Henri Frenay

Henri Frenay (1905-1988) was a French military officer and French resistance member.

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Henri Frenay was born in Lyons, France in November 11 1905. He studied in the Germanic Studies in Strasbourg. Afterwards he became a soldier like his father and studied in Saint Cyr and l'Ecole superieure de guerre and reached the rank of captain in 1934. At the outbreak of World War II, he rejoined the French army. German forces captured him in Vosges. He escaped from a POW camp in Alsace in June 27 1940 and made his way to Marseille.

Related Topics:
Lyons - France - Strasbourg - Saint Cyr - L'Ecole superieure de guerre - Captain - World War II - Vosges - Alsace - Marseille

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At first Frenay supported the Vichy Regime but was soon disillusioned and formed the French Resistance group Mouvement de liberation nationale in 1940. He became an editor of underground newspapers like Verites and had a hand in the formation of the Combat group in November 1941. In 1942 he and his group joined the Conseil National de la Resistance of Jean Moulin although Frenay was critical of Charles de Gaulle.

Related Topics:
Vichy Regime - Mouvement de liberation nationale - Underground newspaper - Combat - Conseil National de la Resistance - Jean Moulin - Charles de Gaulle

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When Gestapo captured Jean Moulin, Frenay fled to Algiers. In November 1943 he met De Gaulle who appointed him as a minister of prisoners, refugees and deportees.

Related Topics:
Gestapo - Algiers - Prisoner - Refugee - Deportees

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After the war, Frenay served in De Gaulle's first provisional government. Afterwards he retired from the political life and became a businessman. He published his autobiography, The Night Will End: Memoirs of a Revolutionary in 1976.

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Henri Frenay died at Porto Vecchio, Corsica in August 8 1988.

Related Topics:
Porto Vecchio - Corsica

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