Robert Brasillach, thirty-five-year-old French poet and author, was condemned to death by the Special Court of Justice in Paris yesterday for treason and intelligence with the enemy. He was the fourth outstanding writer to be given the death sentence for treason, Georges Suarez, Paul Chack and Henri Beraud having preceded him. Suarez and Chack were shot, while Beraud was reprieved by General de Gaulle.

Brasillach, who was editor of the collaborationist weekly “Je suis partout,” in which he published violent attacks against America, Britain and General de Gaulle, wrote one vitriolic article insulting President and Mrs. Roosevelt. The main charge against him was that he was released from a war prisoners’ camp in Germany against a promise to help the Germans with his writings.

Brasillach held his head high during the trial, saying that he did not regret his friendly attitude towards the Germans, and that it was France’s interest to collaborate with her continental neighbor. He accused America of egotism and spoke with contempt of the Atlantic Charter, citing Poland and Greece as proofs of its failure. When the judge pronounced sentence, he said: “That is an honor for me.” Someone in the courtroom shouted “assassins” at the judge and jurors, and was seized by the guards.

— The New York Herald, European Edition, Jan. 20, 1945