Who Murdered Robert Denoël?
The Nazi collaborator was murdered in mysterious circumstances in December 1945 - but who did the deed? By Pirate Irwin
To me the question of who murdered Robert Denoël ranks alongside who betrayed Jean Moulin. Many may raise an eyebrow at putting the two in the same category – Denoël, a talented publisher whose ambition and desire to stay in the business convinced him to collaborate or at the very least compromise with the Nazis and Moulin the high-flying bureaucrat with the matinee idol looks who preferred to join de Gaulle than seek office with the occupiers.
I had always been intrigued by Robert Denoël ever since I first came across his murder about 10 years ago. When I mentioned it to French friends their reaction was ‘who?’ and I quickly got the impression as Michael Caine might say ‘not a lot of people know (about) that.’ Mention Moulin and those same friends would immediately reply ‘yes, he was betrayed to Klaus Barbie, the Butcher of Lyon.’
Being a journalist there is always a follow up question and it was who betrayed him. Nine times out of 10 they would reply René Hardy – tried twice for doing so post war. The second trial he only got off due to a technicality as although four out of the seven judges believed he was guilty. Under French law they required a majority of two.
Not a huge amount of mystery or indeed much to add to that tragic story. Denoël, though, remained a cold case. In all likelihood it will do for eternity. After all in late 1945 why would anyone be enthusiastic in investigating too deeply the murder of a collaborator when de Gaulle’s message was clear – aside from committing the most notorious members of the Vichy administration and various writers and journalists to trial the General wanted bridges mended and a false story told of how the majority of French resisted the Nazi occupier.
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