


Short stories

* 2001: La voix, Gallimard-Le Monde * 2005: La vérité est dans nos amours perdues, in "Des nouvelles d'Algérie", ed Métailié * 2004: La Femme sans nom. Littera et l'Aube. * 2005: Homme simple cherche évènement heureux, Le Monde. * 2005: Tous les bonheurs ne valent pas le déplacement, Magazine des Beaux Arts. * 2006: La Terrible nouvelle. Le Monde.


Essays

* 2006: Poste restante: Alger, lettre de colère et d'espoir à mes compatriotes, Gallimard * 2007: Petit éloge de la mémoire, Gallimard


Technical literature

1986: La Combustion dans les turboréacteurs, OPU, Alger. 1989: La Mesure de la productivité, OPU, Alger


References


External links

* Haaretz weekend magazine interview with Sansal publish on October 5, 201


Interview with the Algerian Novelist Boualem Sansal: "There Are Parallels between Islamism and National Socialism"


{{DEFAULTSORT:Sansal, Boualem Algerian writers in French People from Algiers 1949 births Living people Télécom Paris alumni Algerian atheists Former Muslim critics of Islam Critics of Islam Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française winners Prix Louis Guilloux winners Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Anti-Islam sentiment in Africa Algerian Zionists 21st-century Algerian people