Henry Coston
Encyclopedia
Henry Coston was a French far right
and anti-Semitic journalist, collaborationist and conspiracy theorist.
After being a member of the Action française
, Coston was influenced by journalist Édouard Drumont
and took over his newspaper La Libre Parole (an anti-Semitic paper well known during the Dreyfus affair
) in the 1930s. He had previously learned his trade editing La France Ouvrière with Henry Charbonneau
. At the same time he created an "Anti-Jewish Youth" organisation "which campaigned for the exclusion of Jews from French life." In the run-up to World War II
, he was also in close touch with Ulrich Fleischhauer
, German publisher of an internationally-distributed anti-Jewish propaganda newsletter, the Welt-Dienst / World-Service / Service Mondial
.
During World War II, Coston belonged to Jacques Doriot
's fascist PPF
. He also was vice-president of the "Association of anti-Jewish Journalists" and he organised the publication of one of the most anti-Semitic document of the Vichy regime, a tract entitled "I hate you" (Je vous hais). At the same period, he also wrote anti-Masonic
pamphlets with his colleague Jacques Ploncard d'Assac.
In 1944, he tried to escape in Austria
, but he was captured and sentenced to hard labour for life. He was pardoned in 1952 for illness and served only five years. He began writing again, mainly against free-masonry while he kept on denouncing the influence of Jews in French life.
Until the 1990s he was contributing to different far-right newspapers. He was a supporter of the Front National
and occasionally wrote in its paper National-Hebdo. From 1967 to 2000, Coston wrote a five-volume Dictionary of French politics (Dictionnaire de la politique française), which is considered as "exactly referenced" and "a non-negligible source of information" by the Jewish historian Simon Epstein.
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
and anti-Semitic journalist, collaborationist and conspiracy theorist.
After being a member of the Action française
Action Française
The Action Française , founded in 1898, is a French Monarchist counter-revolutionary movement and periodical founded by Maurice Pujo and Henri Vaugeois and whose principal ideologist was Charles Maurras...
, Coston was influenced by journalist Édouard Drumont
Edouard Drumont
Édouard Adolphe Drumont was a French journalist and writer. He founded the Antisemitic League of France in 1889, and was the founder and editor of the newspaper La Libre Parole.- Early life :...
and took over his newspaper La Libre Parole (an anti-Semitic paper well known during the Dreyfus affair
Dreyfus Affair
The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s and the early 1900s. It involved the conviction for treason in November 1894 of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish descent...
) in the 1930s. He had previously learned his trade editing La France Ouvrière with Henry Charbonneau
Henry Charbonneau
Henry Charbonneau was a French far right politician and writer....
. At the same time he created an "Anti-Jewish Youth" organisation "which campaigned for the exclusion of Jews from French life." In the run-up to 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 also in close touch with Ulrich Fleischhauer
Ulrich Fleischhauer
thumb|Ulrich Fleischhauer Ulrich Fleischhauer was a leading antisemitic publisher of books and news articles reporting on an alleged Judeo-Masonic conspiracy theory and supposed "nefarious plots" by clandestine Jewish interests to dominate the world.His career was at first grounded in the Imperial...
, German publisher of an internationally-distributed anti-Jewish propaganda newsletter, the Welt-Dienst / World-Service / Service Mondial
Ulrich Fleischhauer
thumb|Ulrich Fleischhauer Ulrich Fleischhauer was a leading antisemitic publisher of books and news articles reporting on an alleged Judeo-Masonic conspiracy theory and supposed "nefarious plots" by clandestine Jewish interests to dominate the world.His career was at first grounded in the Imperial...
.
During World War II, Coston belonged to Jacques Doriot
Jacques Doriot
Jacques Doriot was a French politician prior to and during World War II. He began as a Communist but then turned Fascist.-Early life and politics:...
's fascist PPF
Parti Populaire Français
The Parti Populaire Français was a fascist political party led by Jacques Doriot before and during World War II...
. He also was vice-president of the "Association of anti-Jewish Journalists" and he organised the publication of one of the most anti-Semitic document of the Vichy regime, a tract entitled "I hate you" (Je vous hais). At the same period, he also wrote anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonry
Anti-Masonry is defined as "avowed opposition to Freemasonry". However, there is no homogeneous anti-Masonic movement...
pamphlets with his colleague Jacques Ploncard d'Assac.
In 1944, he tried to escape in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, but he was captured and sentenced to hard labour for life. He was pardoned in 1952 for illness and served only five years. He began writing again, mainly against free-masonry while he kept on denouncing the influence of Jews in French life.
Until the 1990s he was contributing to different far-right newspapers. He was a supporter of the Front National
Front National
Front National can mean:* Front National , a French political party* Front National , a World War II French Resistance group* Front National , a Belgian political party...
and occasionally wrote in its paper National-Hebdo. From 1967 to 2000, Coston wrote a five-volume Dictionary of French politics (Dictionnaire de la politique française), which is considered as "exactly referenced" and "a non-negligible source of information" by the Jewish historian Simon Epstein.