Charles Bedaux
France- Early Life and Influences
- Scientific Management and Consulting
- Subarctic Expedition and Chateau de Candé
- World War II and Collaboration
- Abwehr Assignments and Operation
- Arrest and Death
Early Life and Influences
Charles Eugêne Bedaux was born in Paris, France, on October 26, 1886. He abandoned school in 1903 and engaged in menial jobs until befriending Henri Ledoux, a successful pimp from the red-light district of Pigalle. Ledoux taught Bedaux street fighting, instilled confidence, and provided fashion advice. After Ledoux's assassination in 1906, Bedaux moved to the United States, acquiring citizenship and marrying.
Scientific Management and Consulting
Bedaux became a significant figure in scientific management, introducing concepts of work measurement and time study. Influenced by Frederick Winslow Taylor and Frank Gilbreth, he advocated for work-rest cycles to enhance employee productivity. By 1916, Bedaux established a consulting firm in Cleveland, expanding throughout the United States and later Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Orient over the following decades.
Subarctic Expedition and Chateau de Candé
In 1934, Bedaux financed a Canadian subarctic expedition, aiming to traverse Northern British Columbia. While primarily a publicity stunt, it provided an opportunity to test a new all-terrain vehicle developed by his friend André Citroën. Bedaux acquired the Château de Candé, a 16th-century castle in France, where he resided with his second wife, Fern Lombard. They hosted the wedding of Wallis Warfield and Edward, Duke of Windsor, at their estate on June 3, 1937.
World War II and Collaboration
During the German occupation of Paris in World War II, Bedaux established connections with leading Nazis and Vichy regime sympathizers. After the fall of France in 1940, he was appointed economic adviser to the Reich and, according to Martin Allen, oversaw the liquidation of Jewish businesses in occupied France. Archival documents indicate Bedaux's close ties with Germany's military intelligence, the Abwehr.
Abwehr Assignments and Operation
In October 1941, Bedaux was assigned to Abwehr-II, participating in the planning of a large-scale covert mission in Persia. He allegedly intended to seize the Abadan refinery and hold it against Allied bombing while the Germans planned to invade Iraq and Persia. While an expert team deemed Bedaux's plan "fantastique," it was nonetheless considered feasible. However, for several reasons, including Bedaux basing his assumptions on a survey of the refinery from 1938, the Abwehr canceled the operation.
Arrest and Death
On January 13, 1943, while overseeing construction of a German pipeline in Algeria, Bedaux and his son were arrested by the Americans. Bedaux was taken to the United States and charged with collaboration with the enemy. He committed suicide on February 18, 1944. In an attempt to rehabilitate his reputation, the French government posthumously awarded him the Legion of Honor, citing claims that Bedaux had obstructed the Germans and protected Jewish property.
