Henri Antonin Charrière (1906 - 1973)

Born 16 Nov 1906 in Saint-Étienne-de-Lugdarès, Ardèche, France

Husband of Georgette Jeanne (Fourel) Charrière — married 22 Dec 1929 (to 8 Jul 1930) in Paris, Seine, France

Died 29 Jul 1973 at age 66 in Madrid, Spain

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Henri Charrière is Notable.

Biography

Henri Charrière was a French criminal and writer. Convicted as a murderer by the French courts, he is known as the author of Papillon (1968), a memoir of his incarceration in and escape from Devil's Island, a penal colony in French Guiana. While Charrière claimed that Papillon was largely true, modern researchers believe that much of the book’s material came from other inmates, rather than Charrière himself. To his final days Charrière strenuously denied his murder conviction, however he freely admitted to having committed various other petty crimes prior to his incarceration.^[1]

In Papillon, Henri describes his successful escape from Devil's Island, with a companion, Sylvain. They used two sacks filled with coconuts to act as lifebuoys. According to Charrière, the two men leaped into heavy seas from a cliff and drifted to the mainland over a period of three days. Sylvain died in quicksand a short distance from the shore. From then Henri (Papillon) was to meet the man of the name Cuic-Cuic who would help him escape again to the freedom he always wanted. But he was caught again and served in the Bagne at El Dorado where he would soon become free for life and live in Venezuela.^[2]

Charrière's account aroused considerable controversy. French authorities disputed it and released penal colony records that contradicted his account. Charrière had never been imprisoned on Devil's Island. He had escaped from a mainland prison. French journalists or prison authorities disputed other elements of his book and said that he had invented many incidents or appropriated experiences of other prisoners. Critics said he should have admitted his book was fiction.^[3]

“Henri Charriere, author of the best seller “Papillon,” has been pardoned for the murder that sent him to Devil's Island and the imprisonment and escapes he recounts in his book. Justice Minister Rene Pleven signed the decree Oct. 17, informed sources said.” ^[4]

Sources

• 1945, Henri Charriere, "Brazil, São Paulo, Immigration Cards, 1902-1980"
• 1973, Henri Charriere, "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011"
• Henri Charrière at Wikipedia
• Devil's Island at Wikipedia

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References

1. ↑ Henri Charrière at Wikipedia
2. ↑ Devil's Island at Wikipedia
3. ↑ Devil's Island at Wikipedia
4. ↑ ‘Papillon’ Author Pardoned, New York,Times, Oct. 29, 1970

• Find A Grave, database and images (accessed 11 September 2019), memorial page for Henri Charrière (16 Nov 1906–29 Jul 1973), Find A Grave: Memorial #13707225, citing Cimetière de Lanas, Lanas, Departement de l'Ardèche, Rhône-Alpes, France ; Maintained by Find A Grave .