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Christian PineauFrench politician and statesman, writer
Date of Birth: 14.10.1904
Country:  France |
Content:
- Christian Pineau: A Political Statesman
- World War II and Resistance
- Post-War Politics
- Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Later Career and Literary Contributions
- Personal Life
Christian Pineau: A Political Statesman
Early Life and ActivismChristian Pineau, a renowned French political figure, was born to Paul Pineau and Suzanne Boland. After graduating from the École Alsacienne de Droit and the École Libre des Sciences Politiques, he embarked on a career in banking at the Bank of France and later at the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas. Pineau emerged as a prominent trade unionist, serving as Vice-President of the Union of Bank Employees from 1936 to 1939.
World War II and Resistance
With the outbreak of World War II, Pineau joined the French Resistance movement, co-founding the Libération-Nord underground network. In 1942, he traveled to London to meet with General Charles de Gaulle and forge alliances with French socialist émigrés. He returned to France in 1943, but was arrested by the Gestapo and interned in several concentration camps, including Buchenwald. American forces liberated him in April 1945.
Post-War Politics
Upon his liberation, Pineau became a close associate of prominent socialist Guy Mollet. He proposed the nationalization of banks in the Constituent Assembly and was appointed Minister of Supply. From 1945 to 1958, he served as a Deputy for Sarthe in the National Assembly. He concurrently held the portfolios of Minister of Public Works and Transport (1947-1948), Minister of Public Works, Transport, and Tourism (1948-1950), and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1956-1958).
Minister of Foreign Affairs
As Foreign Minister, Pineau advocated for the independence of Morocco and Tunisia. He played a role in the preparation of the Franco-British-Israeli expedition to the Suez Canal Zone in 1956. Moreover, he negotiated the Saar Agreement with West Germany, which returned the Saarland to German sovereignty in 1957.
Later Career and Literary Contributions
After leaving the Foreign Ministry, Pineau served as President and CEO of France-Villages and France-Motels. He also gained literary recognition for his autobiographical novels, "Mon cher député" and "L'escalier des ombres," which depicted his experiences during the French occupation.
Personal Life
Christian Pineau married three times:- To Nadine Desaunais de Guermaquer, with whom he had four children
- To Arlette Bonamour du Tartre, with whom he had two daughters
- To Blanche Bloys, with whom he had one daughter
