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Marcel Déat (; 7 March 1894 – 5 January 1955) was a French politician. Initially a
socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
and a member of the
French Section of the Workers' International The French Section of the Workers' International (, SFIO) was a major socialist political party in France which was founded in 1905 and succeeded in 1969 by the present Socialist Party. The SFIO was founded in 1905 as the French representativ ...
(SFIO), he led a breakaway group of right-wing Neosocialists out of the SFIO in 1933. During the occupation of France by
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
, he founded the collaborationist National Popular Rally (RNP). In 1944, he became Minister of Labour and National Solidarity in
Pierre Laval Pierre Jean Marie Laval (; 28 June 1883 – 15 October 1945) was a French politician. He served as Prime Minister of France three times: 1931–1932 and 1935–1936 during the Third Republic (France), Third Republic, and 1942–1944 during Vich ...
's government in Vichy, before escaping to the Sigmaringen enclave along with Vichy officials after the Allied landings in Normandy. Condemned ''
in absentia ''In Absentia'' is the seventh studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released on 24 September 2002. The album marked several changes for the band, with it being the first with new drummer Gavin Harrison and the f ...
'' for collaborationism, he died while still in hiding in Italy.


Early life and politics

Marcel Déat was raised in a modest environment, which shared republican and patriotic values. After brilliant studies, he entered in 1914 the ''
École Normale Supérieure École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by Secondary education in France, secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing i ...
'' (ENS) after having been the student of Alain, a philosopher who was active in the Radical Party and who would write a deeply anti-militarist book after World War I. The same year, Déat joined the SFIO. While he attended the ENS and worked to get a philosophy degree, World War I broke out. He joined the
French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
and saw active duty, winning 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 ...
and five bravery citations. By the war's end, Déat had achieved the rank of captain. Under the pseudonym of Taëd, he then published ''Cadavres et maximes, philosophie d'un revenant'' (approximately translated by "Corpses and Maxims, Philosophy of a Ghost"), in which he expressed his horror of trenches, strong pacifist views, as well as his fascination for collective discipline and war camaraderie. When the war ended in 1918, he finished his studies at the École Normale and passed his ''
agrégation In France, the () is the most competitive and prestigious examination for civil service in the French public education A state school, public school, or government school is a primary school, primary or secondary school that educates all stu ...
'' of philosophy, and oriented himself towards sociology under the direction of Célestin Bouglé, a friend of Alain and also member of the Radical Party. In the meanwhile, Déat taught philosophy in
Reims Reims ( ; ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French Departments of France, department of Marne (department), Marne, and the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, 12th most populous city in Fran ...
. During the 1920 Tours Congress in which a majority of the SFIO decided to spin off to found the
French Communist Party The French Communist Party (, , PCF) is a Communism, communist list of political parties in France, party in France. The PCF is a member of the Party of the European Left, and its Member of the European Parliament, MEPs sit with The Left in the ...
, Marcel Déat positioned himself at the right wing of the SFIO, taking part in the ''groupe de la Vie socialiste'' current, alongside Pierre Renaudel. Déat was elected municipal counsellor of Reims in 1925, and then deputy for the Marne during a partial election in 1926. However, he lost his seat after the 1928 elections. In these times, Léon Blum, the leader of the SFIO, tried to favor youths in the party, and decided to name Déat secretary of the SFIO parliamentary group. After having been put in charge of the documentary center of the ENS by Célestin Bouglié, Déat now founded a documentary center for the SFIO deputies.


Neo-socialist period

Marcel Déat published in 1930 ''Perspectives socialistes'' (Socialist Perspectives), a revisionist work closely influenced by Henri de Man's '' planisme''. Along with over a hundred articles written in ''La Vie Socialiste'', the review of the SFIO's right-wing, ''Perspective socialistes'' marked the shift of Déat from classical socialism to neosocialism. Déat replaced class struggle by collaboration of classes and national solidarity, advocated
corporatism Corporatism is an ideology and political system of interest representation and policymaking whereby Corporate group (sociology), corporate groups, such as agricultural, labour, military, business, scientific, or guild associations, come toget ...
as a social organization model, replaced the notion of "
socialism Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
" by "
anti-capitalism Anti-capitalism is a political ideology and movement encompassing a variety of attitudes and ideas that oppose capitalism. Anti-capitalists seek to combat the worst effects of capitalism and to eventually replace capitalism with an alternati ...
" and supported an authoritarian state which would plan the economy and from which parliamentarism would be repealed. During the 1932 elections, he was elected deputy of the 20th arrondissement of Paris, beating the
Communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
Jacques Duclos — who himself had gained the upper hand against Léon Blum in 1928 in the same electoral district. Déat and other Neosocialists were expelled from the SFIO at the 5 November 1933 Congress, for their revisionist views and disagreements with Léon Blum's policies toward Prime Minister Édouard Herriot, leader of the second '' Cartel des Gauches'' (Left-Wing Coalition). The official position of the SFIO was then to support the Cartel without participating in the government, which it considered "bourgeois." The same year, Déat joined the Socialist Party of France – Jean Jaurès Union (PSdF) created the same year by Planist and Neosocialist elements expelled by the SFIO during the 1933 Congress. The new party's slogan was "Order, Authority and Nation". The expelled faction was a minority in the SFIO, but represented the majority of the SFIO parliamentary group. They were opposed both by the left wing of the SFIO, represented by Marceau Pivert, and by the SFIO's center, headed by Blum. The Neosocialists wanted to "reinforce the state against the economic crisis", open themselves to the middle classes and participate in non-Socialist governments. Without the support of the Socialists, Déat lost his seat in the Chamber. Two years later, he joined the Socialist Republican Union (USR). He became Minister of Air in the "bourgeois" government of
Albert Sarraut Albert-Pierre Sarraut (; 28 July 1872 – 26 November 1962) was a French Radical politician, twice Prime Minister during the Third Republic. Biography Sarraut was born on 28 July 1872 in Bordeaux, Gironde, France. On 14 March 1907 Sarraut ...
( Radical) but he quickly resigned his post over disputes with the Prime Minister. With the increasing threats represented by Nazi Germany, Déat wanted to maintain peace at any cost. He returned to the Chamber of Deputies in 1936 as a delegate from
Angoulême Angoulême (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Engoulaeme''; ) is a small city in the southwestern French Departments of France, department of Charente, of which it is the Prefectures of France, prefecture. Located on a plateau overlooking a meander of ...
, and at first supported the Popular Front led by Blum before denouncing "Communist infiltration" of it. After Blum's replacement by Édouard Daladier in 1938, which marked the end of the Popular Front, Déat participated in the "Anti-Communist Rally." In an article published on 4 May 1939 entitled '' Why Die for Danzig?'', published in the newspaper '' L'Œuvre'', Déat argued that France should not go to war for Poland if the Danzig crisis resulted in war. There, he argued that France should avoid war with Germany if the latter seized Poland – the publication caused a widespread controversy, and propelled Déat to national fame. Déat would collaborate with ''L'Œuvre'' during the entire period of
Vichy France 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 Battle of France, ...
.


Roots of extremism

A strong supporter of Germany's occupation of northern France in 1940, Déat took up residence in unoccupied France, and was initially a supporter of
Philippe Pétain Henri Philippe Bénoni Omer Joseph Pétain (; 24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951), better known as Marshal Pétain (, ), was a French marshal who commanded the French Army in World War I and later became the head of the Collaboration with Nazi Ger ...
. He attempted to create a single party to fully realize the aims of the "''
Révolution nationale The ''Révolution nationale'' (, ''National Revolution'') was the official ideological program promoted by the Vichy regime (the “French State”) which had been established in July 1940 and led by Marshal Philippe Pétain. Pétain's regim ...
''", the official, reactionary ideology of Vichy. Thereafter, he founded in February 1941 the National Popular Rally (RNP) which advocated Collaboration with Nazi Germany and
antisemitism Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
. When the French State, then headed by Pétain, did not become the Fascist state Déat had in mind, he moved to occupied Paris and was funded by the Germans. The Germans forced Déat at first to merge his new party (RNP) with Eugène Deloncle's MSR (Social Revolutionary Movement), a far-right party , the successor of the '' Cagoule'' terrorist group. The merger was a failure and Déat later expelled MSR elements from his party, before trying to form a unified front of Collaborationist parties. Déat also founded, along with fellow Collaborationists Jacques Doriot and Marcel Bucard, the Légion des Volontaires Français (LVF), a French unit of the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
(later affiliated with the
Waffen-SS The (; ) was the military branch, combat branch of the Nazi Party's paramilitary ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscr ...
). While reviewing troops from the LVF with former Prime Minister
Pierre Laval Pierre Jean Marie Laval (; 28 June 1883 – 15 October 1945) was a French politician. He served as Prime Minister of France three times: 1931–1932 and 1935–1936 during the Third Republic (France), Third Republic, and 1942–1944 during Vich ...
in
Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...
on 27 August 1941, Déat was wounded in an assassination attempt—carried out by Paul Collette. After recovering, he became a supporter of Laval, who supported more reactionary policies than Pétain, and again became Prime Minister of France in 1942. Under the suggestion of the Germans, Marcel Déat became on 16 March 1944, Minister of Labour and National Solidarity in Laval's cabinet.


Exile and death

After the Allied landings at
Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
the French Government, with Déat, was escorted to Germany and he became an official of the government-in-exile at Sigmaringen. With the defeat of Nazi Germany in May 1945, Déat fled to
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
in April and took his wife's name, temporarily teaching in
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
and
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
. He was later taken in and hidden by a
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
religious order in the convent of San Vito, near Turin, where he wrote his memoirs and lived undiscovered until his death in 1955. After the war, he was convicted of treason in France and sentenced to death ''in absentia''.


See also

* French Left * History of far-right movements in France * Politics of France


References


Works

* Marcel Déat, ''Perspectives socialistes'' (Paris, Valois, 1930) * Max Bonnafous – Marcel Déat – Adrien MarquetBarthélémy Montagnon, ''Néo-socialisme ? Ordre, autorité, nation'', Paris, Grasset, 140 pages, 1933. Speech pronounced at the SFIO Congress of July 1933. * ''Le Plan français : doctrine et plan d'action'', Comité du Plan, Paris, Fasquelle, 199 pages, 1936. Preface by Marcel Déat. * Marcel Déat, ''De la fausse collaboration à la vraie révolution, décembre 1941-janvier 1942'', Paris, '' Rassemblement national populaire'', 47 pages, 1942. Various articles extracted from '' L'Œuvre'' (30 December 1941 – 13 January 1942) and a conference pronounced at '' Radio-Paris'' (5 January 1942). * Marcel Déat, ''Le Parti unique'', Paris, Aux Armes de France, 183 pages, 1943. Articles published in '' L'Œuvre'' (18 July – 4 September 1942). * Dominique Sordet (ed.), ''Le Coup du 13 décembre'', Paris, impr. de Guillemot et de Lamothe, 47 pages, 1943. Article by Marcel Déat : "Il faut les chasser". * Marcel Déat, ''Mémoires politiques'', Paris, Denoël, 990 pages, 1989. Introduction & notes by Laurent Theis; epilogue by Hélène Déat. * Marcel Déat, ''Discours, articles et témoignages'', Coulommiers, Éd. Déterna, " Documents pour l'histoire ", 149 pages, 1999.


Further reading

* Reinhold Brender, ''Kollaboration in Frankreich im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Marcel Déat und das Rassemblement National Populaire'', (Studien zur Zeitgeschichte, vol. 38), Munich, R. Oldenbourg Verlag, 338 pages, 1992. * Philippe Burrin, ''La Dérive fasciste. Doriot, Déat, Bergery 1933–1944'', Paris, Editions du Seuil, 530p, 1986 (Pocket edition with a new preface, 2003). * Jean-Paul Cointet, ''Marcel Déat : du socialisme au national-socialisme'', Paris, Perrin, 418 pages, 1998.


External links

*
Perspectives socialistes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deat, Marcel 1894 births 1955 deaths People from Nièvre French Section of the Workers' International politicians Socialist Party of France – Jean Jaurès Union politicians Socialist Republican Union politicians National Popular Rally politicians Government ministers of France Government ministers of Vichy France Members of the 13th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of the 15th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of the 16th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of Parliament for Charente French neo-socialists French anti-communists Former Marxists Comité de vigilance des intellectuels antifascistes École Normale Supérieure alumni French military personnel of World War I Legion of French Volunteers Against Bolshevism French exiles French expatriates in Italy French politicians convicted of crimes French shooting survivors People convicted of indignité nationale Nazis sentenced to death in absentia by France Socialist antisemitism