About
Stéphane Hessel (1917-2013) was a French diplomat, resistant, and writer. Born in Berlin, he joined the Free French Forces during World War II, was arrested by the Gestapo and deported. After the war, he helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He had a diplomatic career, notably as France's ambassador to the UN in Geneva. In 2010, his pamphlet Indignez-vous! (Time for Outrage!) achieved worldwide success and inspired protest movements. He received numerous honors, including the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit.
* 1917-10-20 — † 2013-02-27
Major works
- Indignez-vous ! (2010)pamphlet
- Engagez-vous ! (2011)essay
- Danse avec le siècle (1997)memoir
Key milestones
- 1944Arrested by the Gestapo, tortured, and deported to Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora.
- 1948Helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- 2010Published Indignez-vous!, selling over 4.5 million copies in 35 countries.
Themes
resistancehuman rightspolitical engagementmemoryoutrage
Sources: fourfreedoms.nl · bbc.com · apnews.com