Alain Peyrefitte (; 26 August 1925 – 27 November 1999) was a French scholar and politician. He was a confidant of

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...

and had a long career in public service, serving as a diplomat in Germany and

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

. Peyrefitte is remembered for his support for partitioning

Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...

amid the

Algerian War The Algerian War (also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence) ''; '' (and sometimes in Algeria as the ''War of 1 November'') was an armed conflict between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (Algeri ...

. Peyrefitte served as Minister of Information from 1962 to 1966, establishing the rules of presidential debates between the two electoral rounds; and as

Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

from 1977 to 1981, being involved in the affair surrounding the mysterious death of

Robert Boulin Robert Boulin (20 July 1920 – 30 October 1979) was a French politician who served as Minister of Labour in the French Cabinet and was at the centre of a major real-estate scandal that ended only with his death in mysterious circumstances. At t ...

in 1979. He became a member of the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

in 1977. On 15 December 1986, he survived an assassination attempt by members of Action Directe (AD) in front of his house. The driver of his car was killed in the bomb attack. Upon his death in 1999 he was honored by burial in

Les Invalides The Hôtel des Invalides (; ), commonly called (; ), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and an old soldi ...

which also houses the tomb of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

and other revered national leaders.

Books

He wrote '' The Immobile Empire'' and '' Quand la Chine s'éveillera… le monde tremblera''. Outside France he is probably best known for his book (translated as ''The Trouble with France''), which addresses the question of whether there is something unique to the French character that has caused some of the country's peculiar recurring problems. The book places his own observations and experiences as a journalist and government minister inside a panoramic view of French and European history from the medieval to the modern era.

Political career

Governmental functions * Secretary of State for Information : April–September 1962. * Minister of Returnees : September–November 1962. * Minister of Information : 1962–1966. * Minister of Scientific Research and Atomic Questions and Space : 1966–1967. * Minister of Education : 1967–1968. * Minister for Administrative Reforms : 1973–1974. * Minister of Cultural Affairs and the Environment : March–May 1974. * Keeper of the seals, Minister of Justice : 1977–1981. Electoral mandates ''National Assembly of France'' * Member of the

National Assembly of France The National Assembly (, ) is the lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral French Parliament under the French Fifth Republic, Fifth Republic, the upper house being the Senate (France), Senate (). The National Assembly's legislators are known ...

for

Seine-et-Marne Seine-et-Marne () is a department in the Île-de-France region in Northern France. Named after the rivers Seine and Marne, it is the region's largest department with an area of 5,915 square kilometres (2,284 square miles); it roughly covers its ...

: 1958–1962 (Became secretary of State in 1962) * Reelected in 1967, but he stays minister * 1968–1973 (Became minister in 1973) * 1974–1977 (Became minister in 1977) * Reelected in 1978, but he stays minister * 1981–1995 (Became senator in 1995). * Elected in 1958, reelected in 1962, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1981, 1986, 1988, 1993. ''Senate of France'' * Senator of

: 1995–1999 (He died in 1999). Elected in 1995. ''General Council'' * Vice-president of the General council of

: 1982–1988. * General councillor of

: 1964–1988. Reelected in 1970, 1976, 1982. ''Municipal Council'' * Mayor of

Provins Provins () is a Communes of France, commune in the Seine-et-Marne Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region in north-central France. Known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and importance througho ...

: 1965–1997 (Resignation in 1997). Reelected in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989, 1995. * Municipal councillor of

: 1965–1999 (He died in 1999). Reelected in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989, 1995.

Honours

* : Commander of the Order of Cultural Merit (November 1999) * : Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in September 1974Archives of the l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
/ref>

Works

Non-fiction, except when noted. * 1946: ''Rue d'Ulm, chroniques de la vie normalienne''. * 1947: ''Le Sentiment de confiance'' * 1948: ''Les Roseaux froissés'', novel * 1949: ''Le Mythe de Pénélope'' * 1961: ''Faut-il partager l'Algérie ?'' * 1973: ''Quand la Chine s'éveillera… le monde tremblera'' * 1976: ''Le Mal français'' (''The Trouble with France'') * 1981: ''Les Chevaux du lac Ladoga - la justice entre les extrêmes'' * 1983: ''Quand la rose se fanera'' * 1985: ''Encore un effort, Monsieur le Président'' * 1989: ''L'Empire immobile ou le choc des mondes'' ('' The Immobile Empire''), historic novel * 1990: ''La Tragédie chinoise'' * 1995: ''La Société de confiance'' * 1995: ''Du Miracle en économie'', lectures at

Collège de France The (), formerly known as the or as the ''Collège impérial'' founded in 1530 by François I, is a higher education and research establishment () in France. It is located in Paris near La Sorbonne. The has been considered to be France's most ...

* 1997: ''La Chine s'est éveillée'' * 1994-2000: 'C'était de Gaulle''

References