For the 50 years of Charlie Hebdo, celebrated on Monday, the actress Michèle Bernier, daughter of Professor Choron, one of the founders of the newspaper, returned to the editorial line of Charlie Hebdo.
"Everyone takes it for their rank but it is never free", she declared about this newspaper which, according to her, was one of "the most prohibited in France".
INTERVIEW
The Charlie Hebdo newspaper celebrates its 50th anniversary on Monday, in a tense context linked to the recent wave of attacks that affected France.
For this anniversary, the actress Michèle Bernier, guest on Europe 1 Monday, reaffirmed her attachment to this emblematic newspaper co-founded by her father, Professor Choron.
“In Charlie Hebdo, everyone takes it for their rank but it's never free,” she said.
It underlines the "anti-religious" character of the newspaper carried by "a band of atheists" since its creation.
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Charlie Hebdo represented "their tone and their freedom of thought. It was that which held them and which united them all," recalls the actress.
For Michèle Bernier, this search for freedom of expression is at the very origin of the creation of Charlie Hebdo, created to circumvent censorship.
After Hara Kiri was banned, "my dad got fed up," she says.
"Bold, irreverent, out of line"
It all started with a controversial coverage of General de Gaulle by Hara Kiri.
"During the night, [my father] changes the title, the printer follows him. It gave Charlie Hebdo with the same cover, which was outlawed because we weren't allowed to do that", says the actress.
For journalists, this is a relief.
"They said to themselves: we will be able to speak, say what we want, be daring, irreverent, out of the lines and we will not be afraid," adds Michèle Bernier.
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Because of all these scandals, "Hara Kiri and Charlie Hebdo were the most banned newspapers in France," sums up the comedian.
Charlie Hebdo then received "threats all the time".
"It cost the newspaper dearly, by the way," she notes.
An identity based on the subversion that conquered Michèle Bernier.
"I would never say that [Charlie Hebdo] goes too far, I will never allow myself that because I was not raised like that," she assures us.
Charlie Hebdo and youth
Today, Michèle Bernier hopes that the identity of Charlie Hebdo will be remembered.
"Young people want to know this era and know what freedom of expression means," she said, defining freedom of expression as the right to "speak your mind".
The issue of Charlie Hebdo published for its 50th anniversary features representatives of the three religions.
"So the comedians ... It will take you another 50 years to loosen up?", We can read.
Special issue 50 years of Charlie: de Gaulle is editor-in-chief this week!
Find:
November 23, 1970: and God created Charlie Hebdo
Self-censorship: the press shows the example
Pornography: when the obsessed ruled France
On sale tomorrow!
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- Charlie Hebdo (@Charlie_Hebdo_) November 17, 2020