![]() | ![]() |
FRANCE
|
The World's First Detective"François Eugène Vidocq was an ex-convict who set up the Brigade de la Sûreté, the French national detective police force, and went on to become the world's first private detective. Here are a few of this real-life master sleuth's innovations: |
|
![]() |
![]() | Date of issue: postmark 30.08.2003 |
text on the back of envelope
En 1811, on lui confie une brigade spéciale faite d'anciens bagnards. Il quitte la police en 1827, fortune douteuse faite. On le rappelle en 1832 mais, mêlé a la répression anti-républicaine de juin 1832, il est invité a donner sa démission. I1 fonde alors une police privée. Les écrivains de l'époque, à la recherche de personnages sulfureux pour les inspirer, trouvent avec Vidocq le modèle idéal, voyou, voleur, bagnard et policier ! Il devient l'ami « fréquentable » de Balzac, Hugo, Lamartine, Dumas, Sue, malgré deux nouvelles arrestations en 1837 et 1843... Il meurt en 1857, après avoir écrit ses mémoires en 1828, « Les Voleurs » en 1836 et « Les vrais mystères de Paris » en 1844. Dessin du timbre : Serge Hochain - - - Impression du timbre en heliogravure
When we consider Vidocq, it's always difficult to separate the legend, history, and the literary character. Where is the truth when the two heros of Balzac and Victor Hugo, Vautrin and Jean Valjean, take the place of citizen Vidocq, a true literary myth, more famous through these characters that he inspired than himself! Who was Vidocq? The son of a baker from Arras. Born in 1775, he is first mentioned at the age of 16, at the time of his first theft. As atonement, he enters the army, deserts, is arrested, escapes from the penal colony at Brest, is recaptured and finishes up in the ranks of the police... denouncing all his former activities! In 1811, he's granted a special brigade made of ex-convicts. He quits the police in 1827, a questionable fortune made. He is recalled in 1832 but, embroiled in the anti-republican represseion of June, 1832, he is asked to resign. He then founds a private detective agency. The writers of the period, seeking unconventional characters for inspiration, found in Vidocq an ideal model... hoodlum, thief, convict and policeman! He became the "associate" of Balzac, Hugo, Lamartine, Dumas, and Sue, in spite of two new arrests in 1837 and 1843... He died in 1857, after having written his memoirs in 1828, "The Thieves" in 1836, and "The True Mysteries of Paris" inn 1844. Stamp design: Serge Hochain - - - Printing: heliogravure
|
![]() Claudine "Claudine" novels, Colette [1873-1954] |
![]() The Count of Monte Cristo Alexandre Dumas [1802-1870] |
![]() Esmeralda "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", Victor Hugo [1802-1885] |
![]() Gavroche "Les Misérables", Victor Hugo [1802-1885] |
![]() Nana Emile Zola [1840-1902] |
![]() Vidocq [1775-1857] (Honoré de Balzac [1799-1850]) |
More about Vidocq:![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() Vidocq - 2001 French film starring Gérard Depardieu, directed by Pitof. |