Editing Hergé (section)

== Rising fame ==

=== ''Tintin in the Orient'' and ''Jo, Zette & Jocko'': 1932–1939 ===

<!-- The references to ''The Land of Black Gold'' in this section might be incorrect references that were instead intended for ''The Crab with The Golden Claws'', which was published during WWII and directly after ''King Ottokar's Sceptre''; ''The Land of Black Gold'' was serialized beginning in 1948, after the period described in this section. -->
In November 1932 Hergé announced that the following month he would send Tintin on an adventure to Asia.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=62}} Although initially titled ''The Adventures of Tintin, Reporter, in the Orient'', it would later be renamed ''[[Cigars of the Pharaoh]]''. A mystery story, the plot began in Egypt before proceeding to Arabia and India, during which the recurring characters of [[Thomson and Thompson]] and [[Rastapopoulos]] were introduced.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=52–57|2a1 = Assouline|2y = 2009|2pp =42–44|3a1=Peeters|3y=2012|3pp=62–65}} Through his friend Charles Lesne, Hergé was hired to produce illustrations for the company [[Casterman]], and in late 1933 they proposed taking over the publication of both ''The Adventures of Tintin'' and ''Quick and Flupke'' in book form, to which Hergé agreed; the first Casterman book was the collected volume of ''Cigars''.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1pp=40–41, 44|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=57, 60}} Continuing to subsidise his comic work with commercial advertising, in January 1934 he also founded the "Atelier Hergé" advertising company with two partners, but it was liquidated after six months.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1p=49|2a1=Assouline|2y=2009|2pp=36–37|3a1=Peeters|3y=2012|3pp=60–61}}

After Wallez was removed from the paper's editorship in August 1933 following a scandal,{{Clarify|date=February 2019}} Hergé became despondent; in March 1934 he tried to resign, but was encouraged to stay after his monthly salary was increased from 2000 to 3000 francs and his workload was reduced, with Jamin taking responsibility for the day-to-day running of ''Le Petit Vingtième''.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1pp=40–41|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=60, 67–68}}

From February to August 1934 Hergé serialised ''[[Popol Out West]]'' in ''Le Petit Vingtième'', a story using animal characters that was a development of the earlier ''Tim the Squirrel'' comic.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=73}}

From August 1934 to October 1935, ''Le Petit Vingtième'' serialised Tintin's next adventure, ''[[The Blue Lotus]]'', which was set in China and dealt with the recent [[Japanese invasion of Manchuria]]. Hergé had been greatly influenced in the production of the work by his friend [[Zhang Chongren]], a Catholic Chinese student studying at Brussels' [[Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts]], to whom he had been introduced in May 1934. Zhang gave him lessons in Taoist philosophy, Chinese art and Chinese calligraphy, influencing not only his artistic style, but also his general outlook on life.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=60–64|2a1=Farr|2y=2001|2pp=51–59|3a1=Lofficier|3a2=Lofficier|3y=2002|3pp=33–36|4a1=Assouline|4y=2009|4pp=48–55|5a1=Peeters|5y=2012|5pp=73–82}} As a token of appreciation Hergé added a fictional "[[Chang Chong-Chen]]" to ''The Blue Lotus'', a young Chinese boy who meets and befriends Tintin.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=60–64|2a1=Farr|2y=2001|2pp=51–59|3a1=Lofficier|3a2=Lofficier|3y=2002|3pp=33–36|4a1=Assouline|4y=2009|4pp=48–55|5a1=Peeters|5y=2012|5pp=73–82}} For ''The Blue Lotus'', Hergé devoted far more attention to accuracy, resulting in a largely realistic portrayal of China.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=60–64|2a1=Farr|2y=2001|2pp=51–59|3a1=Lofficier|3a2=Lofficier|3y=2002|3pp=33–36|4a1=Assouline|4y=2009|4pp=48–55|5a1=Peeters|5y=2012|5pp=73–82}} As a result, ''The Blue Lotus'' has been widely hailed as "Hergé's first masterpiece" and a benchmark in the series' development.{{Sfnm|1a1=Farr|1y=2001|1p=51|2a1=Lofficier|2a2=Lofficier|2y=2002|2p=35|3a1=Peeters|3y=2012|3pp=82}} Casterman published it in book form, also insisting that Hergé include colour plates in both the volume and in reprints of ''America'' and ''Cigars''.{{Sfnm|1a1=Goddin|1y=2008|1pp=182, 196|2a1=Assouline|2y=2009|2p=53|3a1=Peeters|3y=2012|3pp=79–80}} In 1936, they also began production of Tintin merchandise, something Hergé supported, having ideas of an entire shop devoted to ''The Adventures of Tintin'', something that would come to fruition 50 years later.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=55|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=96}} Nevertheless, while his serialised comics proved lucrative, the collected volumes sold less well, something Hergé blamed on Casterman, urging them to do more to market his books.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=94}}

[[File:Jo Zette Jocko in Coeurs Vaillants.jpg|thumb|left|upright|''Jo, Zette and Jocko'' in ''[[Cœurs Vaillants]]'']]

Hergé's next Tintin story, ''[[The Broken Ear]]'' (1935–1937), was the first for which the plot synopsis had been outlined from the start, being a detective story that took Tintin to South America. It introduced the character of [[List of The Adventures of Tintin characters#General Alcazar|General Alcazar]], and also saw Hergé introduce the first fictional countries into the series, San Theodoros and Nuevo Rico, two republics based largely on Bolivia and Paraguay.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=68–73|2a1=Farr|2y=2001|2pp=61–69|3a1=Lofficier|3a2=Lofficier|3y=2002|3pp=37–39|4a1=Assouline|4y=2009|4pp=55–57|5a1=Peeters|5y=2012|5pp=82–84}} The violent elements within ''The Broken Ear'' upset the publishers of ''[[Cœurs Vaillants]]'', who asked Hergé to create a more child-appropriate story for them. The result was ''The Adventures of Jo, Zette, and Jocko'', a series about a young brother and sister, plus their pet monkey and the parents.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|pp=86–87}} The series began with ''The Secret Ray'', which was serialised in ''Cœurs Vaillants'' and then ''Le Petit Vingtième'', and continued with ''The Stratoship H-22'' and finally ''The Valley of the Cobras''.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=87}} Hergé nevertheless disliked the series, commenting that the characters "bored me terribly."{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=88}} Now writing three series simultaneously, Hergé was working every day of the year, and felt stressed.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=91}}

The next Tintin adventure was ''[[The Black Island]]'' (1937–1938), which saw the character travel to Britain to battle counterfeiters and introduced a new antagonist, the German Dr. Müller.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=76–80|2a1=Farr|2y=2001|2pp=71–78|3a1=Lofficier|3a2=Lofficier|3y=2002|3pp=39–42|4a1=Assouline|4y=2009|4pp=58–59|5a1=Peeters|5y=2012|5p=91}} Hergé followed this with ''[[King Ottokar's Sceptre]]'' (1938–1939), in which Tintin saves the fictional Eastern European country of Syldavia from being invaded by its expansionist neighbour, Borduria; the event was an anti-fascist satire of [[Nazi Germany]]'s expansion into Austria and Czechoslovakia.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=82–86|2a1=Farr|2y=2001|2pp=81–89|3a1=Lofficier|3a2=Lofficier|3y=2002|3pp=42–44|4a1=Assouline|4y=2009|4pp=61–63|5a1=Peeters|5y=2012|5pp=97–101}} In May 1939, Hergé moved to a new house in [[Watermael-Boitsfort]],{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=102}} although following the German [[invasion of Poland]], he was conscripted into the Belgian army and temporarily stationed in [[Herenthout]]. Demobbed within the month, he returned to Brussels and adopted a more explicit anti-German stance when beginning his next Tintin adventure, ''[[Land of Black Gold]]'', which was set in the Middle East and featured Dr. Müller sabotaging oil lines.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=63|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=102–103}}

During this period, Hergé also contributed to ''L'Ouest'' (''The West''), a newspaper run by his friend [[Raymond De Becker]].{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|pp=103–4}} ''L'Ouest'' urged Belgium to remain neutral in [[World War II]], a stance Hergé supported, creating the ''Mr Bellum'' strip to argue this position.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=64–65|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=103–104}} Hergé was invited to visit China by Chinese Nationalist leader [[Chiang Kai-shek]], who had enjoyed ''The Blue Lotus'', although due to the political situation in Europe, this was not possible.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=63–64|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=105–106}} He was re-mobilized in December, and stationed in [[Antwerp]], from where he continued to send the Tintin strip to ''Le Petit Vingtième''. However, he fell ill with [[sinusitis]] and [[boil]]s and was declared unfit for military service in May 1940. That same day, [[Battle of Belgium|Germany invaded Belgium]]. ''Le Vingtième Siècle'' was shut down, part way through the serialisation of ''Land of Black Gold''.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1pp=63, 65|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=106–107}}

=== German occupation and ''Le Soir'': 1939–1945 ===

{{Quote box|width=246px|bgcolor=#c6dbf7|align=right|quote=It is certain that [[Raymond De Becker]] sympathized with the [[National Socialist]] system, and on this point he was in agreement with [[Henri de Man]]. I admit that I believed myself that the future of the West could depend on the [[New Order (Nazism)|New Order]]. For many people democracy had proven deceptive, and the New Order brought fresh hope. In Catholic circles such views were widely held. Given everything that happened, it was naturally a terrible error to have believed even for an instant in the New Order.|source=Hergé, 1973{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|pp=117–118}}}}
As the [[Belgian Army]] clashed with the invading Germans, Hergé and his wife fled by car to France along with tens of thousands of other Belgians, first staying in [[Paris]] and then heading south to [[Puy-de-Dôme]], where they remained for six weeks.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=66|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=111–112}} On 28 May, [[King Leopold III of the Belgians]] [[German occupation of Belgium during World War II|surrendered the country to the German army]] to prevent further killing; a move that Hergé supported. He followed the king's request that all of those Belgians who had fled the country return, arriving back in Brussels on 30 June.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=67|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=112–113}} There, he found that his house had been occupied as an office for the German army's ''[[Propaganda in Nazi Germany|Propagandastaffel]]'', and also faced financial trouble, as he owed back taxes yet was unable to access his financial reserves.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=68|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=113–114}} All Belgian publications were now under the control of the German occupying force, who refused {{Lang|fr|Le Petit Vingtième}} permission to continue publication.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1pp=68–69|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=114}} Instead, Hergé was offered employment as a cartoonist for {{Lang|fr|[[Le Pays Réel]]}} by its editor, the [[Rexist Party|Rexist]] [[Victor Matthys]], but Hergé perceived {{Lang|fr|Le Pays Réel}} as an explicitly political publication, and thus declined the position.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|pp=114–115}}

Instead, he took up a position with {{Lang|fr|[[Le Soir]]}}, Belgium's largest Francophone daily newspaper. Confiscated from its original owners, the German authorities had permitted ''Le Soir'' to be re-opened under the directorship of De Becker, although it remained firmly under Nazi control, supporting the German war effort and espousing anti-Semitism.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1pp=70–71|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=116–118}} After joining the ''Le Soir'' team on 15 October, Hergé was involved in the creation of a children's supplement, ''Soir-Jeunesse'', aided by Jamin and [[Jacques Van Melkebeke]].{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=72|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=120–121}} He relaunched ''The Adventures of Tintin'' with a new story, ''[[The Crab with the Golden Claws]]'', in which Tintin pursued drug smugglers in North Africa; the story was a turning point in the series for its introduction of [[Captain Haddock]], who would become a major character in the rest of the ''Adventures''.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|pp=124–126}} This story, like the subsequent ''Adventures of Tintin'' published in ''Le Soir'', would reject the political themes present in earlier stories, instead remaining firmly neutral.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=98–99|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=122}} Hergé also included new ''Quick & Flupke'' gags in the supplement, as well as illustrations for serialised stories by [[Edgar Allan Poe]] and the [[Brothers Grimm]].{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1pp=73–74|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=122}}

In May 1941, a paper shortage led to the ''Soir-Jeunesse'' being reduced to four pages, with the length of the Tintin strip being cut by two thirds. Several weeks later the supplement disappeared altogether, with ''The Crab with the Golden Claws'' being moved into ''Le Soir'' itself, where it became a daily strip.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=125}} While some Belgians were upset that Hergé was willing to work for a newspaper controlled by the occupying Nazi administration,{{Sfnm|1a1=Goddin|1y=2009|1p=73|2a1=Assouline|2y=2009|2p=72}} he was heavily enticed by the size of {{Lang|fr|Le Soir}}'s readership, which reached 600,000.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=73|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|p=121}} With Van Melkebeke, Hergé put together two Tintin plays. The first, ''Tintin in the Indies'', appeared at Brussels' Theatre des Galeries in April 1941, while the second, ''Mr Boullock's Disappearance'', was performed there in December.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=109–110|2a1=Assouline|2y=2009|2p=86|3a1=Peeters|3y=2012|3pp=130–131}} From October 1941 to May 1942, ''Le Soir'' serialised Hergé's next Tintin adventure, ''[[The Shooting Star]]'', followed by publication as a single volume by Casterman. In keeping with ''Le Soir''{{'}}s editorial standpoint, ''The Shooting Star'' espoused an anti-Semitic and anti-American attitude, with the antagonist being a wealthy Jewish American businessman; it would thus prove particularly controversial in the post-war period, although Hergé denied any malicious anti-Semitic intention.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1pp=106–109|2a1=Lofficier|2a2=Lofficier|2y=2002|2pp=48–51|3a1=Assouline|3y=2009|3pp=80–83|4a1=Peeters|4y=2012|4pp=130–135}}

[[File:Galerie de Traitres - Hergé.JPG|thumb|left|Booklet published by the [[Belgian Resistance|resistance]] group ''L'Insoumis'', denouncing Georges Remy {{Sic}} as a collaborator. Hergé later admitted that "I hated the Resistance thing&nbsp;... I knew that for every one of the Resistance's actions, hostages would be arrested and shot."{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=150}}]]

Casterman felt that the black-and-white volumes of ''The Adventures of Tintin'' were not selling as well as colour comic books, and thus that the series should be produced in colour. At the same time, Belgium was facing a paper-shortage, with Casterman wishing to cut down the volumes from 120-pages in length to 62. Hergé was initially sceptical, but ultimately agreed to their demands in February 1942.{{Sfnm|1a1=Goddin|1y=2009|1p=95|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=136–137}} For these new editions, Casterman introduced a four-colour system, although Hergé insisted that colour should remain secondary to line, and that it would not be used for shading.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=137}} To cope with this additional workload, Hergé approached a friend whom he had met through Van Melkebeke, [[Edgar P. Jacobs]], to aid him as a cartoonist and colourist.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1pp=86–87|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=138–139}} Jacobs could only work on the project part-time, and so in March 1942, Hergé also employed a woman named Alice Devos to aid him.{{Sfnm|1a1=Goddin|1y=2009|1p=96|2a1=Assouline|2y=2009|2p=86|3a1=Peeters|3y=2012|3p=139}} In July 1942, Hergé then procured an agent, Bernard Thièry, who took 40% of his commissions; their working relationship would be strained.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=85|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=131}} With their assistance, from 1942 to 1947, Hergé adapted most of his previous ''Adventures of Tintin'' into 62-page colour versions.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=140}}

Hergé's next ''Adventure of Tintin'' would be ''[[The Secret of the Unicorn]]'', serialised in ''Le Soir'' from June 1942.{{Sfn|Lofficier|Lofficier|2002|p=52}} He had collaborated closely with Van Melkebeke on this project, who had introduced many elements from the work of [[Jules Verne]] into the detective story, in which Tintin and Haddock searched for parchments revealing the location of hidden pirate treasure.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|pp=143–144}} ''The Secret of the Unicorn'' marked the first half of a story arc that was completed in ''[[Red Rackham's Treasure]]'', serialised in ''Le Soir'' from February 1943; in this story, Tintin and Haddock search for the pirate's treasure in the Caribbean, with the character of [[Professor Calculus]] being introduced to the series.{{Sfnm|1a1=Lofficier|1a2=Lofficier|1y=2002|1pp=52–53}} Following ''Red Rackham's Treasure'', Hergé drew illustrations for a serialised story titled ''Dupont et Dupond, détectives'' ("Thomson and Thompson, Detectives"), authored by the newspaper's crime editor, Paul Kinnet.{{Sfnm|1a1=Goddin|1y=2008|1pp=128, 130|2a1=Assouline|2y=2009|2p=94}}

In September 1943, De Becker was removed as editor of ''Le Soir'' for stating that although the Nazis were motivated "by undoubted good will, [they were also] extremely out of touch with reality". Although Hergé was close to De Becker, he decided to remain at the newspaper, which came under the editorship of [[Max Hodeige]].{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=93|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=149–150}} In autumn 1943, Hergé had decided that he wanted Jacobs to collaborate with him on ''The Adventures of Tintin''. Although initially hesitant, Jacobs eventually agreed, adopting the paid position in January 1944.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=98|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=152}} Jacobs and Hergé became close collaborators and greatly influenced each other, while together they developed the plot for the next ''Adventure of Tintin'', ''[[The Seven Crystal Balls]]'',{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=153}} which began serialisation in ''Le Soir'' in December 1943.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1p=124|2a1=Farr|2y=2001|2p=118|3a1=Lofficier|3a2=Lofficier|3y=2002|3p=55|4a1=Assouline|4y=2009|4pp=98–99}}

=== Post-war controversy: 1944–1946 ===

[[File:The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 BU769.jpg|thumb|The Allied liberation of Belgium in September 1944 brought problems for Hergé.]]

As the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] troops liberated Brussels from German occupation, ''Le Soir'' ceased publication on 2 September 1944, partway through its serialisation of ''The Seven Crystal Balls''.{{Sfn|Farr|2001|p=116}} Hergé was arrested on 3 September, having been named as a [[Collaborationism|collaborator]] in a Resistance document known as the "Gallery of Traitors".{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=195|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=159}} This would be the first of four incidents in which Hergé was arrested&nbsp;– by the State Security, the Judiciary Police, the [[Belgian National Movement]], and the [[Front de l'Indépendance|Front for Independence]] respectively&nbsp;– during the course of which he spent one night in jail.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1p=126|2a1=Farr|2y=2001|2pp=117–118|3a1=Assouline|3y=2009|3p=106|4a1=Peeters|4y=2012|4p=159}} On 5 September the entire staff of ''Le Soir'' were fired and a new editorial team introduced,{{Sfn|Farr|2001|p=116}} while on 8 September the [[Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force]] (SHAEF) issued a proclamation announcing that "any journalist who had helped produce a newspaper during the occupation was for the time being barred from practising his profession."{{Sfnm|1a1=Farr|1y=2001|1p=116|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=160}} Blacklisted, Hergé was now unemployed.{{Sfn|Assouline|2009|p=106}} Further, he was publicly lampooned as a collaborator by a newspaper closely associated with the Belgian Resistance, ''La Patrie'', which issued a satirical strip titled ''The Adventures of Tintin in the Land of the Nazis''.{{Sfnm|1a1=Thompson|1y=1991|1p=127|2a1=Farr|2y=2001|2p=118|3a1=Assouline|3y=2009|3p=106|4a1=Peeters|4y=2012|4p=160}}

The period witnessed widespread recriminations against accused collaborators, with military courts condemning 30,000 on minor charges and 25,000 on more serious charges; of those, 5,500 were sentenced to life imprisonment or [[capital punishment in Belgium]].{{Sfn|Assouline|2009|p=107}} A judiciary inquiry into Hergé's case was launched by the deputy public prosecutor, Mr Vinçotte, although in his report he urged lenience, stating that "I am inclined to close the case. I believe it would bring ridicule on the judicial system to go after an inoffensive children's book author and illustrator. On the other hand, Hergé worked for ''Le Soir'' during the war, and his illustrations are what made people buy the newspaper."{{Sfn|Assouline|2009|pp=108–109}} Although unable to work for the press, Hergé continued to re-draw and colour the older ''Adventures of Tintin'' for publication in book form by Casterman, completing the second version of ''Tintin in the Congo'' and starting on ''King Ottokar's Sceptre''.{{Sfnm|1a1=Farr|1y=2001|1p=118|2a1=Assouline|2y=2009|2p=108|3a1=Peeters|3y=2012|3p=162}} Casterman supported Hergé throughout his ordeal, for which he always remained grateful.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=162}} Attempting to circumvent his blacklisting, with Jacobs he began producing comics under the anonymous pseudonym of "Olav", but upon sending them to publishers found none who would accept them.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=126|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=162}} Although this period allowed him an escape from the pressure of daily production which had affected most of his working life,{{Sfn|Farr|2001|p=118}} he also had to deal with family problems: His brother Paul returned to Brussels from a German [[prisoner-of-war camp]], while their mother had become highly delusional and was moved to a [[psychiatric hospital]].{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|pp=163–164}}

{{Quote box|width=246px|bgcolor=#c6dbf7|align=left|quote=[During the occupation] I worked, just like a miner, a tram driver or baker! But, while one found it normal for an engineer to operate a train, members of the press were labelled as 'traitors'.|source=Hergé{{Sfn|Farr|2001|p=118}}}}

In October 1945, Hergé was approached by [[Raymond Leblanc]], a former member of a conservative Resistance group, the [[National Royalist Movement]], and his associates [[André Sinave]] and [[Albert Debaty]]. The trio were planning on launching a weekly magazine for children, and Leblanc&nbsp;– who had fond childhood memories of ''Tintin in the Land of the Soviets''&nbsp;– thought Hergé would be ideal for it.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=109|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2pp=164–165}} Hergé agreed, and Leblanc obtained clearance papers for him, allowing him to work.{{Sfn|Assouline|2009|p=110}} Concerned about the judicial investigation into Hergé's wartime affiliations, Leblanc convinced [[William Ugeux]], a leader of the [[Belgian Resistance]] who was now in charge of censorship and certificates of good citizenship, to look into the comic creator's file. Ugeux concluded that Hergé had been "a blunderer rather than a traitor" for his work at ''Le Soir''.{{Sfn|Assouline|2009|pp=111–112}} The decision as to whether Hergé would stand trial belonged to the general auditor of the Military Tribunal, [[Walter Jean Ganshof van der Meersch]]. He closed the case on 22 December 1945, declaring that "in regard to the particularly inoffensive character of the drawings published by Remi, bringing him before a war tribunal would be inappropriate and risky".{{Sfn|Assouline|2009|pp=111–113}}

Now free from threat of prosecution, Hergé continued to support his colleagues at ''Le Soir'' who were being charged as collaborators; six of them were sentenced to death, and others to lengthy prison sentences.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=118|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=167}} Among those sentenced to death was Hergé's friend, Jamin, although his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=168}} In May 1946, Hergé was issued a certificate of good citizenship, which became largely necessary to obtain employment in post-war Belgium.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=113|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=167}} Celebrations were marred by his mother's death in April 1946; she was aged 60.{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1p=113|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=169}} [[Harry Thompson]] has described this post-war period as the "greatest upheaval" of Hergé's life.{{Sfn|Thompson|1991|p=124}} Hergé later described it as "an experience of absolute intolerance. It was horrible, horrible!"{{Sfnm|1a1=Assouline|1y=2009|1pp=113–114|2a1=Peeters|2y=2012|2p=161}} He considered the post-war trials of alleged collaborators a great injustice inflicted upon many innocent people,{{Sfn|Peeters|2012|p=161}} and never forgave Belgian society for the way that he had been treated, although he hid this from his public persona.{{Sfn|Assouline|2009|p=113}}