2024-09-12 14:58:31
Caught up in the turmoil following the revelations, the various organizations made the difficult decision to renounce the tutelary figure of Abbé Pierre. This distancing amounts to separating themselves from a very important historical and symbolic resource.
On July 17, 2024, a press release from the Emmaüs France and International associations and the Abbé Pierre Foundation had the effect of a bomb. It reports the publication of a independent reportwritten by the Egaé group, a company dedicated to gender equality, the prevention of discrimination and violence at work. Theinvestigation subsequently published in Le Monde revealed to the general public the dark side of a man who for many years was considered “the French people’s favorite personality.”
Henry Grouès (1912-2007), known as Abbé Pierre and founder of Emmaüs, is said to have sexually assaulted numerous women from the 1950s to the 2000s. These revelations had a very strong impact on the constellation of organizations associated with Abbé Pierre and Emmaüs. This event highlights the difficulties for an organization to use a historical figure as a symbolic and strategic resource and to distance itself from such a resource.
The figure of Abbé Pierre, a fundamental symbolic resource
Table of Contents
- 1 The figure of Abbé Pierre, a fundamental symbolic resource
- 2 Building and controlling a narrative from historical resources
- 3 Taking a step back from Abbé Pierre
- 4 Different distancing strategies
- 5 After the distancing, the final breakup
- 6 What are the implications of distancing from a historical figure like Abbé Pierre for the identity of Emmaüs?
In 2018, we published a article on the use of history as a strategic resource by organizations. It was based on the case of Emmaüs, an organization closely linked since its creation to the personality of Abbé Pierre. The career of this priest, the saga of the founding of Emmaüs and a set of symbolic elements associated with the character of Abbé Pierre, such as his outfit or his public image, served the organization, even after the death of its founder. This was evidenced until September 8, 2024 by the logo and name of the Abbé Pierre Foundation, at the heart of the network of associations recognizing themselves in the Emmaüs movement. Such historical resources represent both an asset for organizational legitimacy but also a terrain of power struggles.
The main contributions of the article lie first in the analysis of the role of the different actors of the organizations in the construction of historical resources. Unlike material or financial resources, these resources are shaped by both internal and external agents, which makes it difficult to control it entirely by the organization itself. The legendary and public dimensions of the historical resource make it difficult to privatize or monopoly it: Abbé Pierre belongs to everyone.
Building and controlling a narrative from historical resources
From this initial observation, we propose avenues for organizational leaders tempted by the use of historical resources to fuel their strategy. Our model has four dimensions to address the challenges posed by historical strategic resources: appropriation, ownership, maintenance and distancing.
Appropriation involves organizing scattered elements to construct a coherent and simple historical narrative. In the case of Emmaus, this includes the recurrent use of Abbé Pierre’s call during the winter of 1954 and its image to strengthen Emmaüs’ identity and mission. Emmaüs then faced challenges in controlling the use of Abbé Pierre’s image, which is widely perceived as a public good in France. The organization had to put in place mechanisms such as intellectual property rights to protect this resource.
Maintenance involves preserving, enriching, and transmitting the characteristics and values associated with the historical resource over time. For Emmaus, this has involved maintaining the values advocated by Abbé Pierre, even after his death, and using them to strengthen the internal cohesion of the organization. Finally, knowing how to distance oneself from the historical resource when necessary to avoid idolatry or organizational rigidity. Emmaus has sometimes had to distance itself from the figure of Abbé Pierre in the past to allow for organizational evolution, while recognizing his historical contribution.
Taking a step back from Abbé Pierre
In the context of this archival analysis, we had already noted that the organization or some of its stakeholders had tried on several occasions since the 1950s to distance themselves from the historical resource that Abbé Pierre represented. Although we had not identified the cases of sexual assault mentioned in the Egaé group’s report, several sources nevertheless indicated that Abbé Pierre had not necessarily respected the vows of chastity linked to his status as an ecclesiastic as early as the 1950s.
The challenges of distancing Abbé Pierre from the Emmaüs galaxy were not necessarily due to these reputational issues because the organization, non-denominational, had little connection to the Church and its hierarchy, and was quite financially autonomous. The challenge was more to control an individual inclined to the management of structures or the respect of rules in general. Furthermore, in the 1990s, Abbé Pierre caused problems for Emmaüs by associating himself with the revisionist Roger Garaudy or by publicly approaching “competing” associations such as the Right to Housing, whose methods of action if not objectives were far removed from those of Emmaüs.
During the summer of 2024, it seems that the model we proposed has been verified, or even that it has taken on greater importance, since the Abbé Pierre Foundation is beginning to distance itself from the image of Abbé Pierre. This approach has recently been amplified with the new revelations released by the organization in early September 2024.
Different distancing strategies
Based on an analysis of 43 articles published in the French press between April and August 2024, we can trace the language elements used by Emmaüs and the Foundation, advised by a crisis communications firm. These language elements are evident in the statements of the leaders and former leaders and can be summarized in 6 distancing levers:
| Distancing levers | Reactions from the organization | Strategic objectives |
| Recognition and distancing | Emmaüs acknowledges the seriousness of the accusations, affirming in particular its commitment to supporting the victims, while seeking to distance itself from Abbé Pierre as a person. | To insist that the Emmaus movement should not be reduced to its founder and that charitable actions should continue regardless of the faults committed by the latter. |
| Surprise and shock | Emmaus officials expressed shock and astonishment at the revelations, although some admitted that there were previous rumors of problematic behavior by Abbé Pierre. | Demonstrate a recent collective awareness and the willingness to face the facts. |
| Medical and psychological language | The leaders speak of Abbé Pierre’s “impulses”, describing his behavior as an “illness” for which he had followed “treatment.” | Mitigating the personal responsibility of the abbot by placing it in a context of mental illness, while minimizing the acts by speaking of “imprudence” |
| Focus on the mission of Emmaüs | The statements stress the importance of Emmaus’ mission, recalling that the movement was founded to combat poverty, and that this mission must not be diverted by scandal. | Reaffirm the priority of helping the most deprived. |
| Call for transparency and justice | Emmaüs officials insist on the need for transparency to shed full light on the accusations. | Affirm their willingness to cooperate fully with the authorities and support the victims. |
| Defending positive legacy | While acknowledging the mistakes, the leaders defend the positive legacy of Abbé Pierre, highlighting his contributions to the fight against poverty and exclusion. | Striving to separate the man’s wrongdoing from the lasting and beneficial impact of his work. |
After the distancing, the final breakup
These elements show a communication strategy aimed at preserving the integrity of the Emmaus movement while meeting the victims’ expectations of justice and recognition. The distancing from their historical resource is clear, but Abbé Pierre is retained as an underlying historical resource. However, in early September 2024, the case takes on a new dimension with the collection and publication of new testimonies reporting even more serious facts.
The Egaé report published on September 4th reports several sexual assaults, in particular on a vulnerable person and on a child, as well as rapes. Following these new revelations, the Abbé Pierre Foundation announced a series of measures, completely abandoning the figure of Abbé Pierre in its action and communication. The three organizations are taking radical measures to distance themselves from their historical resource and a review of their memorial policy. Thus, the Abbé Pierre Foundation is changing its name, Emmaüs France is considering removing the mention “founder Abbé Pierre” from its logo, and the memorial site dedicated to Abbé Pierre will remain permanently closed.
Other revelations may yet emerge, while many “historical purge” measures have already been announced. If the organization’s survival is at stake in the process of distancing itself from its founder, it must rely on values that can unite the community of volunteers, employees and donors and support them in their experience, which could be described as “organizational mourning.”
1726288158
#Abbé #Pierre #Foundation #Emmaüs #overcome #Abbé #Pierres #cumbersome #legacy
What are the implications of distancing from a historical figure like Abbé Pierre for the identity of Emmaüs?
The Turmoil of Emmaüs: Renouncing the Tutelary Figure of Abbé Pierre
The recent revelations about the dark past of Abbé Pierre, the founder of Emmaüs, have sent shockwaves through the organizations associated with him, leading to a difficult decision: distancing themselves from their tutelary figure. This move is a significant step back from a historical and symbolic resource that has been instrumental in shaping the identity and mission of Emmaüs. In this article, we will delve into the implications of this decision and explore the challenges of using historical figures as strategic resources.
The Bombshell Report
On July 17, 2024, Emmaüs France and International associations and the Abbé Pierre Foundation released a press statement that dropped like a bombshell. The independent report, commissioned from the Egaé group, revealed that Abbé Pierre had sexually assaulted numerous women between the 1950s and 2000s. The subsequent investigation published in Le Monde exposed the dark side of a man who was once considered “the French people’s favorite personality.”
The Symbolic Resource of Abbé Pierre
In 2018, we published an article on the strategic use of historical resources by organizations, using Emmaüs as a case study. Abbé Pierre’s career, the founding saga of Emmaüs, and the symbolic elements associated with his character, such as his outfit and public image, have been instrumental in shaping the organization’s identity and mission. The Abbé Pierre Foundation, at the heart of the network of associations recognizing themselves in the Emmaüs movement, was named after him and featured his logo until September 8, 2024.
Challenges of Historical Resources
Our previous research highlighted the difficulties of controlling historical resources, which are shaped by both internal and external agents. Unlike material or financial resources, historical resources are difficult to privatize or monopolize, making them a terrain of power struggles. Our model proposed four dimensions to address these challenges: appropriation, ownership, maintenance, and distancing.
Building a Narrative from Historical Resources
Appropriation involves constructing a coherent and simple historical narrative from scattered elements. In Emmaüs’ case, this meant recurrently using Abbé Pierre’s call during the winter of 1954 and his image to strengthen the organization’s identity and mission. However, controlling the use of Abbé Pierre’s image, widely perceived as a public good in France, proved challenging. Emmaüs had to establish mechanisms such as intellectual property rights to protect this resource.
Maintaining and Distancing from Historical Resources
Maintenance involves preserving, enriching, and transmitting the characteristics and values associated with the historical resource over time. For Emmaüs, this meant maintaining the values advocated by Abbé Pierre, even after his death, and using them to strengthen internal cohesion. Distancing, the final dimension, involves knowing when to step back from the historical resource to avoid idolatry or organizational rigidity. Emmaüs has occasionally had to distance itself from Abbé Pierre’s figure in the past to allow for organizational evolution while recognizing his historical contribution.
The Implications of Renouncing Abbé Pierre
The decision to renounce Abbé Pierre’s tutelary figure is a significant one, as it means distancing themselves from a historical and symbolic resource that has been instrumental in shaping their identity and mission. This move raises important questions about the use of historical figures as strategic resources and the difficulties of controlling and distancing oneself from them. As we navigate the complexities of organizational history and legacy, it is essential to acknowledge the challenges and implications of using historical resources and to develop strategies for appropriation, ownership, maintenance, and distancing.
Conclusion
The turmoil surrounding Abbé Pierre’s legacy serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities of using historical figures as strategic resources. As organizations navigate the challenges of appropriation, ownership, maintenance, and distancing, they must also confront the darker aspects of their historical legacies. The decision to renounce Abbé Pierre’s tutelary figure marks a significant shift for Emmaüs, but it also presents an opportunity for the organization to re-evaluate its values, mission, and identity.
