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Antoine de Saint Exupery, the author of what is probably one of the greatest books of all time (despite the fact that it’s basically a cartoon) The Little Prince, disappeared in 1944 while flying a reconnaissance during World War II. Though wreckage of his plane was found in 2004, the circumstances surrounding his apparent death were still mysterious, until now. A former pilot for the German Luftwaffe named Horst Rippert believes he may have shot down Exupery on July 31st, 1944 above France.

French newspaper Le Figaro has published extracts of a book in which the former Messerschmitt pilot describes spotting a twin-tailed Lightning P-38 plane flying below him. He went in pursuit and shot him down.

“I didn’t see the pilot and even so, it would have been impossible for me to know that it was Saint-Exupery. I hoped and I still hope it wasn’t him,” he said.

Rippert chose to remain silent all these years out of fear the press would lambaste him for killing the author of one of France, and Europe’s, most beloved works:

“He feels guilty and very, very sorry about it. He was very scared that the cheap press would massacre him.”

In the published extracts, Mr Rippert describes being a fan of de Saint-Exupery’s work. “In our youth, at school, we had all read him. We loved his books,” he said

For a little contemporary context, imagine you’re a fighter pilot and you find out the jet you just shot down was being flown by Shel Silverstein? I mean, I guess you probably wouldn’t feel that bad since Shel Silverstein’s already dead, but hey, you get the point? Maybe not. Fuck it. If you haven’t read it yet, stop whatever you’re doing and read The Little Prince. And The Giving Tree.

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Tags: 1944 | Antoine De Saint Exupery | France | Horst Rippert | Shel Silverstein | shot down | The Giving Tree | The Little Prince

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