Famous Put-Downs: Céline vs. Sartre

Céline. Sartre. Crazy frogs. A recipe for a hilarious (and nearly deadly) exchange after the War, when Sartre accused Céline of collaboration with the occupying Germans. In fact, Sartre wrote in Les Temps Moderne (1 Dec 1945) that Céline was paid by the Germans to endorse their race theories. Such high-profile collaboration meant death in newly-liberated France. Céline - veteran of the Great War, as Sartre wasn't - was not happy:

'Assassin and genius? It's been known... after all... Perhaps it's the case with Sartre? Assassin he is, he'd like to be, agreed, but genius? Small turd in my genius arse? Him? Remains to be seen... yes, certainly that can blossom... become manifest... but J-P.S.? Those foetus's eyes? those mean shoulders? that little pot-belly? tape-worm, yes, human tape-worm, situated you know where... and philosopher! that's quite a few things... It seems that he liberated Paris on a bicycle. He has... in the theatre, in Society... played about with the war, tortures, prison, fire. But times are changing, and now he's growing, swelling enormously J-P.S.! He cannot control himself any more... doesn't recogise himself any more... from the embryo which he is, he's moving towards becoming a creature!'

We at Burning Pyre applaud his genius, and plug him/ us shamelessly once again: