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The following text has been machine translated from the German with no human editing.
In his book Paul-Marc Sauvalle (1857-1920) – Journaliste engagé et intellectuel cosmopolite canadien-français, Hans-Jürgen Lüsebrink describes an extraordinary personality who had a decisive influence on his time but was later largely forgotten. Lüsebrink, professor emeritus of Romance cultural studies and intercultural communication at Saarland University, has been researching the cultural, literary and media history of Quebec and French-speaking Canada for over thirty years. In his biography of an important figure of the 19th and early 20th centuries, published in November 2024 by Presses de l'Université de Montréal, he links the career of his protagonist with the global political events of his time, thus making an important contribution to research into Canadian History.
Based on his archival research in four countries, the author traces Paul-Marc Sauvalle from his French homeland via Louisiana and Mexico to Montreal and Ottawa: as a graduate of the renowned École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, Sauvalle belonged to the French military aristocracy. After leaving the army, he emigrated to New Orleans and then to Mexico. He eventually settled in Montreal, where he worked as editor-in-chief and journalist for various French-language magazines such as La Presse, La Patrie and Canada-Revue; his friends included Honoré Beaugrand, Louis Fréchette and Arthur Buies. ‘Paul-Marc Sauvalle's role as a mediator between Europe and America, his cosmopolitanism, his commitment to secularism, women's emancipation and social and economic progress point to the modern Québec of the Quiet Revolution and thus to a transcultural and cosmopolitan Canada,’ explains Hans-Jürgen Lüsebrink.
The Prix d'Histoire du Gouverneur Général du Canada recognises outstanding achievements in various categories and is one of Canada's highest academic honours. It is administered by the Canada History Society in collaboration with the Canadian Museums Association and the Canadian Historical Association, and is supported by the Canadian government through the Department of Canadian Heritage and Power Corporation of Canada.
The award ceremony took place on 27 January 2026 during a formal ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. The award was presented to him by the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency Mary Simon. The award included an invitation to Ottawa, participation in the award ceremony, coverage of travel and accommodation expenses, and prize money of 1,000 Canadian dollars.
Hans-Jürgen Lüsebrink, who is also an associate professor at Université Laval in Québec and an associate member of the Centre Canadien d'Études Allemandes et Européennes at Université de Montréal, was already awarded the Prix de la Société historique du Canada in June 2025 for his book.
Fragen beantwortet:
Hans-Jürgen Lüsebrink
Professor für Romanische Kulturwissenschaft und Interkulturelle Kommunikation
Tel.: +49 (0)681 302-3502
E-Mail: luesebrink(at)mx.uni-saarland.de
https://www.uni-saarland.de/fakultaet-p/luesebrink.html
Das Pressefoto können Sie in Zusammenhang mit dieser Pressemitteilung für die Berichterstattung über die Universität des Saarlandes nutzen.
