Born on September 17, 1919, in La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, Robert François joined the libertarian movement at a young age. As a teenager, he was sterilized by the companions of Bordeaux, an event that would have a lasting impact on his life.
François learned the trade of hairdressing and soon discovered his passion for conjuring. Under the stage name Mystag, he became a talented illusionist, using his skills to promote reason and expose the impostures of other magicians and fakirs.
In the early 1950s, François was a key figure in the Philosocial Research Center, where he participated in debates and discussions with other prominent libertarians. He also collaborated with various anarchist publications, including Le Libertaire, L'Entente anarchiste, and contributed to the reconstruction of the Anarchist Federation after a split in 1953.
François's talents extended beyond politics and magic. He was a skilled organizer and helped plan numerous galas and meetings for various libertarian organizations. He even used his magic skills to benefit the newspaper Liberté, a publication founded by Louis Lecoin.
In the years that followed, François remained a prominent figure in the anarchist movement. He was appointed secretary for external relations of the Union of Anarchists at its founding congress in 1979. He also inspired a character in a novel by Patrick Pecherot and appeared in a film by Agnès Varda.
Throughout his life, François was a member of several organizations, including La Libre Pensée, the Rationalist Union, the Pacifist Union, the Friends of Han Ryner, and the Distributive Self-Management Movement. He passed away on August 22, 1988, in an automobile accident in Puy-du-Lac, Charente-Maritime.
