Achille Essebac
Encyclopedia
Achille Essebac was a French writer primarily known for his novel Dédé about an ill-fated homoerotic friendship between two schoolboys. Essebac was a pseudonym, since his original surname Bécasse is a derogatory word for goose.
Essebac was a friend of Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen
and defended him against accusations of indecency caused by Fersen's penchant for tableaux vivants at his house in Avenue de Friedland. In 1909, Essebac also contributed an article for Fersen's short-lived gay-interest journal Akademos. However, apart from the article, Essebac largely avoided writing about homosexuality after the Fersen scandal.
Essebac was also a photographer of young men, preferably clothed in Renaissance or medieval theatrical costumes. A recently rediscovered album with 156 photographs by him was sold for €
3,500 in Paris.
In the 1920s and early 1930s the Dédé-bar existed in Berlin
, which was a gay bar named after Essebac's most well-known gay character from his novels.
Essebac was a friend of Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen
Jacques d'Adelsward-Fersen
Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen was a novelist and poet of the early 20th century; his modern fame is based on a mid-century fictionalised biography by Roger Peyrefitte....
and defended him against accusations of indecency caused by Fersen's penchant for tableaux vivants at his house in Avenue de Friedland. In 1909, Essebac also contributed an article for Fersen's short-lived gay-interest journal Akademos. However, apart from the article, Essebac largely avoided writing about homosexuality after the Fersen scandal.
Essebac was also a photographer of young men, preferably clothed in Renaissance or medieval theatrical costumes. A recently rediscovered album with 156 photographs by him was sold for €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
3,500 in Paris.
In the 1920s and early 1930s the Dédé-bar existed in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, which was a gay bar named after Essebac's most well-known gay character from his novels.
Books
- Partenza... vers la beauté !, 1898
- Dédé, 1901
- Luc, 1902
- L’Élu, 1902
- Les Boucs, 1903
- Les Griffes, 1904
- Nuit païenne, 1907
External links
- Caspar Wintermans: The Rediscovery of Achille Essebac in Gay News (2008-10-31)