Inspiration from stains on character... Helle Nice.

It seems to me that the name Helle Nice is largely unknown today. Strange when we consider that Until WW2, she was one of the most famous women of her day. However, allegations of collaboration with the Nazis in France during the occupation finished her. Despite the fact that the allegations were proved false, her potential sponsors and her family continued to believe the allegations and her career was effectively over. Between 1950 and 1984, her life was one of decline and when she died, a potential biographer was unable to find her grave, her family having refused to add her name to the family memorial stone.  

So - who was this inspirational woman? She was born near Paris in 1900 and later became well known as a dancer. But dancing was only a means to an end for Helle. Her real passion was motor racing. Her best friend, Henri de Courcelles, introduced her to the well-known European motor circuits, including Brooklands in England.  After a successful start in racing, she was asked to race for Bugatti and she accepted. After a series of racing victories, a new world land speed record and a series of lucrative advertising deals she became known as the Bugatti Queen. She won the Women's Grand Prix several times and competed successfully in the men's grand prix.

In 1936, after a crash which nearly killed her, her career was over. She never found another sponsor. Then came WW2 and the allegations of collaboration.     

This woman was way ahead of her time and yet, she is virtually unknown now and, as far as I am aware, few (if any) women are currently competing in high level motor sport. 

But what makes her interesting to me as a writer is the apparent "stain" on her character. My brother put it quite nicely in a comment on my blog about the German Elly Beinhorn. My brother wrote:

"Why is it that individuals who associate with those with whose political or social views one (or the government of the day) disagrees are punished with a stain on their character. And actually, how does that stain get there - and who puts it there? Because I cannot see that those individuals would agree that they themselves stained their character. The same applies to the so-called 'collaborator' who, when shaving in the morning, would hardly see the face of a malefactor in the mirror."

Now this is the stuff that inspiration is made of.

 

Comments

[Ranald Barnicot]

Yes, "public opinion" still has a lot to answer for.