This little-known writer-philosopher was buried in Saint-Christophe-sur-Condé

By Yann Rivallan
Published on 2 Jan 21 at 10:10

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Not a single ornament, a flat granite surface with the only eccentricity two names written in gold color on the edge. In Cemetery of Saint-Chrisophe-sur-Condé (Your), the sobriety of the tomb ofAmedee Ponceau can challenge. Besides the other burials, it also seems very sad, this tombstone.

However, the one who is buried there is a writer-philosopher of the twentieth century whose texts are, even today, studied in the higher studies of philosophy. Unknown to the general public, the writer spent the end of his life in Saint-Christophe and, more particularly, at the Château du Buisson. A place that would have seen some great names in literature like Jean-Paul Sartre in particular.

College teacher then writer

But as regards Amédée Ponceau, it is difficult to be more discreet. It’s simple, impossible to find a single photo, painting or other portrait of the philosopher. And to find even a bit of information about him, the case is just as complicated. The only things easy to consult are his birth, marriage and death certificates.

Born October 6, 1884 in the Cher and died April 23, 1948 in Saint-Christophe-sur-Condé, at the age of 63, Amédée Ponceau has long been a secondary school teacher. When he had just married at the age of 28, he moved to the Ardennes where he taught at the Turenne College, in Sedan. After this career in National Education, he got down to philosophy by adopting a line of thought close to that of Sartre.

He rubbed shoulders with the elite of French literature at the start of the 20th century

This led him to the Château du Buisson de Saint-Christophe where he rubbed shoulders with the elite of French literature at the start of the 20th century. Probably late in writing, he published his first book in 1944, 4 years before his death. At the end of his life, he had taken up residence in the “hamlet of Buisson, therefore probably in the outbuilding of the castle”, explains Céline Malbranche, secretary of town hall in Saint-Christophe.

But what can be confusing for the town hall secretary is that the philosopher’s wife, a certain Rose Chaillard, would not have come to take the concession from her late husband until September 1948 when the latter died in the month of ‘April. Why did you take so long to come? “It’s very mysterious,” asks Céline Malbranche. And what is just as important is the name of his wife inscribed just next to his on the grave: “Michèle Ponceau”. While his wife was named Rose. But the dates of death match. His wife, Rose, would have died in 1977 in Créteil, just like “the wife” inscribed on the tombstone. Was it an assumed name? Did Amédée Ponceau have a second wife? Nothing is certain as this character remains filled with mystery.

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