Guy Debord – Original Correspondence with Anita Blanc [1988-1990]

Original correspondence between Guy Debord and Anita Blanc on the back of 14 signed postcards (ca. 10.5 x 15 cm. in size). Written between 1988 and 1990, all are accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII (Paris: Fayard, 2008).

Anita Blanc was one of a handful of employees (and Debord’s day-to-day contact) at Editions Champ Libre / Gerard Lebovici. She was the cousin of Gerard Lebovici, a famed film producer, editor and impresario who doubled as Debord’s patron until his mysterious assassination in 1984.

Anita Blanc and Guy Debord developed a warm relationship, as evidenced by the tone of some of their exchanges. They had a shared passion for cats, which explains the deliberate and consistent choice of postcards representing felines. All in all, Debord wrote to Blanc at least 25 times between July 29, 1988 and February 23, 1990 (see Correspondance, Vol “0”, pp. 352). The back-and-forth ended when Debord had a falling out with Editions Gerard Lebovici a few months after the death of Floriana Lebovici (Gerard Lebovici’s widow) from a devastating cancer on February 19, 1990. Two years later, Editions Lebovici became Editions Ivrea and Debord had jumped ship.

In this correspondence, Debord tackles a number of meaningful matters (such as the translation of his works into English and Spanish) but also some more pedestrian ones (for instance, the make-up of a display case for his new book). A detailed read of each piece is provided below:

01. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 01/10/[19]88. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 42. 

Debord asks Anita Blanc whether Olivier Lutaud [a famed historian and the author of Les Nivelleurs, Cromwell et la Republique, which Debord had read – see Correspondance Vol V, pp. 274, note 3] has sent his translation of a newly discovered text on the English revolution.

02. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 14/10/[19]88. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 43-44.

Debord states that half of his knowledge on the English revolution comes from Lutaud, while the other half comes from Guizot, which he views as a bit outdated [Guizot was the author of  Pourquoi la révolution d’Angleterre a-t-elle réussi ? Discours sur l’histoire de la révolution d’Angleterre in 1850 and Études biographiques sur la révolution d’Angleterre the following year, among others]. He also wonders that he may be the last man in France who cannot read English. He asks about Michele Duval [who had edited Saint-Just’s Oeuvres Completes and Anacharsis Cloots’ Ecrits Revolutionnaires for Champ Libre] and confirms that the third printing [of an unidentified] was exempt of typos.

03. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated [28/10/1988]. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 47-48.

Debord wonders about the possibility that he (or other authors published by Gerard Lebovici) may be considered for a literary prize. In this unlikely event, and to avoid any confusion, Debord writes a brief “Memoradum” to Anita Blanc. He explains that Editions Gerard Lebovici are hostile to any literary prize, and that such a position is shared by all of its published authors.

04. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 03/11[19]88. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 48.

Debord gives Anita Blanc some guidance regarding the display case [in which his new book, Commentaires sur la Societe du Spectacle, is to be promoted]. He expresses a desire to see only three of his other works (namely, Considerations  [sur l’assassinat de Gerard Lebovici], [Societe du] Spectacle, and Le Jeu de la Guerre)  placed on the shelf alongside this new title. However, he also wishes to see works by Sexby, Junius, Cravan and Orwell placed on a separate shelf underneath or above. The fact that all four of these authors are English, he muses, is quite timely in light of Mrs Thatcher’s visit to Poland.

05. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 04/12/[19]88. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 53.

Debord is pleased with the display case that was prepared for his books [see postcard dated 3/11/1988]. He asks that a new display case be prepared to showcase [Jean-Francois] Martos’ new book [Histoire de l’Internationale Situationniste, published by Champ Libre in 1989]. He proposes to lend (but not gift) broadsides and original documents [from the Internationale Situationniste] on this occasion.

06. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 07/01/[19]89. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 66.

Debord tells Anita Blanc that he gave Nico[las Lebovici, Gerard Lebovici’s son] the documents for the display case [see postcard dated 04/12/1988].

07. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 10/03/[19]89. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 74. 

Debord acknowledges the receipt of a letter from the University of Montana at Missoula in which he is asked to partake in a conference alongside Baudrillard [Indeed, the conference Jean Baudrillard in the Mountains, or Modern Communication and the Disappearance of Art and Politics  was held from 11-13 May 1989 in Missoula, MT] and congratulates Anita for responding in a rather uncivil manner to said invitation.

08. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 06/06/[19]89. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 92.

Debord asks that Anita Blanc reject a request by Belgian urbanists [to publish excerpts from Debord’s writings] and, more generally, any similar request made by periodicals, anthologies, etc. This “it goes without saying”, should apply to all of his books.

09. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 29/09/[19]89. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 110.

Debord expresses his dismay at the fact that [Jean-Edern] Hallier [editor of the periodical l’Idiot International] reprinted some pages from Panegyrique without his explicit permission. However, he does not wish to dignify the journalist with a response. He also instructs Anita that, should similar requests be made in the future, they ought to be met with a flat-out rejection. See postcard dated 06/06/1989 for a similar ask.

10. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 15/10/[19]89. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 114. 

Debord asks Anita Blanc to respond to Malcolm Imrie [who is then preparing an English translation of La Societe du Spectacle for Verso, though the political treatise will ultimately be published by Zone in 1990] regarding the old pirate Black & Red translation. He also asks that Imrie send a letter detailing challenges with his translation of Commentaires sur la Societe du Spectacle  [Imrie did comply, and Debord’s response can be found in Correspondance Vol. VII, pp. 204-209. Imrie’s translation was ultimately published by Verso in 1990]. Finally, Debord asks that the translation of Panegyrique be be delayed, and that [Jorge] Herraldo not be forgotten [more on this in the next letter].

11. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 23/10/[19]89. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 115.

Debord asks Anita Blanc for a payment of 250,000 Francs on behalf of Editions Gerard Lebovici, partly as an advance on his latest book, Panegyrique. He also inquires about the status of “Societe des jeux strategiques et historiques” [a company he had initially founded with Gerard Lebovici and that would have marketed his board game “Kriegspiel”]. Finally, he expresses satisfaction with Pascal Dumontier’s manuscript [Les Situationnistes et Mai 68, which Champ Libre will ultimately publish in 1990] and says he will write to him [as he does the next day, in an unusually warm letter – see Correspondance, Vol. VII, pp. 117-121].

12. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 19/[12/1989]. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 150.

Debord thanks Anita for sending a check [for 250,000 Francs, see postcard dated 23/10/1989] on December 15. He also asks her to clarify the situation with the “senor editor de ANAGRAMA” [i.e., Jorge Herraldo, head of said Spanish publishing house]. In June 1988, Debord had written a first letter to Herraldo detailing some of the issues he saw with the Spanish translation of Commentaires sur la Societe du Spectacle  (see Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 92) .

13. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 27/12/[19]89. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 153.

Debord expresses his worries once more regarding the Spanish translation of Commentaires sur la Societe du Spectacle . He now believes Jorge [Herraldo] is playing him for a fool.  The back of the postcard is a metaphor for the duplicitous Spanish publisher…

14. Debord, Guy. [CORRESPONDENCE] Signed autograph postcard dated 30/01/[19]90. Accounted for in Correspondance, Vol. VII, p. 169.

Debord laments how he is being treated by journalists [in reference to the article “Enquete sur les grands silencieux” published in Globe, February 1990,  in which he is essentially compared to the Guru of a cult] and reminds Anita about additional monies owed to him.