Julien Freund

Julien Freund, born in Henridorff on the 8th of January 1921, died in Colmar, on the tenth of September 1993, is a French philosopher and sociologist. Freund was called an "unsatisfied liberal-conservative" by Pierre-André Taguieff, for introducing France to the ideas of Max Weber. His work as a sociologist and political theorist is a continuation of Carl Schmitt's. Freund was like many people born in this region fluent in German, and he therefore published many of his works in both languages. His works have been translated into nearly 20 languages.

Born in Henridorff (Moselle) on the eighth of January 1921, to a peasant mother and a socialist working class father, Freund was the eldest of six siblings. When his father died he had to end his studies, becoming a teacher at the age of 17, and secretary to the council in his hometown.

His brother Antoine, conscripted "malgré-nous" into the Wehrmacht, was injured in the battle of Orel in Russia and then deserted, which should have caused the deportation of his family who were aiding the resistance in Lorraine. However they were able to destroy the documents relating to their deportation held by the Gestapo.

During World War II, Freund was a member of the resistance. A member of the Libération group founded by Jean Cavaillès, taken hostage by the Germans in July 1940, he then escapes to the free zone, and in January 1941, begins fighting for the Libération movement of Emmanuel d’Astier de la Vigerie, then in combat groups run by Henri Frenay, all the while getting his degree in philosophy.

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