A memorial service for Victor Brombert, the Henry Putnam University Professor of Romance and Comparative Literatures, Emeritus, was held in 50 McCosh Hall on February 27, 2025.
Brombert’s wife Beth, and his children Marc and Lauren paid tribute throughout the event. Princeton faculty and friends, including Göran Blix (French and Italian), Maria DiBattista (English and Comparative Literature), Alexander Nehamas (Comparative Literature and Philosophy, emeritus), Sandra Bermann (Comparative Literature), John Logan (Princeton University Library) and Judith K. Brodsky (artist and author) gave remarks about his life, writing, and teaching.
A scholar of 19th and 20th century French literature, Brombert joined the Princeton faculty in 1975, where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses on poetry and the modern novel until transferring to emeritus status in 1999. He chaired the Humanities Council from 1989 to 1994 and directed the Council’s Gauss Seminars in Criticism from 1983 to 1994.
He died peacefully at home on November 26, 2024. He was 101.
Watch the recorded memorial service on the Department of French and Italian website.
