Francis Stuart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Stuart
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| Born | 29 April 1902 Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
| Died | 2 February 2000 (aged 97) County Clare, Ireland |
| Occupation | Writer, lecturer |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Genre | Fiction, poetry, essays |
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Henry Francis Montgomery Stuart (born April 29, 1902 – died February 2, 2000) was an Irish writer. He received a very high honor in Ireland. This was being chosen as a Saoi of Aosdána. This happened before he passed away in 2000. His time living in Nazi Germany caused a lot of discussion and disagreement.
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Early Life and Family
Francis Stuart was born in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. This was on April 29, 1902. His parents were Irish Protestants. After his father passed away, his mother moved back to Ireland with him. Francis spent his childhood living in Ireland. He also attended Rugby School in England.
In 1920, when he was 17, he became a Catholic. He then married Iseult Gonne. Iseult was the daughter of Maud Gonne, a famous Irish activist. Iseult's stepfather, John MacBride, was executed in 1916. This was because he took part in the Easter Rising.
Francis and Iseult had three children together. Their first daughter, Dolores, sadly died when she was only three months old. They later had a son named Ian and another daughter named Katherine. Ian Stuart grew up to become an artist. He had three children: Laragh, Suki, and Sophia.
Involvement with the IRA
After their first child passed away, Francis and Iseult traveled in Europe. They returned to Ireland as the Irish Civil War began. This was a conflict between those who supported a treaty and those who did not. The couple sided with the Irish Republican Army (IRA). This group was against the treaty.
Francis Stuart helped with moving guns for the IRA. He was later arrested and held. This happened after a raid that did not go as planned.
Literary Career in Dublin
After the Irish Free State was formed, Francis Stuart became part of Dublin's writing scene. He wrote many poems and novels. His books became quite popular. The famous poet W. B. Yeats publicly supported his writing.
Francis Stuart's marriage to Iseult Gonne was not always easy. His autobiographical novels suggest they both faced personal struggles. These struggles made their marriage difficult.
Time in Nazi Germany
In the 1930s, Francis Stuart became friends with Helmut Clissmann. Clissmann was a German agent. He worked to connect German and Irish academics. He also worked for the Nazi Party's foreign organization in Ireland. Stuart was also friends with Dr. Eduard Hempel, the head of the German Legation in Dublin.
By 1938, Stuart wanted to leave his marriage and Ireland. Iseult helped him arrange a trip to Germany. He went to give lectures at universities. He traveled to Germany in April 1939. After his lectures, he accepted a job. He would teach English and Irish literature at Berlin University starting in 1940. At this time, Jewish people were not allowed to work in German universities.
In January 1940, Stuart arrived in Berlin. He delivered a message from the IRA to German intelligence. He also talked about the situation in Ireland. He was later asked to join a secret operation called Operation Dove. He agreed, but another person was chosen instead. He stayed in touch with Frank Ryan, who was involved in the operation.
Working for German Radio
Between 1942 and 1944, Stuart worked for "Editorial Ireland." This team created radio broadcasts for Ireland. These broadcasts contained Nazi propaganda. Before taking the job, he discussed it with Frank Ryan. They agreed that the broadcasts should not include anti-Jewish or anti-Soviet statements.
Stuart was removed from the team in January 1944. This was because he refused to read anti-Soviet material. His supervisors said this material was necessary. After this, the German secret police, the Gestapo, took his passport.
In his radio broadcasts, Stuart often spoke positively about Hitler. He hoped Germany would help unite Ireland. After the war, he said he was not a Nazi supporter. He claimed he was fascinated by wartime Germany. He saw it as a dark and destructive spectacle.
Views on Jewish People
Francis Stuart is known to have read only one broadcast that might be seen as anti-Jewish. This was his very first one. While he was fascinated by the dark side of Nazi Germany, his letters show he disliked much of what he saw around him.
Life After World War II
In 1945, Stuart tried to return to Ireland with a former student, Gertrude Meissner. They were arrested and held by Allied soldiers. After their release, they lived in Germany, France, and England. They married in 1954 after Iseult's death. In 1958, they moved back to Ireland.
In 1971, Stuart published his most famous book, Black List Section H. This book is like a fictional autobiography of his life. It explores difficult moral questions.
In 1996, Stuart received a high honor. He was elected a Saoi of Aosdána. This is a top award in Irish arts. One influential poet, Máire Mhac an tSaoi, strongly disagreed. She pointed to Stuart's actions during the war. She also claimed he held anti-Jewish views. When a vote was held, she was the only one who voted against him. She resigned from Aosdána in protest.
Francis Stuart lived in County Clare for some years before he passed away. He also lived in County Wicklow with his son Ian. Stuart died naturally on February 2, 2000. He was 97 years old.
Works by Francis Stuart
Francis Stuart wrote many novels. His most famous work, Black List Section H (1971), is largely about his own life. Many of his books are no longer being printed.
- Fiction
- We Have Kept the Faith, Dublin 1923
- Women and God, London 1931
- Pigeon Irish, London 1932
- The Coloured Dome, London 1932
- Try the Sky, London 1933
- Glory, London 1933
- Things to Live For: Notes for an Autobiography, London 1934
- In Search of Love, London 1935
- The Angels of Pity, London 1935
- The White Hare, London 1936
- The Bridge, London 1937
- Julie, London 1938
- The Great Squire, London 1939
- Der Fall Casement, Hamburg 1940
- The Pillar of Cloud, London 1948
- Redemption, London 1949
- The Flowering Cross, London 1950
- Good Friday's Daughter, London 1952
- The Chariot, London 1953
- The Pilgrimage, London 1955
- Victors and Vanquished, London 1958
- Angels of Providence, London 1959
- Black List Section H, Southern Illinois University Press 1971 ISBN: 0-14-006229-7)
- Memorial, London 1973
- A Hole in the Head, London 1977
- The High Consistory, London 1981
- We Have Kept the Faith: New and Selected Poems, Dublin 1982
- States of Mind, Dublin 1984
- Faillandia, Dublin 1985
- The Abandoned Snail Shell, Dublin 1987
- Night Pilot, Dublin 1988
- A Compendium of Lovers, Dublin 1990
- Arrow of Anguish, Dublin 1995
- King David Dances, Dublin 1996
- Pamphlets
- Nationality and Culture, Dublin 1924
- Mystics and Mysticism, Dublin 1929
- Racing for Pleasure and Profit in Ireland and Elsewhere, Dublin 1937
- Plays
- Men Crowd me Round, 1933
- Glory, 1936
- Strange Guests, 1940
- Flynn's Last Dive, 1962
- Who Fears to Speak, 1970
Images for kids
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Francis Stuart
