Léon Philippe Jules Arthur Noël (28 March 1888 – 6 August 1987) was a French

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

Biography

He is the son of Jules Noël, ''conseiller d'Etat'', and Cécile Burchard-Bélaváry. He received a

Doctor of Laws A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...

in 1912 and then became '' Conseiller d'État''. In 1927 he became ''Délégué Général'' of the High Commissioner of the French Republic in

Rhineland The Rhineland ( ; ; ; ) is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly Middle Rhine, its middle section. It is the main industrial heartland of Germany because of its many factories, and it has historic ties to the Holy ...

. He became

Prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect' ...

Haut-Rhin Haut-Rhin (); Alsatian: ''Owerelsàss'' or '; , . is a department in the Grand Est region, France, bordering both Germany and Switzerland. It is named after the river Rhine; its name means Upper Rhine. Haut-Rhin is the smaller and less pop ...

in 1930,

Plenipotentiary A ''plenipotentiary'' (from the Latin ''plenus'' "full" and ''potens'' "powerful") is a diplomat who has full powers—authorization to sign a treaty or convention on behalf of a sovereign. When used as a noun more generally, the word can als ...

Minister in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

(1932–1935), and then French Ambassador to Poland (1935–1940). He represented the French Minister of Foreign Affairs in the

Second Armistice at Compiègne The Armistice of 22 June 1940, sometimes referred to as the Second Armistice at Compiègne, was an agreement signed at 18:36 on 22 June 1940 near Compiègne, France by officials of Nazi Germany and the French Third Republic. It became effective a ...

on 22 June 1940. He was named delegate general in the territories occupied on 9 July 1940. Ten days later he resigned, and he joined

de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...

in 1943. He is member (1944) next president of French Academy of Moral and Political Sciences (1958). He was a Member of the French Parliament ( RPF) (1951–1955). He was the first President of the

Constitutional Council of France The Constitutional Council (, ) is the highest constitutional authority in France. It was established by the Constitution of the Fifth Republic on 4 October 1958 to ensure that constitutional principles and rules are upheld. It is housed in the ...

(1959–1965).

Distinctions

*Grand'croix of 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 ...

*Grand'croix of the

Ordre national du Mérite The (; ) is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason for the order's establishment was twofold: to replace the large number of ...

*Krzyż Wielki (Grand cross) of the Polonia Restituta *Grand'croix of the Order of the White Lion *Knight of the

Ordre des Palmes Académiques A suite, in Western classical music, is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral/concert band pieces. It originated in the late 14th century as a pairing of dance tunes; and grew in scope so that by the early 17th century it comprised up to ...

...

Bibliography

*Léon Noël, ''L'agression allemande contre la Pologne'', Flammarion, 1946. *Collectif, ''In memoriam Léon Noël (1888–1987)'', Bulletin de la Société des Sciences Historiques et Naturelles de l'Yonne, 1987, p. 5-8. *Yves Beauvois, ''Léon Noël, de Laval à de Gaulle, via Pétain'', Presses universitaires du Septentrion, 2001 *Id., « Le Conseil constitutionnel à ses débuts », Commentaire, hiver 2006-2007, p. 943-954

External links

French Parliament website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Noel, Leon 1888 births 1987 deaths Politicians from Paris French people of Hungarian descent Rally of the French People politicians Deputies of the 2nd National Assembly of the French Fourth Republic Members of Parliament for Yonne Members of the Conseil d'État (France) Prefects of Haut-Rhin Ambassadors of France to Poland 20th-century French diplomats 20th-century French lawyers University of Paris alumni Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour Grand Cross of the Ordre national du Mérite Recipients of the Order of the White Lion Recipients of the Order of Polonia Restituta Chevaliers of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques Members of the Constitutional Council (France)