Early years (1878–1914)
The de Wendel family can be traced back to Jean Wendel of Bruges, who married Marie de Wanderve around 1600. His descendants in the male line mostly pursued military careers. Jean's descendant Jean-Martin Wendel (1665–1737) purchased an ironworks in Hayange, Lorraine, in 1704. This was the foundation of the family's industrial operations. He was ennobled as Jean-Martin de Wendel in 1727 by Leopold, Duke of Lorraine. He was followed by eight generations of steelmakers. Guy de Wendel was born on 22 April 1878 in Paris. He was the son of the steel manufacturerWorld War I (1914–18)
In 1914 Guy de Wendel was mobilized in an automobile formation, and was transferred at his request to the cavalry. He became a sergeant, then in September 1915 was appointed second lieutenant. In 1916 he was transferred to the 8th army staff, and in February 1917 was made a lieutenant. He requested a transfer to the infantry in March 1917 and was given command of a company in the 5th Infantry Regiment. Following a counter-attack at the Chemin des Dames he became a knight of the Legion of Honour on 14 July 1917. On 5 August 1917 he was awarded theInter-war period (1918–39)
In 1919 Guy de Wendel was appointed ''gérant'' of the Petits-fils de François de Wendel et Cie (PFFW) in Hayange. The PFFW had been created by Henri de Wendel in 1871 to control the Wendel family's steel operations in Lorraine, at that time annexed to Germany, while Wendel at Cie controlled the operations in France. Guy de Wendel was also a director of the Beeringen Coal Company and the Orange-Nassau mines. Guy de Wendel was deputy for Moselle from 1919 to 1927, senator from 1927 to 1941, and president of the General Council of Moselle from 1924 to 1936. He was elected deputy of the Moselle on 16 November 1919 on the Lorraine Republican Democratic Union platform, and was reelected on 11 May 1924. He joined committees on social insurance and social welfare, the army, mines, power and Alsace-Lorraine. He made proposals for legislation for canalizing the Moselle from Metz to downstream of Thionville, and for making unused barracks and government buildings available for the gendarmerie. As a member of the General Council of Moselle from 1922 Guy de Wendel was responsible for the development of various types of social services for workers in Moselle, and for physical education, sports and military training. He was elected senator for Moselle on 9 January 1927 in the first round, and was reelected in the first round on 16 October 1932. He was involved in committees of health, welfare, insurance and social welfare, the army, finance, colonies and mines.World War II and later (1939–55)
After the outbreak of World War II Guy de Wendel rejoined the army under General Henri Giraud. On 10 July 1940, in Vichy, he voted in favour of granting Marshal Philippe Pétain the constituent powers he had requested. He then retired from public life. Guy de Wendel died in Paris on 6 April 1955. After Guy's death his wife entered the Carmel de Paray-le-Monial on 4 July 1956 with the name of sister Catherine de Jésus. The Château Guy de Wendel was occupied by his niece, Ségolène de Wendel (1908–81). Later it became a hotel, restaurant and business center.Notes
Sources
* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wendel, Pierre René Guy de 1878 births 1955 deaths HEC Paris alumni Politicians from Paris Republican Federation politicians Members of the 12th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of the 13th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic French senators of the Third Republic Senators of Moselle (department) French ironmasters French industrialists