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a pile of old letters sitting on top of each othera bunch of old papers with handwriting on them sitting on a tablea lot of old newspapers on the tabletwo books on a white background with a yellow cover and a black onea letter written in black ink on a piece of papera handwritten letter written in black ink on a piece of paperan open book with handwriting on it sitting on a tablean open book with writing on it sitting on a table
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175 - Georges Duhamel (1884–1966), doctor, writer and poet
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Estimate €400 - €800
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Georges Duhamel (1884–1966), doctor, writer and poet A collection of letters, press cuttings and two publications 13 letters written by the author, replies to letters and postscripts, 1914–1946, addressed to René Benjamin, including Letter written by the author, Paris, 30 December 1914 No, my dear Benjamin, I am not dead. Having returned from what is vaguely referred to as ‘the front’ four or five days ago, I called in at Lefèvre’s, who showed me your anxious and affectionate note. It touched me deeply, and I thank you most sincerely for your concern. It was easy to be mistaken: here is the second Georges Duhamel whose death has been reported since the start of the war. If it doesn’t bother you, we’ll leave it at that; two is enough… I heard that you had been wounded, and that this injury was not life-threatening. I hope you are now fully recovered, and strong, and spiritually courageous, as a certain letter to our old Lefèvre has shown me. As for me, having been appointed assistant major at the start of the war, I have successively carried out my duties at Fort Champigny, then at Bégin Hospital, and then in an ambulance near Arras. My unit, having returned to base to be reorganised, and I myself will no doubt be returning to the St-Mandé military hospital. What will I do next? I do not know. I am beginning to realise that our duty is to remain where we are posted and not to try to do better than what we are ordered to do… L.A.S., Château-Thierry (Marne), Corbineau Hospital, 20 December 1916 + L.A.S. Blanche Albane Duhamel, 14 March 1916 Letter from the front, at Madame Huquet’s in Maurepas via Pontchartrain (Seine-et-Oise), 14 May 1918 Letter from the author, c/o Mrs Huquet in Maurepas via Pontchartrain (Seine-et-Oise), 24 May 1918 Postcard, 10 October 1944 My dear Benjamin, I have received your letter of 2 October. You have been misinformed; Claude Morgan is the son of Georges Lecomte, and that is probably the reason for your mistake. Secondly, please be aware that I am not a member of any purge committee, neither in the Faculty of Arts nor in the Faculty of Medicine, nor anywhere else for that matter. If it is within my power to do anything to prevent an injustice, I shall do so; but the times we are living through—which ought to be a time of complete joy—are, it must be admitted, chaotic and, all in all, bitter. France has just endured a terrible ordeal and is groping its way forward. Do not worry yourself too much; be patient for a while and we shall soon see things a little more clearly. I, too, have a son in the army at the moment, so I understand your concern. Come now, keep your spirits up! And rest assured that I have not forgotten our early days side by side… P.S., Paris, 26 September 1946 My dear friend, (...) my wife and I read your letter aloud; we read it with dismay and sorrow. I have heard nothing from you for two years. I can only recall a conversation about you with a certain person whom I really have no business naming here, and whom I implored to keep quiet. I knew nothing of your eldest son’s death at the front, nor of your youngest son’s illness, nor indeed anything of the difficulties you might have been facing. Someone I spoke to one day told me that you had gone to Switzerland, and I believed him. Why have you not written to me? You know full well that if it is within my power to assist you in any way, I shall do so, and from the bottom of my heart. I am going to write to the new Prefect of the Seine this very moment. I do not know him. I knew Mr Flouret, his predecessor, quite well; he was a courteous and compassionate man. I do not know the new Prefect, but I shall write to him all the same and ask him to intervene so that you may be left in peace in your own home. I shall say no more for the moment, but you know full well that I am still your friend... Georges Duhamel *Le Combat* Paris, Mercure de France, 1913 First edition, no. 782 Paperback, 18.5 x 12 cm Autographed and signed copy Georges Duhamel *L’Oeuvre des athlètes*, a comedy in four acts… followed by *Lapointe et Ropiteau*, a one-act comedy Paris, Editions de la Nouvelle Revue Française, 1920 Paperback, 19.5 x 13 cm Signed autograph letter FIND THE FULL AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS LOT IN OUR ONLINE AUCTION CATALOGUE
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About the sale René Benjamin, the 20th-century Balzac scholar
Auction location
Auction time 10/06/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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