André Maginot

André Maginot (February 17, 1877 - January 7, 1932) was a French civil servant, soldier, and member of parliament. He is undoubtedly best known for his advocacy for the string of forts that would be known as the Maginot Line.

Early years, to World War I

Maginot was born in Paris, but spent a part of his youth in Alsace-Lorraine, the region where later on the line of fortifications that he advocated would be constructed. After taking the civil service exam, in 1897 Maginot began his career in the French bureaucracy, where he would serve for the rest of his life. He worked as the assistant of the Governor-General in Algeria until 1910, when he resigned and began his political career. He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies that year and served as Under-Secretary of State for War just prior to the outbreak of World War I in 1914.

Related Topics:
Paris - Alsace-Lorraine - 1897 - Algeria - Chamber of Deputies - World War I - 1914

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When the war began, Maginot decided to serve in the army and he was posted along the Lorraine front. In November of 1914, Maginot (by now promoted to sergeant for his "coolness and courage") was wounded in the leg near Verdun (he would walk with a limp for the rest of his life). For extreme valor, he was awarded the Medaille Militaire, France's highest military award.

Related Topics:
Verdun - Medaille Militaire

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