'State Secret Revealed: Mitterrand as a Doting Father' diff viewer (0/1)

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State Secret Revealed: Mitterrand as a Doting Father	State Secret Revealed: Mitterrand as a Doting Father
2012-12-01 01:20:43 UTC	2012-12-01 05:21:41 UTC (about 4 hours later)
PARIS SHE would sneak into the Élysée Palace to see her father, the president of France, through a back door that led directly to his private apartments. On winter days, they dined together in the library, by the fireplace.	PARIS — SHE would sneak into the Élysée Palace to see her father, the president of France, through a back door that led directly to his private apartments. On winter days, they dined together in the library, by the fireplace.
Mazarine Pingeot is the daughter of François Mitterrand and Anne Pingeot, his longtime mistress, and for much of her youth and nearly his entire 14-year presidency she was a state secret.	Mazarine Pingeot is the daughter of François Mitterrand and Anne Pingeot, his longtime mistress, and for much of her youth and nearly his entire 14-year presidency she was a state secret.
“When he was absent, he was the president,” said Ms. Pingeot (pronounced pan-JOH), who has her father’s intense dark eyes. “When he was home, he was for me.”	“When he was absent, he was the president,” said Ms. Pingeot (pronounced pan-JOH), who has her father’s intense dark eyes. “When he was home, he was for me.”
Mr. Mitterrand, who was known as the Sphinx, began his double life long before he was elected president, but the existence of his second family was revealed only near the end of his political career. Less than a year after leaving office in 1995, he died of cancer, an illness he also tried to keep secret. Anne and Mazarine Pingeot attended the state funeral along with Mr. Mitterrand’s wife, Danielle, and the Mitterrands’ two sons.	Mr. Mitterrand, who was known as the Sphinx, began his double life long before he was elected president, but the existence of his second family was revealed only near the end of his political career. Less than a year after leaving office in 1995, he died of cancer, an illness he also tried to keep secret. Anne and Mazarine Pingeot attended the state funeral along with Mr. Mitterrand’s wife, Danielle, and the Mitterrands’ two sons.
During his presidency, Mr. Mitterrand lived officially with Danielle in his home on the Rue de Bièvre, on the Left Bank. But he spent most nights with Anne Pingeot, who was a curator at the Musée d’Orsay, and Mazarine, who still uses her mother’s family name. In 1984, while president, Mr. Mitterrand legally recognized Ms. Pingeot as his daughter, but that was kept secret, too, as was the existence of his second family until near the end of his life.	During his presidency, Mr. Mitterrand lived officially with Danielle in his home on the Rue de Bièvre, on the Left Bank. But he spent most nights with Anne Pingeot, who was a curator at the Musée d’Orsay, and Mazarine, who still uses her mother’s family name. In 1984, while president, Mr. Mitterrand legally recognized Ms. Pingeot as his daughter, but that was kept secret, too, as was the existence of his second family until near the end of his life.
Ms. Pingeot, now 37, an author and philosophy professor, lived with her mother in an apartment owned by the French state, under the protection of government bodyguards. It was not until 1994 that the story came out, when pictures of her and her father were published in the magazine Paris Match.	Ms. Pingeot, now 37, an author and philosophy professor, lived with her mother in an apartment owned by the French state, under the protection of government bodyguards. It was not until 1994 that the story came out, when pictures of her and her father were published in the magazine Paris Match.
Last month, Ms. Pingeot published “Bon Petit Soldat,” (“Good Little Soldier”), a diary that includes memories of her childhood as a state secret. It is another attempt, she said, to “unravel” the enigmas of her past, seven years after she published “Bouche Cousue” (“Sealed Lips”).	Last month, Ms. Pingeot published “Bon Petit Soldat,” (“Good Little Soldier”), a diary that includes memories of her childhood as a state secret. It is another attempt, she said, to “unravel” the enigmas of her past, seven years after she published “Bouche Cousue” (“Sealed Lips”).
“Being unable to share a secret makes this secret very heavy,” she said in an interview at Julliard, her publisher. “You protect it rather than protecting yourself.”	“Being unable to share a secret makes this secret very heavy,” she said in an interview at Julliard, her publisher. “You protect it rather than protecting yourself.”
Ms. Pingeot described in her autobiographical books and in interviews how Mr. Mitterrand spent almost every night of his 14 years in office with his daughter and mistress in a secret apartment in the Seventh Arrondissement of Paris, across the river and three miles from the Élysée.	Ms. Pingeot described in her autobiographical books and in interviews how Mr. Mitterrand spent almost every night of his 14 years in office with his daughter and mistress in a secret apartment in the Seventh Arrondissement of Paris, across the river and three miles from the Élysée.
Ms. Pingeot spent her childhood surrounded by books, pets and eight bodyguards. She wrote poems and read Flaubert, Balzac and Zola because “literature goes with loneliness,” and when she got a bicycle, her bodyguards followed her on bicycles, too.	Ms. Pingeot spent her childhood surrounded by books, pets and eight bodyguards. She wrote poems and read Flaubert, Balzac and Zola because “literature goes with loneliness,” and when she got a bicycle, her bodyguards followed her on bicycles, too.
Mr. Mitterrand liked “ambivalence,” Ms. Pingeot said. It was a different age, one more protective of the private lives of high officials, and, she said, Mr. Mitterrand liked to eat with her at restaurants and stroll with her along the banks of the Seine.	Mr. Mitterrand liked “ambivalence,” Ms. Pingeot said. It was a different age, one more protective of the private lives of high officials, and, she said, Mr. Mitterrand liked to eat with her at restaurants and stroll with her along the banks of the Seine.
BUT he was careful, too, even suspicious. He ordered his security staff to wiretap those who knew about her existence, including a journalist, Jean-Edern Hallier. He spoke of his daughter to a tiny circle of friends, said Christian Prouteau, Mr. Mitterrand’s chief of security, but sheltered his second family in houses bought with state money.	BUT he was careful, too, even suspicious. He ordered his security staff to wiretap those who knew about her existence, including a journalist, Jean-Edern Hallier. He spoke of his daughter to a tiny circle of friends, said Christian Prouteau, Mr. Mitterrand’s chief of security, but sheltered his second family in houses bought with state money.
For the outside world, Ms. Pingeot was “the lovely little lie,” as she described herself in “Bouche Cousue.” She met Mr. Mitterrand’s official children several days before her father’s funeral, and discovered Jarnac, her father’s native village in southwestern France, after he died in 1996.	For the outside world, Ms. Pingeot was “the lovely little lie,” as she described herself in “Bouche Cousue.” She met Mr. Mitterrand’s official children several days before her father’s funeral, and discovered Jarnac, her father’s native village in southwestern France, after he died in 1996.
At home, Ms. Pingeot was the cherished only daughter, where she would joke with her father and he would act very unpresidential. “My father would hide an egg behind his back and say, ‘Look at me: I’m a hen,’ ” Ms. Pingeot said, smiling shyly.	At home, Ms. Pingeot was the cherished only daughter, where she would joke with her father and he would act very unpresidential. “My father would hide an egg behind his back and say, ‘Look at me: I’m a hen,’ ” Ms. Pingeot said, smiling shyly.
She was born in 1974 in the southern city of Avignon, and her mother had to tell her own conservative grandmother that she was baby-sitting for a child to make ends meet. Mr. Mitterrand first met Anne Pingeot when she was 13, and later looked after her when she moved to Paris from her native Auvergne. The two fell in love when Mr. Mitterrand started his first presidential campaign, around 1963. Ms. Pingeot was then in her early 20s and he was in his late 40s.	She was born in 1974 in the southern city of Avignon, and her mother had to tell her own conservative grandmother that she was baby-sitting for a child to make ends meet. Mr. Mitterrand first met Anne Pingeot when she was 13, and later looked after her when she moved to Paris from her native Auvergne. The two fell in love when Mr. Mitterrand started his first presidential campaign, around 1963. Ms. Pingeot was then in her early 20s and he was in his late 40s.
When Mr. Mitterrand took office in 1981, Ms. Pingeot was 6, and her father refused to change his routine. He came “home” almost every day and sang her a lullaby almost every night. When they spent summer days together in southern France, he would take her hand and they would kiss the trunks of the lime trees, opposite their house. Her life with Mr. Mitterrand was made of rituals, she said. Before going to bed, she would kiss him on the tip of his nose, which was sharp and angular, like hers.	When Mr. Mitterrand took office in 1981, Ms. Pingeot was 6, and her father refused to change his routine. He came “home” almost every day and sang her a lullaby almost every night. When they spent summer days together in southern France, he would take her hand and they would kiss the trunks of the lime trees, opposite their house. Her life with Mr. Mitterrand was made of rituals, she said. Before going to bed, she would kiss him on the tip of his nose, which was sharp and angular, like hers.
In 1994, when Paris Match broke the story of the president’s second family, publishing photographs of Mazarine’s frail figure and studious looks, it had the effect of an explosion, she said.	In 1994, when Paris Match broke the story of the president’s second family, publishing photographs of Mazarine’s frail figure and studious looks, it had the effect of an explosion, she said.
“My father called me and said, ‘Prepare yourself,’ ” she said. “It was ultraviolent. I went from invisibility to exposure, and I felt even more imprisoned.”	“My father called me and said, ‘Prepare yourself,’ ” she said. “It was ultraviolent. I went from invisibility to exposure, and I felt even more imprisoned.”
Her first public appearance was at her father’s funeral, when Mr. Mitterrand’s wife stood next to her husband’s longtime mistress and took his long-secret daughter in her arms. In a book called “En Toutes Libertés” (“In All Liberty”), published in 1996, Mrs. Mitterrand, who was famous for her charitable work and died last year, said she had known about the existence of Mazarine long before her husband’s funeral.	Her first public appearance was at her father’s funeral, when Mr. Mitterrand’s wife stood next to her husband’s longtime mistress and took his long-secret daughter in her arms. In a book called “En Toutes Libertés” (“In All Liberty”), published in 1996, Mrs. Mitterrand, who was famous for her charitable work and died last year, said she had known about the existence of Mazarine long before her husband’s funeral.
“It wasn’t a discovery or a drama,” she wrote. “I’ve taken responsibility for it.”	“It wasn’t a discovery or a drama,” she wrote. “I’ve taken responsibility for it.”
Ms. Pingeot, who studied in France’s elite École Normale Supérieure, taught philosophy at the University of Aix-Marseille and became a media-savvy author and columnist. She wrote her first book at 24 and later published seven books in seven years, including an essay on Descartes and a novel on infanticide. She worked for the Europe 1 radio network, appeared on several television programs, and has recently been on the cable channel Paris Première. She also has a Web program sponsored by Starbucks, on which she interviews celebrities.	Ms. Pingeot, who studied in France’s elite École Normale Supérieure, taught philosophy at the University of Aix-Marseille and became a media-savvy author and columnist. She wrote her first book at 24 and later published seven books in seven years, including an essay on Descartes and a novel on infanticide. She worked for the Europe 1 radio network, appeared on several television programs, and has recently been on the cable channel Paris Première. She also has a Web program sponsored by Starbucks, on which she interviews celebrities.
Her books have stirred some negative reviews and reactions, but she responds to critics by saying that her story “belongs to France” and that being Mr. Mitterrand’s daughter made her a “scapegoat.”	Her books have stirred some negative reviews and reactions, but she responds to critics by saying that her story “belongs to France” and that being Mr. Mitterrand’s daughter made her a “scapegoat.”
“To tell the truth, if Mazarine Pingeot wasn’t Mitterrand’s daughter, we wouldn’t talk about this book,” said a review in Le Figaro of Ms. Pingeot’s 2000 novel, “Zeyn ou la Reconquête” (“Zeyn or the Reconquest”).	“To tell the truth, if Mazarine Pingeot wasn’t Mitterrand’s daughter, we wouldn’t talk about this book,” said a review in Le Figaro of Ms. Pingeot’s 2000 novel, “Zeyn ou la Reconquête” (“Zeyn or the Reconquest”).
TODAY, Ms. Pingeot teaches philosophy at Université Paris 8 and lives with Mohamed Ulad-Mohand, a French-Moroccan documentary filmmaker. He directed a 1993 documentary called “An American in Tangiers,” on the American author Paul Bowles. Ms. Pingeot and Mr. Ulad-Mohand have three children: Astor, 7; Tara, 5; and Marie, 2.	TODAY, Ms. Pingeot teaches philosophy at Université Paris 8 and lives with Mohamed Ulad-Mohand, a French-Moroccan documentary filmmaker. He directed a 1993 documentary called “An American in Tangiers,” on the American author Paul Bowles. Ms. Pingeot and Mr. Ulad-Mohand have three children: Astor, 7; Tara, 5; and Marie, 2.
She has never been drawn to politics but publicly backed the successful presidential candidacy of François Hollande. She said she regretted that politics had become so professionalized.	She has never been drawn to politics but publicly backed the successful presidential candidacy of François Hollande. She said she regretted that politics had become so professionalized.
“My father was a humanist who liked history and culture,” she said. “He would look at things from the big picture.”	“My father was a humanist who liked history and culture,” she said. “He would look at things from the big picture.”
In June, she was invited to Mr. Hollande’s investiture at the Élysée Palace and went there officially for the first time since her father left office in 1995.	In June, she was invited to Mr. Hollande’s investiture at the Élysée Palace and went there officially for the first time since her father left office in 1995.
“It was a historic moment,” she said. “But for me, it meant going back to the Élysée without wanting to hide myself.”	“It was a historic moment,” she said. “But for me, it meant going back to the Élysée without wanting to hide myself.”