From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Frenchwoman accused of libel over Nazi ‘collaborator’ family novel
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleA historian of the Nazi occupation of France is being sued by her own relatives for alleged libel after she promoted her first novel as inspired by her family’s history.
Cecile Desprairies, 68, says her debut novel “The Propagandist” — published in English last year — is inspired by her own childhood, but family members have accused her of lying and want the title removed from bookstores.
“It’s a fact: I grew up in a collaborationist family. They all were — to varying degrees,” Desprairies said after the book came out in French in 2023.
She was not present in court today, but a lawyer represented her.
In the novel, the narrator’s family all have different names to those of the author’s real-life relatives, but the plaintiffs — the author’s brother and another relative — say they are clearly identifiable.
Happy pub day to Cécile Desprairies on The Propagandist – an amazing, poignant and important ????which shows why historical fiction matters.@NewVesselPress @villa_albertine
Honored Cécile signed my copy in Paris chez Elle ???????? pic.twitter.com/EqdymiUjkx— carablack #Huguette (@carablack) October 8, 2024
In a legal complaint against Desprairies and her publisher seen by AFP, they accuse her of libel against her mother, great-uncle and half-brother of her grandmother. Both deny the charges.
The Times of Israel Community.