Christian Fouchet (17 November 1911 – 11 August 1974) was a French politician.

Biography

He was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Yvelines. He was a graduate of the

Ecole des sciences politiques , motto_lang = fr , mottoeng = Roots of the Future , type = Public university, Public research university''Grande école'' , established = , founder = Émile Boutmy , a ...

. After

Marshal Petain Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used f ...

's request for an armistice with Nazi Germany on 17 June 1940, Fouchet boarded a London-bound British airplane to offer his services to

General Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

and the Free French forces. His missions primarily involved liaison work between the Free French in London and the resistance movement in France. Fouchet received his first diplomatic assignment in 1944, when he was made a secretary of the French embassy in Moscow. In 1945 he represented de Gaulle's provisional government in Poland. He subsequently served as Consul General in India until 1947. In 1954 Fouchet began a two-year term as Minister for Moroccan and Tunisian Affairs in the government of Pierre Mendès France. He was the French ambassador to Denmark from 1958 to 1962. He was the French Minister of National Education from 28 November 1962 to 6 April 1967. He was the last French colonial head of Algeria from 19 March 1962 to 3 July 1962. He was the French Minister of the Interior from 6 April 1967 to 31 May 1968. He is the father of the French novelist Lorraine Fouchet. Fouchet held the Legion of Honour as a chevalier in 1946 and as a commandeur in 1961, the

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

, the Croix de la Valeur Militaire, the Croix of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Medal of the Resistance and the Medal of Free France.

References

1911 births 1974 deaths People from Saint-Germain-en-Laye Politicians from Île-de-France Rally of the French People politicians Union for the New Republic politicians Union of Democrats for the Republic politicians French interior ministers French Ministers of National Education Deputies of the 2nd National Assembly of the French Fourth Republic Deputies of the 3rd National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Deputies of the 4th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Deputies of the 5th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Ambassadors of France to Denmark Free French military personnel of World War II French people of the Algerian War Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery {{France-politician-stub