Bernard-Henri Lévy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernard-Henri Lévy
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Lévy in 2017
|
|
| Born |
Bernard-Henri Georges Lévy
5 November 1948 Béni Saf, Oran, French Algeria
|
| Alma mater | École normale supérieure |
| Spouse(s) | Isabelle Doutreluigne (divorced) Sylvie Bouscasse (divorced) Arielle Dombasle
(m. 1993) |
| Era | 20th- and 21st-century philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Continental philosophy Nouveaux Philosophes Liberal internationalism |
|
Main interests
|
Political philosophy |
|
Notable ideas
|
Criticism of "neo-progressivism" and red fascism |
Bernard-Henri Georges Lévy (born 5 November 1948) is a well-known French writer and thinker. People in France often call him BHL. In 1976, he became one of the main leaders of a group called the "Nouveaux Philosophes" (New Philosophers). Over the years, his ideas, political actions, and books have sometimes caused public discussions and debates.
Contents
Life and Career
Early Life and Work
Lévy was born in 1948 in Béni Saf, which was then part of French Algeria. His family was a wealthy Sephardic Jewish family. A few months after he was born, his family moved to Paris, France. His father, André Lévy, started a successful timber company.
In 1971, Lévy became a war correspondent for a newspaper called Combat. He reported on the Bangladesh Liberation War against Pakistan. The next year, he worked for the new government in Bangladesh. His experiences there led to his first book, Bangla-Desh, Nationalisme dans la révolution (Bangladesh, Nationalism in the Revolution), published in 1973. He returned to Bangladesh in 2014 for a book launch and to open a memorial garden.
The New Philosophers
After returning to France, Lévy taught at the University of Strasbourg and the École Normale Supérieure. He helped create the "New Philosophers" group. This group was made up of young thinkers who were not happy with some of the older political ideas, especially after the big protests in France in May 1968. They strongly criticized certain political beliefs, focusing on moral values.
Important Books
In the Footsteps of Tocqueville
Lévy's books have been translated into English for many years. He became more widely known in the United States after writing a series of essays for The Atlantic Monthly in 2005. These essays were later put together into a book called In the Footsteps of Tocqueville. For this book, Lévy traveled across the United States. He interviewed many Americans and wrote down his thoughts, comparing them to the observations of an earlier French writer, Alexis de Tocqueville. The book was discussed a lot in the US.
The Spirit of Judaism
In 2016, Lévy published a book in French called L'Esprit du Judaisme. An English version, The Genius of Judaism, came out in 2017.
Notable Movies
Peshmerga
Lévy has been interested in the Kurdish people's cause since the early 1990s. In 2016, his documentary film, Peshmerga, was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie explores the Iraqi Civil War through the eyes of the Peshmerga fighters. These are Kurdish fighters who were armed by Western countries and fought against Daesh (also known as ISIS). The film includes scenes shot with drones. It also highlights the female fighters in the Peshmerga army.
The film aims to find a version of Islam that is strong enough to stand against extremist groups. It looks for people who believe in an Islam that supports human rights and freedom. Lévy felt he found this in Kurdistan, where different groups live together peacefully. A year later, Lévy said that Jewish people have a special duty to support the Kurds. He hoped they would tell the Peshmerga, "You have fought to protect our shared values. Now it is our turn to defend your right to live freely."
The Will to See
This documentary, released in 2022, shows Lévy visiting different countries. He documents various difficult situations and humanitarian crises happening around the world.
Glory to the Heroes
Since 2022, Lévy has made three documentaries about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These films are titled Why Ukraine, Slava Ukraini, and Glory to the Heroes.
Political Actions and Social Involvement
1980s and 1990s
In 1981, Lévy published L'Idéologie française (The French Ideology). This book offered a critical view of French history. It was debated by many French academics.
In the 1990s, Lévy called for European and American countries to step in during the Bosnian War. He spoke about the difficult conditions for Muslims in Serb prisoner camps.
Towards the end of the 1990s, Lévy helped create an institute in Jerusalem. This institute focuses on the ideas of the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas.
2000s
Throughout the 2000s, Lévy argued that the world needed to pay more attention to the crisis in Darfur.
In 2006, he shared his thoughts on the debate in Britain about Muslim women wearing veils. He suggested that covering the face could make a person seem less human.
Lévy has reported from war zones to bring public attention to political changes. In August 2008, he reported from South Ossetia, Georgia, during the 2008 South Ossetia war. He also interviewed the President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, at that time.
2010s
In January 2010, Lévy publicly defended Popes Pius XII and Benedict XVI against some criticisms from within the Jewish community.
At a conference in Tel Aviv in May 2010, Lévy spoke highly of the Israel Defense Forces. He said he had "never seen such a democratic army, which asks itself so many moral questions."
In March 2011, he talked with Libyan rebels in Benghazi. He publicly supported the international recognition of their new government, the National Transitional Council. Later that month, he encouraged French President Nicolas Sarkozy to convince the United Nations to get involved in Libya. This was to try and prevent violence in Benghazi during the 2011 Libyan civil war.
In May 2011, Lévy argued for military action in Syria against Bashar al-Assad. This was after violence against civilians during the 2011 Syrian uprising. He repeated this idea in a letter in August 2013.
His book, La guerre sans l'aimer (The War Without Loving It), was published in November 2011. It tells the story of his experiences during the events in Libya.
In 2013, Lévy criticized the international community for their actions during the Bosnian genocide.
Lévy traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, in February 2014 during the Euromaidan protests. He actively supported the events there. In February 2015, he performed his play Hotel Europa at the National Opera of Ukraine. This was one year after the Euromaidan protests led to changes in the government.
In April 2014, he visited Bangladesh again. He spoke at the launch of the first Bengali translation of his first book, and helped open a memorial garden.
In June 2018, he performed his play Last Exit before Brexit in London. This play was a new version of Hotel Europa and strongly argued against Brexit.
In December 2019, Lévy visited the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. There, he met with Kurdish fighters and their leader, General Mazloum Abdi.
2020s
In July 2020, Lévy visited Misrata Airport in Libya and met with some government officials. His visit was met with protests in some areas.
Regarding the conflict in Gaza, Lévy stated in a French newspaper that "the death of civilians in Gaza is not a massacre."
In April 2024, an investigation in Tunisia looked into accusations against Bernard-Henri Lévy. These included claims of him having connections with a Tunisian lobbyist and trying to influence phosphate production. He was also accused of spreading certain ideas through charities and of being a "member of Mossad," the Israeli intelligence service. The judge found enough evidence to start legal proceedings.
Personal Life
Lévy has been married three times. His oldest daughter, Justine Lévy, from his first marriage, is a successful novelist. He has a son, Antonin-Balthazar Lévy, with his second wife. He is currently married to the French actress and singer Arielle Dombasle.
Lévy is Jewish. He has said that Jewish people should offer a special moral voice in society and politics.
Lévy has been friends with Nicolas Sarkozy since 1983. Their relationship changed when Sarkozy ran for president in 2007, as Lévy supported a different candidate. However, they became closer again after Sarkozy won.
In 2004, his wealth was estimated to be 150 million euros. He inherited most of his money from his parents and also made investments.
Works
Lévy's books have been translated into many languages. Here are some of his works available in French or English:
- Bangla-Desh, Nationalisme dans la révolution, 1973
- La barbarie à visage humain, 1977
- Le testament de Dieu, 1978
- Idéologie française, 1981
- Le diable en tête, 1984
- Eloge des intellectuels, 1987
- Les Derniers Jours de Charles Baudelaire, 1988
- Les aventures de la liberté, 1991; translated as Adventures on the Freedom Road: The French Intellectuals in the 20th Century, 1995
- Le jugement dernier, 1992
- Piero della Francesca, 1992
- Les hommes et les femmes, 1994
- Bosna!, 1994
- La pureté dangereuse, 1994
- What Good Are Intellectuals: 44 Writers Share Their Thoughts, 2000
- Comédie, 1997
- Le siècle de Sartre, 2000; translated as Sartre: The Philosopher of the Twentieth Century, 2003
- Réflexions sur la Guerre, le Mal et la fin de l'Histoire, 2002; translated as War, Evil and End of History, 2004
- Qui a tué Daniel Pearl?, 2003; translated as Who Killed Daniel Pearl?, 2003
- Récidives, 2004
- American Vertigo: Traveling America in the Footsteps of Tocqueville, 2006
- Ce grand cadavre à la renverse, 2007; translated as Left in Dark Times: A Stand Against the New Barbarism, 2008
- Ennemis publics, 2008, with Michel Houellebecq; translated as Public Enemies: Dueling Writers Take on Each Other and the World, 2011
- De la guerre en philosophie, 2010
- La guerre sans l'aimer, 2011
- L'esprit du judaïsme, 2016; translated as The Genius of Judaism, 2017
- L'empire et les cinq rois, 2018; translated as The Empire and the Five Kings: America's Abdication and the Fate of the World, 2019
- Ce virus qui rend fou: essai, 2020
- Sur la route des hommes sans nom, 2021
- The Will to See: Dispatches from a World of Misery and Hope, 2021
- Israel Alone, 2024
- Nuit Blanche, 2025
Images for kids
-
A robot for kids.
See also
In Spanish: Bernard-Henri Lévy para niños
