Henri de Man
Encyclopedia
Henri De Man (Antwerp, 17 November 1885, Greng
, Switzerland
, 20 June 1953) was one of the leading Belgian socialist
theoreticians of his period, who collaborated
with Nazi Germany
during World War II
. He was a Flemish burgher who received training in Germany.
. After the war, he taught sociology
for a time at the University of Washington
, then moved to Weimar Germany where he wrote and studied on the development of modern socialism and society.
Returning to Belgium, he became Vice President of the Belgian Labour Party
(POB/BWP). Upon the death of Emile Vandervelde
in 1938, he assumed its presidency.
His views on socialism and his revision of Marxism
were controversial. His promotion of the idea of "planisme
", or planning, was widely influential in the early 1930s, in particular among the Non-Conformist Movement in France.
.
, and his mother Queen-Mother Elisabeth. After the capitulation of the Belgian Army in 1940, he issued a manifesto to POB's members, welcoming the German occupation as a field of neutralist action during the war: "For the working classes and for socialism, this collapse of a decrepit world, far from being a disaster, is a deliverance."
He was involved in setting up an umbrella trade union, the Unie van Hand-en Geestesarbeiders/Union des Travailleurs Manuels et Intellectuels (UHAG/UTMI) which would unify the existing trade unions and moreover aim at the integration of manual and intellectual workers.
Nevertheless, he eventually was mistrusted both by Flemish Nazi collaborators (for his 'Belgicism') and by the Nazi authorities, who forbade him to give anymore public speeches around Easter 1941. Seeing he had lost his grip on events, he went into self-imposed exile in an Alpine cottage in La Clusaz, in the Haute Savoie region of France
. After Liberation, he crossed the border to Switzerland
.
He was convicted in absentia
of treason
after the war. He died in 1953, together with his wife, in a collision with a train.
His nephew, the literary theorist Paul de Man
, became famous in the United States
as a leading proponent of "deconstructionism", but after his death in 1983 was found to have written articles in the wartime Nazi-controlled press that discussed antisemitic themes.
Greng
Greng is a municipality in the district of See in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland.-World heritage site:It is home to one or more prehistoric pile-dwelling settlements that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site.-External links:*...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, 20 June 1953) was one of the leading Belgian socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
theoreticians of his period, who collaborated
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
with Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was a Flemish burgher who received training in Germany.
World War I and the interwar period
A politically active socialist, he nevertheless supported the Allied cause in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the war, he taught sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
for a time at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, then moved to Weimar Germany where he wrote and studied on the development of modern socialism and society.
Returning to Belgium, he became Vice President of the Belgian Labour Party
Belgian Labour Party
The Belgian Labour Party, called Belgische Werkliedenpartij in Dutch and Parti Ouvrier Belge in French, was the first socialist party in Belgium, founded in 1885.-History:...
(POB/BWP). Upon the death of Emile Vandervelde
Emile Vandervelde
thumb|upright|Emile VanderveldeEmile Vandervelde was a Belgian statesman, born at Ixelles. He studied law at the Free University of Brussels and became doctor of laws in 1885 and doctor of social science in 1888.-Activities:Vandervelde became a member of the Parti Ouvrier...
in 1938, he assumed its presidency.
His views on socialism and his revision of Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
were controversial. His promotion of the idea of "planisme
Planisme
Planisme was an ideological current in the interwar period which advocated the use of economic plans and planification. Représentants of planisme include, in France, the groupe X-crise, and in Belgium Henri de Man...
", or planning, was widely influential in the early 1930s, in particular among the Non-Conformist Movement in France.
Plan De Man
De Man was responsible for a plan which was devised to halt the rise of fascism in Belgium. This plan became widely known as 'Het Plan De Man' and was an example of planism. The plan is comparable to Franklin Roosevelt's New DealNew Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
.
Collaboration
De Man was an adviser to King LeopoldLeopold III of Belgium
Leopold III reigned as King of the Belgians from 1934 until 1951, when he abdicated in favour of the Heir Apparent,...
, and his mother Queen-Mother Elisabeth. After the capitulation of the Belgian Army in 1940, he issued a manifesto to POB's members, welcoming the German occupation as a field of neutralist action during the war: "For the working classes and for socialism, this collapse of a decrepit world, far from being a disaster, is a deliverance."
He was involved in setting up an umbrella trade union, the Unie van Hand-en Geestesarbeiders/Union des Travailleurs Manuels et Intellectuels (UHAG/UTMI) which would unify the existing trade unions and moreover aim at the integration of manual and intellectual workers.
Nevertheless, he eventually was mistrusted both by Flemish Nazi collaborators (for his 'Belgicism') and by the Nazi authorities, who forbade him to give anymore public speeches around Easter 1941. Seeing he had lost his grip on events, he went into self-imposed exile in an Alpine cottage in La Clusaz, in the Haute Savoie region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After Liberation, he crossed the border to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
He was convicted in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
after the war. He died in 1953, together with his wife, in a collision with a train.
His nephew, the literary theorist Paul de Man
Paul de Man
Paul de Man was a Belgian-born deconstructionist literary critic and theorist.He began teaching at Bard College. Later, he completed his Ph.D. at Harvard University in the late 1950s...
, became famous in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a leading proponent of "deconstructionism", but after his death in 1983 was found to have written articles in the wartime Nazi-controlled press that discussed antisemitic themes.
Writings of De Man
- Après Coup, Brussels: Éd. de la Toison d'Or, 1941.
- Au-delà du Marxisme. Paris: Éd. du Seuil, 1974.