Jean Bène
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Jean Bène (12 July 1901 – 26 April 1992) was a lifelong politician in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and a leader in the
French Resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...
.


Biography

Bène was born in
Pézenas Pézenas (; Languedocien: ''Pesenàs'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Name The name "Pézenas" is derived from the older name ''Piscenae'', probably from the Latin word ''piscenis'', meanin ...
,
Hérault Hérault (; , ) is a departments of France, department of the Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southern France. Named after the Hérault (river), Hérault River, its Prefectures in France, prefecture is M ...
. Initially a lawyer, he turned to politics. He was a member of the Parti Socialiste in the
SFIO The C programming language provides many standard library functions for file input and output. These functions make up the bulk of the C standard library header . The functionality descends from a "portable I/O package" written by Mike Lesk at ...
. Bène was conseiller municipal of Pézenas in 1929, then mayor in 1931. He was recalled by the
Vichy regime Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the defeat against ...
. He involved himself in the resistance and created the La Tourette maquis, one of the maquis networks of resistance fighters, in the commune of
Ferrières-Poussarou Ferrières-Poussarou () is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Hérault department A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or ...
. For this he would be decorated with the
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
, the
Croix de guerre The (, ''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 awarded during World ...
and the
médaille de la Résistance The Resistance Medal (, ) was a decoration bestowed by the French Committee of National Liberation, based in the United Kingdom, during World War II. It was established by a decree of General Charles de Gaulle on 9 February 1943 "to recognize the ...
. He returned to the mayorship of Pézenas from 1945 to 1947 and then from 1953 to 1977. In 1945 he became president of the
conseil général The departmental councils ( ; singular, ''conseil départemental'' ) of France are representative assemblies elected by universal suffrage in 98 of the country's 101 departments. Prior to the 2015 French departmental elections they were known ...
of the
Hérault Hérault (; , ) is a departments of France, department of the Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southern France. Named after the Hérault (river), Hérault River, its Prefectures in France, prefecture is M ...
, and continued in this role until 1979. He was
senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
for the Hérault from 1959 until 1971, during which he was on the commissions for foreign affairs, for defense and for the armed forces. The ''collège de Pézenas'' is named in his honour.


External links


French Senate (French)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bene, Jean 1901 births 1992 deaths People from Pézenas French Section of the Workers' International politicians French Resistance members French senators of the Fifth Republic French general councillors Recipients of the Resistance Medal Senators of Hérault