from Guy Debord

To Jean-Pierre Baudet
Champot, 26 June 1987
Dear Jean-Pierre:

Your letter of the 2d[1] has followed me, with some difficulties, to Champot, where I am now on "vacation." It is thus necessary for you to send here the text for me to re-read.[2] In cases of notable possible doubts, mark out for me the possibilities between which you are hesitating, and summarily describe for me your reasons in favor of one or the other choice. Do not forget that I am unfortunately the only non-Germanist Clausewitzian.[3]

I laughed when reading the letter, unfortunately signed by [Christian] Sebastiani.[4] One is informed, after walled-in reflections, of the official truth of the Encyclopedia[5] on the entire affair, which otherwise nearly everyone risked not understanding in all of its frank subtlety: the Encyclopedia is not unconditionally in favor of the one name [Guy] Fargette,[6] but is only [unconditionally] opposed to you.[7] One finally sees the historical difference between the S[ituationist] I[nternational] and the EdN: the situs excluded [people], and the Nuisances are in solidarity [with each other]!

See you soon, Best wishes,
Guy

[1] This letter -- probably dated 2 June 1987 -- is not available to us.

[2] The text of Baudet's translation of Carl von Clauswitz's On War from German into French.

[3] Though was a fluent speaker/reader of Spanish, Italian and French, Debord knew little German.

[4] Letter to Baudet dated 30 May 1987.

[5] The Encyclopedia of Nuisances (EdN).

[6] Author of a controversial "critique" of the occupation of the Sorbonne and the erection of barricades on the night of 6 December 1986.

[7] See Baudet's stinging letter to Fargette, dated 22 February 1987.


(Published in Jean-Francois Martos, Correspondance avec Guy Debord, Le fin mot de l'Histoire, August 1998. Translated from the French by NOT BORED! June 2007. Footnotes by the translator.)




To Contact NOT BORED!
Info@notbored.org
ISSN 1084-7340.
Snail mail: POB 1115, Stuyvesant Station, New York City 10009-9998