Éditions France-Empire
Éditions France-Empire was an independent French publishing house founded in 1945 and known especially for historical books on the Second World War, deportation, and the Holocaust.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Éditions France-Empire was a French independent publishing house established in 1945 by Yvon Chotard, an advocate and politician. It emerged at the end of the Second World War, initially concentrating on books documenting and interpreting the war years from 1939 to 1945. Its early publishing profile reflected the cultural and political importance of recording the recent conflict, the occupation, resistance, deportation, and the experiences of people affected by the war. The company was reportedly established with funds associated with Sève et Morat. Over time, its catalogue broadened beyond immediate postwar documentation. It published works concerning the period of decolonization and later developed a wider historical list that included essays, novels, biographies, and memoirs. The house therefore combined documentary and literary publishing, while retaining a strong association with twentieth-century history and historical testimony. France-Empire became particularly visible in the 1960s and 1970s through books by journalist Christian Bernadac. Bernadac focused extensively on deportation and Holocaust-related subjects, and his works became major sellers for the publisher during that period. This success helped define the house's public identity and commercial profile: France-Empire was closely associated with accessible historical narratives based on wartime experience, persecution, and remembrance. In 1990, the publishing house became part of the Desquenne et Giral group, described in reference material as an Euronext-listed group. The affiliation marked a change from its earlier independent ownership structure, although the available material does not provide detailed information about the group's management, financial performance, or the precise operating arrangements of the imprint. The France-Empire company was deregistered on 26 March 2013. A 2014 report in Livres Hebdo referred to Jacques-Marie Laffont taking over the France Empire publishing house, indicating that the name or publishing activity may have been subject to a subsequent transfer or revival. The available reference material does not establish whether this represented a continuation of the same legal entity, a new company using the imprint, or a broader restructuring. Accordingly, the historical company is best treated as defunct or legally deregistered, with the status of any later publishing activity requiring verification. France-Empire's documented importance lies principally in its postwar historical catalogue. Its books contributed to public discussion of the Second World War, deportation, Holocaust memory, decolonization, and related twentieth-century subjects. Detailed information about its full bibliography, current rights ownership, later imprint activity, and present-day operations is not established by the supplied sources.
History
Éditions France-Empire was founded in France in 1945 by Yvon Chotard, an advocate and politician, in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. Its initial publishing programme focused on the years 1939–1945, reflecting the demand for books that documented the conflict and preserved accounts of the occupation, wartime experience, deportation, and related events. The house was created using funds associated with Sève et Morat. The publisher subsequently expanded its interests to include books about decolonization. Its catalogue also came to encompass historical essays, novels, biographies, and memoirs, giving the company a broader historical and literary identity while maintaining a strong emphasis on modern French and European history. France-Empire achieved particular prominence during the 1960s and 1970s. Journalist Christian Bernadac published a notable series of works with the house, concentrating on deportation and Holocaust-related experiences. These titles became major sellers at the time and were central to the publisher's reputation. Through this list, France-Empire participated in the wider postwar process of documenting persecution, deportation, survival, and remembrance for a general readership. In 1990, France-Empire became part of the Desquenne et Giral group, identified in the reference material as an Euronext group. The available sources do not provide enough information to describe the group's internal structure, the terms of the transaction, or the publisher's financial performance. The France-Empire company was deregistered on 26 March 2013. In July 2014, Livres Hebdo reported that Jacques-Marie Laffont was taking over the France Empire publishing house. This later report suggests a transfer, revival, or continuation of the publishing name, but the available material does not establish whether the post-2013 activity used the same legal entity. The legal and operational status of the imprint after that report therefore remains unresolved. The documented historical profile of France-Empire is that of a specialist French publisher whose most distinctive contribution was its accessible historical publishing on the Second World War, deportation, and Holocaust memory. Its list was not limited to nonfiction: it also included novels, biographies, memoirs, and essays, as well as works on decolonization. Information about its complete catalogue, current ownership of publication rights, later management, and present activity is not confirmed by the supplied references.
- 2014
Reported takeover by Jacques-Marie Laffont
[2]Livres Hebdo reports that Jacques-Marie Laffont is taking over the France Empire publishing house; the legal continuity with the deregistered company is not established in the supplied material.
- 2013
Company deregistration
[1]The France-Empire company is deregistered on 26 March 2013.
- 1990
Joins the Desquenne et Giral group
[1]France-Empire becomes part of the Desquenne et Giral group.
- 1970
Continued prominence of deportation publishing
[1]The house remains notable in the 1970s for its successful historical list, particularly works dealing with deportation and the Holocaust.
- 1960
Expansion of the historical catalogue
[1]During the 1960s, the publisher becomes especially associated with Christian Bernadac's commercially successful books on deportation and Holocaust-related experiences.
- 1945
France-Empire is founded
[1]Yvon Chotard establishes Éditions France-Empire in the aftermath of the Second World War, initially focusing on books about the 1939–1945 period.
Products and positioning
A French historical publishing house with a postwar identity rooted in documentation of the Second World War, deportation, and remembrance, later extending into broader history, biography, memoir, essays, and historical fiction.
History publishing · 1945
Second World War history
France-Empire began with books about the years 1939–1945. This area formed the foundation of the publisher's postwar identity and covered historical accounts and other works addressing the conflict and its consequences.
Historical testimony
Deportation and Holocaust-related works
The publisher became particularly known for works about deportation and Holocaust-related experiences, especially the bestselling series associated with journalist Christian Bernadac during the 1960s and 1970s.
History and literature
Historical essays, biographies, and memoirs
After its initial concentration on the Second World War, France-Empire developed a broader catalogue of historical essays, biographies, and memoirs dealing with modern history and personal experience.
Fiction
Historical novels
Historical fiction was among the forms published by France-Empire as the house broadened its catalogue beyond documentary and scholarly works.
Modern history
Books on decolonization
The publisher followed its wartime list with works addressing decolonization, extending its historical coverage to another major political and social transformation of the twentieth century.
Brand decisions
2014
Reported takeover by Jacques-Marie LaffontM&ABackground
Following the company's deregistration in 2013, Livres Hebdo reported a takeover of the France Empire publishing house.
Action taken
Jacques-Marie Laffont was reported to have taken over France Empire.
Aftermath
The supplied sources do not establish whether this was a legal-company acquisition, an imprint transfer, or a revival under a new structure.
1990
Integration into Desquenne et GiralM&ABackground
After decades as an independent French publishing house, France-Empire became part of the Desquenne et Giral group.
Action taken
The publisher was incorporated into the Desquenne et Giral group.
Aftermath
The available sources do not detail the subsequent management structure or commercial consequences.
Sources5 sources
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