Pierlot - Matange - Nothomb

Archives of Pierre Nothomb

  • Access: The fonds Pierre Nothomb can be freely accessed during the opening hours of the reading room. Reservation.
  • Reproduction:  The content of the fonds may be freely reproduced in the reading room. Practical information for requesting a reproduction by CegeSoma personnel can be found here.
  • Finding aids: Inventory AA2196

Fonds description:

Inventory of the fonds Pierre Nothomb

Pierre Nothomb was born in Tournai on 28 March 1887. He was a writer who penned many poems and essays, biographical novels (L’Arc-en-ciel, Porte du ciel, L’Été d’octobre), and historical studies (Petite histoire de Belgique, La Révolution de 1831, Le Roi Albert, Étapes du nationalisme belge, Risquons tout and Les Dragons de Latour). In 1932, he was awarded the Prix quinquennal and in 1936 he received the Carton de Wiart prize.

But Pierre Nothomb was also a key figure of upcoming political movements in the aftermath of the First World War. During this period, he animated the Mouvement pour une Grande Belgique which became the Comité de Politique Nationale (C.P.N.) in 1919. Following the failure of this movement, he founded Action Nationale in 1924, together with a couple of friends, with the aim of federating the different small nationalist groups of the country. One year later, this organisation got backed up by Jeunesses nationales, and Pierre Nothomb became their leader until 1932. In June 1936, he became Senator of Luxembourg province, which he remained until his death. Pierre Nothomb is the father of Charles-Ferdinand and Paul Nothomb, and great-grandfather of writer Amélie Nothomb. He died in Habay-la-Neuve on 29 December 1966.

The archive fonds is composed of documents about the Ligue de l’Indépendance Nationale for the preservation of the neutrality of Belgium in 1939-1940 and the Union des Neutres concerning the same period. It mainly holds correspondence of various types, texts for these two organisations, personal documents of the author, and documentation.

For more information :

  • Kiesel, Frédéric. Pierre Nothomb. Bruxelles : De Méyère, 1965.
  • Baland, Lionel. Pierre Nothomb. Pardès, 2019.
  • Balace, F., Defoort E. et Desneux P.H.[et alii]. Pierre Nothomb et le nationalisme belge de 1914 à 1930. Arlon : Edit. de l'Académie Luxembourgeoise, 1980.
  • Colignon, Alain. Nothomb Pierre sur BelgiumWWII.