Abel Hermant

Abel Hermant (3 February 1862 – 29 September 1950) was a French novelist, playwright, essayist and writer, and member of the Académie française.

Its follow-up Le Cavalier Miserey of 1887, scandalised France for its depiction of the military at a time the French Republic, surrounded by monarchies, was preparing to take revenge (la Revanche) on the German Reich.

Between 1901 and 1937 Hermant embarked on a series of 20 linked novels with the general title Memoirs to Serve for a History of Society, but his contributions to literature included many popular plays, drama criticism for Le Figaro and Gil Blas, and a series of grammarian articles for Le Temps under the name "Lancelot" defending the purity of the French language.

Hermant achieved the negative distinction of being one of the four "immortals" removed from the Académie française after World War II for collaboration with Germany.

Hermant and Abel Bonnard were expelled outright, in disgrace; Charles Maurras of Action Française and Marshal of France Philippe Pétain had their seats declared vacant and were not replaced until their deaths.