Historian leaves legacy to Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: In memory of the renowned historian Francois Crouzet, his family donated his collection of over 4,000 books to the Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (PSUAD).

Crouzet died in March 2010 and is survived by his wife and three children.

"We wanted to help create a generation of historians in the Gulf and contribute to the growth of this generation through a collection of books that is hard to find," Elisabeth Crouzet, his daughter-in-law, told Gulf News.

Francois Crouzet devoted much of his life and career studying and teaching the history of the European economy.

"History was his passion and he wanted to give this passion to the future generation. He did so in his teachings as a professor, and now through his books," his daughter Marie-Anne said.

Born in Vienna in 1922, Crouzet studied at the world's most famous institutions in Paris and London.

Widely acclaimed as one of the leading authorities in his field, professor Crouzet held visiting positions at many of the world's most prestigious universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia and Berkeley, among others.

He received honorary doctorates from Birmingham, Kent, Edinburgh and Leicester. He was an honorary CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), and was made a Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur.

The son of a historian, two of Francois' children - Marie-Anne and Denis Crouzet - followed in his footsteps to become fifth generation historians.

Visiting professors

Denis and Elisabeth are also visiting professors at PSUAD. They are fond of the UAE and hope that this collection will contribute in making Abu Dhabi a source of information on Crouzet's area of expertise.

They believe that a library doesn't reflect its owner but a life of knowledge.

"My wife and I attended the launch of the PSUAD and told my dad about it. He felt like coming to teach in Abu Dhabi. Even though he did not have the opportunity to do so in person, his wish has become a reality through the donation of his collection," said Denis.

These volumes will inevitably play an important role in stimulating the minds of Sorbonne students and the country's future leaders.

"My father's wish was to give his entire collection to a university so we wanted to offer it to a young university," said Marie-Anne.

"This collection will be of special value to the students and the researchers in the region who will find in this collection a unique resource," said professor Dr Jean Yves de Cara, executive director of PSUAD.