It is certainly the consequence of a misunderstanding, the cause of which I explained poorly, that your letter of 6 March [1975] addresses to me questions that currently arise concerning a translation of Enrages and Situationists in the Occupations Movement.
After seven years, this short book has naturally lost most of its interest; and this to the precise extent that its principal thesis today finds itself very generally admitted. Moreover, the subsequent intellectual productions of its signatory, Mr. [Rene] Vienet, can only bring a contemporary public to classify the book in, above all, the genre of comedy.
It is quite true that this book had many co-authors. Thus there is no reason that one to any degree attributes its ownership to me. If Mr Vienet, through a delicacy that is quite excessive in this case, decidedly does not want to do so, you will certainly find other needy people, for example, Serie Noire or other branches of Editions Gallimard, who would find it a joy to add this book to the complete list of their various works. In short, if all of its co-authors are obstinate in leaving you with the inconvenience of a juridical void where this work is concerned, I suggest that you offer that peaceful pleasure to Mr Antoine Gallimard, who around 1968 enunciated several strong words concerning the revolution.
Having thus responded to you as best I can, I ask you to note, once and for all, that I do not want to entertain any kind of relations, even quite indirect, with Editions Gallimard, and none with Mr Vienet either.
Please accept, dear Madame, my distinguished salutations.
Guy Debord
[1] Responsible for foreign translation rights at Editions Gallimard.
(Published in Guy Debord Correspondance, Vol 5: Janvier 1973-Decembre 1978 by Librairie Artheme Fayard, 2005. Translated from the French by NOT BORED! March 2007. Footnote by Alice Debord.)