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The Dali Affair

[Enquête intérieure sur les positions politiques]

Manuscript

Author

Author Henri Pastoureau
People cited André Breton, Roger Caillois, Salvador Dalí, Georges Hugnet, Benjamin Péret, Gui Rosey, Elena Dmitrovnia Diakonova, dite Gala Éluard puis Dalí, Etienne Léro

Description

Manuscript written by Henri Pastoureau dated from the 30th of January, 1934 in response to a questionnaire about Hitlerism and the Communist International.

The Dalí affair doesn't only concern the painter; it significantly shakes up the surrealist group, and certain of its members are forced to clarify their positions. These documents relate the issue, here presented in lot 2195, which treat the subject of Dalí's exclusion (on which, following Dalí's excuses, Breton will reconsider) [and] accuse Pierre Yoyotte, Gui Rosey and Henri Pastoureau. Yoyotte, the most vigorously condemned, is also he who seems to experience the most weakness for what we call Hitlerism at this time. He doesn't denounce it when speaking about it, and proposes a study be carried out about it. The two others are sufficiently clear - Pastoureau would be, until the 1950s, one of loyal followers of Breton - on this subject, as they were on the question of the Third International and on the USSR. On this point, their fate was decided: The "reactionary" USSR had become a power. And the International did not have much else to garner a revolution that would last on the horizon of all the declarations here presented. And Dalí? He would not justify himself during a meeting organized at rue Fontaine, except through farce, and it would not be until a letter of March 1934 would show any hint of resolution. [Atelier André Breton website, 2005]

Signed Manuscript, January 30th, 1934.

-Manuscript, 2 pages folio in-4°, dated and signed by Henri Pastoureau relating to the questionnaire on the surrealist position concerning the communist attitude and the Hilterian movement: "I find the Communist International responsible of evading all opposition to a destructive national politics of the USSR, by systematically opposing all the theoretical efforts aspiring to continue the voice of Marxism. I think that Surrealism must denounce with vigor this shortfall, and reclaim the true political reasons at loss." [Auction catalogue, 2003]

The questionnaire asks the following questions:
1. In what measure do you agree with the current politics of the Communist International ?
2. What are, in your opinion, the foundations of the Hitlerian movement and can they be an object of study for the surrealists?
3. What must be in your opinion the function of surrealism in the face of the cultural attitude of the USSR and of the tendencies of the French Communist Party ?
4. To what limits, and in what sense, do you believe that you can be politically active? [André Breton website, 2014]