Friends

Jean-Marc Probst

Mr Probst is surely the most committed philanthropist of our LPP world. But out first encounter is one defined by the poetic pull of serendipity. It began in 2014, not through a formal appointment, but via a fleeting message sent while I was traversing Switzerland. Mr Probst, despite his formidable responsibilities as the head of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce, proposed a spontaneous meeting at a modest café near a Zürich railway station. In that brief encounter, amidst the hum of commuters, we discovered a shared code:a lifelong devotion to the invisible truths of Saint-Exupéry.

By 2019, while I was visiting CERN in Genève, Jean-Marc extended a gracious invitation for me to visit him in Lausanne. The hospitality I received there was as authentic as it was charming; I recall Simonette Probst meeting me at the station on foot, strikingly attired in a dress adorned with watermelons—a delightful splash of colour that set the tone for the day. We walked through the historic streets before retreating to their home, where, over a lunch prepared with Simonette’s own hands, Jean-Marc unveiled the vast treasures of his collection. It was a moment of quiet reflection amidst the vineyards of Montreux and Vevey, witnessing a life’s work at the cusp of its legacy.

The circle was completed in 2024 when the Probsts journeyed to Indonesia for the launch of the Madura edition, Radhin Kènè’. This visit carried an unexpected, poignant weight; during their travels, Simonette’s father—a former soldier born in the Dutch East Indies—passed away. In a midnight quest for closure, we sought the site of his birth near the National Monument (Monas) in Jakarta. I managed to secure a beautiful bouquet of flowers for Simonette—a gesture of profound significance, for any LPP knows, a flower is never just a flower. After a delicate negotiation with the night guards of Monas, we were escorted to the foot of the monument, where we laid those flowers in a silent tribute to a life that had come full circle.

The subsequent days in Surabaya, marked by dusty walks through the sweltering city, further cemented our bond. When Jean-Marc insisted on reimbursing my expenses, I declined; for me, this was a pursuit of passion, not a professional obligation. His insistence—eventually forcing a symbolic 200 euros into my hands with a playful threat that I should not be allowed to depart otherwise—was a testament to the mutual respect that governs our relationship.

Though I was honoured to receive an invitation to the grand opening of Jean-Marc’s new museum in Solothurn in November 2025, circumstances prevented my attendance. Yet, the horizon remains open; I intend to make the pilgrimage to that sanctuary of scripts in the near future. We are not merely collectors of books; we are custodians of the connections we have tamed across continents.

His website: https://www.petit-prince-collection.com