Mort Pour La France: Emile Durkheim's Martyr Son André-Armand Durkheim

Kalelioğlu, U.B.

Abstract

This article delves into the life and untimely death of André-Armand Durkheim, son of renowned sociologist Emile Durkheim, within the context of World War I. Born in 1892, André excelled academically, joining the École Normale Supérieure in 1910. Influenced by his father’s work, he showed promise in philosophy and linguistics. During World War I, André served as a second lieutenant, suffering injuries in the field. He was later killed in 1915 on the Macedonian Front, succumbing to wounds in a Bulgarian hospital, leaving his potential unfulfilled. Utilizing primary sources such as archival documents, personal correspondence, and war diaries, alongside secondary literature, the study reconstructs André's biography, from his education to his military service and death on the Macedonian front. It examines André's intellectual growth and academic achievements under his father's influence. The research also explores the profound impact of André's death on Emile Durkheim's personal and professional life, particularly its effect on his sociological work and theoretical developments. This interplay between personal loss and intellectual output offers insights into the relationship between personal experiences and academic contributions, highlighting war's social, psychological, and intellectual consequences.