Stateless person
Chapter 3: Naturalization
In 1938, after two attempts in 1930 and 1935, Irène Némirovsky presented a new application for naturalisation, with the support of André Chaumeix, the new director of the Revue des deux mondes, and Jean Vignaud, president of the Société des Gens de Lettres. Relaunched in September 1939, the approach will not succeed.
Letter of recommendation from Andr Chaumeix attached the naturalization request, November 30, 1938.
© Fonds Irène Némirovsky/ IMEC
1938
March 12: Nazi Germany annexes Austria (Anschluss). What a different time we are living The war, logically, seems all pr s. (Work journals, 1938/IMEC)
September 30: France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany sign the Munich agreements.
November 9: In Germany, the Kristallnacht marks a brutal escalation of the antis mitism
November 12: In France, a constitutional law limits the accession of foreigners to French nationality and hardens the situation for those unable to join.
1930, February-March
The right-wing press wants to believe that David Golder is a pamphlet: Alone, a Jew could write on the Jewish madness of gold such a terrible and clairvoyant book. (Andr Billy, La Femme de France) Part of the press isra lite fustige David Golder, figure of the Jew for moth antis (Pierre Paraf, L Jewish illustration). Ir ne N mirovsky, who acknowledged having written a social satire, will always crack open any kind of realization: Do the bourgeois of the Marais think about identifying with the people from Francis Carco’s milieu? Why do the French Isra Lites want to find themselves in David Golder? Disproportion is the same. (Interview, L Univers isra lite, July 5, 1935) It was necessary to postpone her request for French naturalization, for fear that she would facilitate the awarding of the Goncourt Prize and marred the moment of her march.
1935, July
In an interview given by the Univers isra lite, Ir N mirovsky acknowledged his mistakes ( It is quite certain that if there had been Hitler, I would have greatly softened David Golder ) and said no: Every time I had the opportunity, I didn’t like to be Jewish, I proclaimed myself! I am much too far from the truth to have ever denied him.
1939
September 1: German troops invade Poland. Jean Vignaud tries to restart the procedure for naturalizing Epstein lice, in vain.
September 3: France and England declare war on Germany. By guarantee, Denise and Lisabeth are sent to Issy-l v at Mrs. Mitaine’s, the mother of C cile Michaud, nurse. Until May 1940, Ir ne N mirovsky multiplied the round trips between Paris and Issy.
