Posted on 08 March 2013
During her visit to Villa Salviati on the 11 February 2013, Emmanuelle Ortoli, daughter of François-Xavier Ortoli, spoke of the recent deposit of her father’s private archive at the Historical Archives of the European Union in Florence. After the realisation of the archival inventory and subsequent digitisation, the collection “FXO” is now available online on the European University Institute website, which demonstrates the importance of the fonds in the history of European integration. Emmanuelle Ortoli shares her feelings and reveals what she herself discovered during the course of this project as well as future avenues of research.
What are your feelings after having made public the archives of your father by means of the Historical Archives of the EU?
Emmanuelle Ortoli: The first feeling is one of great emotion. Everything has passed by very quickly since the signing of the contract of deposit, by my mother and Yves Mény (former President of the European University Institute), donating the archives of my father to the Historical Archives, here at Villa Salviati in 2009. Nearly all of our family were present at the wonderful ceremony. It was snowing, even heavier than today! In three years the work has been completed: I would never have imagined that the project would have been carried out so quickly on the collection. We initially worked with Jean-Marie Palayret, who was the Director of the Historical Archives of the EU at the time, to organise the transfer of the material from Paris. The following year Catherine Previti drew up an inventory which was remarkably precise and complete. We then examined the photographic collection with Catherine and Niccolo Tognarini. In brief; I can imagine the difficulties encountered by the computer team to put the archives online, considering that all the documents are not accessible to the public at the same time!
With regard to the family, we are all extremely touched. While we are aware that my father had a remarkable political role, however, for us he was quite simply our father or grandfather. Even though it was difficult to let him go; to become part of the public domain, we know it is important for future generations to be able to work on his papers and we can rest easy knowing that they are in a secure environment as the Archives here are magnificent and the archival team is great. But you know, we still cannot believe that the technical work has already been carried out and with such competence. Very little time has passed since the huge boxes full of unsorted documents and photographs have been transformed into an organised collection of material with the inventory available on line ready for use. For us, his family, it’s tremendous!
How have you dealt with the passage of his private archives to the public sphere?
Emmanuelle Ortoli: I have two replies to that question. The first, at the time I began collaborating with Jean-Marie Palayret, the passing of my father was still quite recent. It was difficult. It is still difficult for my family to think that we are giving away something that is very private and personal. Moreover, my mother looked at some of the documents which are definitely of public interest but which seemed too personal to be made public immediately. The life of my father is also part of our recollections as a family. One needs time to get used to his leaving the family circle.
On the other hand, it’s a great lesson for us because these files risked being left in their boxes instead now they can be used by people who, I hope, respect their historic value. Even if the end result leads to debate,it is what the documents are about, to stimulate interest. It is the foundation stone for researchers, professors, politicians and all others who have an interest in deepening their knowledge of our history.
When my father was nominated President of the Commission in Brussels, I was fifteen years of ages and for me, it was not easy to see my parents leave. At the same time, we respected his decision and we were proud at the same time. It is a little similar with the transfer of his archives to Florence. Finally, accepting his public dimension, it is also a sign of respect to him, for his commitments, for his accomplishments, but at the same time it meant separating ourselves from his papers. But our family has still remained sentimentally attached to them!
What have you discovered about your father through his archives?
Emmanuelle Ortoli: His archives are something very rare in France, probably unique. Above all, because my father was one of the pivots of the industrial policy launched by President Pompidou, we can therefore find in his papers the theory and the practical work behind it, and also, surely, for his role, since the beginning, in the putting into place of the European institutions. Yet, at home my father never really talked about politics. He spoke of art, culture, his travels and I have therefore discovered a whole new side to my father by means of his files; even those concerning European matters, and even though we had often worked together on such topics. In fact, the collection is so interesting on the historic and political plans that I have forgotten occasionally that the documents refer to my father! He led a life which was intensely European orientated, with a vision that was very forward-thinking of where Europe was going, an innate sense of its genius and its handicaps.
From a more anecdotal perspective, there is a curiosity in the form: for example, my father wrote numerous poems and we found numerous political poems. They are excellent and very funny, sometimes cruel, it’s a real discovery. His papers are constantly interrupted by moments of humour! Seriously, my father had an exceptional capacity to arrive at the heart of the problem; he had a true political vision and great clarity of expression.
For me, it was exciting because I did not know that he done some things. He never spoke of them, and I think that his documents don’t contain even half of what he really did. They shed a very personal light on historic events. I also discovered in the conversations that I had with people who worked with him that he had excellent relations with people, I discovered some great friendships. When, for example, I met François Perigot (former President of the National Council of French Employers, CNPF), he told me : “ I cannot remember any particular moments because we were nearly every day in agreement on the political objectives to be managed, and because I laughed a lot with your father. He was somebody who I could count on in every circumstance.” That said they had a huge task in trying to convince reticent French employers of the necessity to be open to Europe and internationally! Otherwise there would have been no CNPF international. I hope that we can complete the archives with testimonies of people who worked with my father and who know more than me of his professional life and on the remarkable accomplishments managed together, which we know too little of in the family.
What kind of papers did you father keep over the years?
Emmanuelle Ortoli : His collection was created organically, in the same manner as many others who keep their own documents, that is to say that the layers were accumulated in the cellar of my parent’s house. In comparison with his huge workload, my father kept very few documents; the ones kept were either very specific or very important, on crises, turning points of history. These files are very rich as they deal with strategic or crucial questions, which make them extremely interesting.
Why did you decide to send your father’s papers to Florence?
Emmanuel Ortoli: My father wanted to participate at European debates on current issues, and in this context he had asked me to meet the people with whom he had worked. He introduced me to Jean-Claude Eeckhout, a pillar of the European Commission, who knew all the nooks and crannies and is one of the coordinators of the history of the Commission, volume 2 (1973-1986) which is currently being published. It is he, on the death of my father, who suggested that we deposit his archives in Florence. Finally it is also logical! I add that we were greatly moved by the tribute that President Barroso gave to my father on his passing, and we are profoundly indebted to him for having dedicated the room François-Xavier Ortoli at Berlaymont, where the Directors of the Cabinet now meet.
What are the principal interests and avenues of research contained in the collection?
Emmanuelle Ortoli : There are obvious points of interest, such as the economy and industry : Minister of Finance of General de Gaulle in 1968, Minister of Industry of Georges Pompidou from 1970 to 1972, my father was in certain spheres a pioneer in Europe, because he played a pivotal role in the establishment of the internal market, the European Monetary ‘SNAKE’, the single market, all three intrinsically linked.
There was also the question of energy, at the heart of his political vision for France and Europe. In this collection, at least according to my father’s sayings, one can find the conception of nuclear energy in France. It is not easy to find, because unfortunately there is no file entitled “birth of nuclear energy”! There are other interesting files on oil, such as the negotiations with Abdelaziz Bouteflika at the moment of the nationalisation of Algerian oil or a lot later, the period of his presidency of Total. In fact, all types of energy are touched upon in one form or another. It is very interesting because one can see over the period of 40-50 years how this issue evolved at the same time, for France, and for Europe: every time there is an energy question, it appears systematically the word “Europe”, even during the 1960’s and 1970’s.
With regard to Europe, there are also very interesting letters and notes to the various French governments, notably concerning the problematic balance of power between the French state and the European Commission, on the role often badly misunderstood of the Commission, on the importance of the collegiality and above all, on the necessary respect for the position of the state: the Commission is the guardian of the Treaties. All of this touches on political philosophy, but always by means of practical application.
Another interesting topic of research is relations with developing countries within the framework of the Lomé Convention as well as the elaboration of a European foreign policy. There are interesting papers on Asia and relations with Japan, on Euro-Arab dialogue and that which is known as the Mediterranean and later on the creation of OPEC in 1973, when my father arrived at the presidency of the Commission.
What actions do you envisage to make these archives more visible?
Emmanuelle Ortoli: We desire above all to work on the papers themselves, with the Historical Archives, and more broadly with the European University Institute. For the moment we envisage the classic approach: a seminar on Europe and energy is being prepared to be held in Padua in October, it might be followed-up by another seminar in Brussels. Another seminar is in the pipeline on the Ortoli Commission and the role of collegiality, organised in partnership with the Florence Institute; and then, in classic fashion, a biography was published based on his archives and will completed by a publication of some of my father’s documents, in collaboration with the Georges Pompidou Association. For my part, I am working on a series of interviews which should form a set of oral archives, complementing the written archives. We would also be delighted if the François-Xavier Ortoli scholarships gave Asian students the possibility to come to Europe and for European students to go to Asia.
This is only the beginning!
Sometimes we are asked why the Ortoli collection is in Florence, why a personality having had such an impact on France is entitled to have his documents preserved in the Historical Archives of the EU. My mother’s decision was political, because she wanted, in line with the activities of my father, to encourage a concrete study of Europe, and where could this better be carried out, but at the European University Institute, where the official archives of the EU and the private collections of great Europeans are housed. The current crisis exposes the lack of a European spirit and must be dealt with as a matter of urgency, because without this spirit, political action will not be possible. The decision to transfer my father’s papers to Florence has equally a symbolic dimension: my father was a great French statesman, but his vision was European. It is time to invent a truly European territory, or draw up a responsible and solid European way of thinking while at the same time remaining open to the rest of the world. My father by his life’s work demonstrated that this double identity, national and European is possible, and that it is precious despite the difficulties in implementing it. We want to be part of this creative flow!
In this magnificent adventure, there remains one absolute certainty: that your researchers who believe that Europe is a technocratic construction must not ever, ever consult the FXO fonds! Otherwise, they will be seriously disappointed!
Link to the François-Xavier Ortoli Fonds
The interview was conducted by Jean-Marie Palayret (outgoing Director of the Historical Archives of the EU) and Dieter Schlenker (Director of the Historical Archives of the EU)