Bernard Cornut-Gentille
Encyclopedia
Bernard Cornut-Gentille was a French administrator and politician.
Born in Brest
, Finistère
, Cornut-Gentille studied at the École Libre des Sciences Politiques
. In 1943 he was appointed as the Subprefect of Reims
, but resigned to assist the Free French delegate Émile Bollaert. Following the Liberation of France he served as Prefect of Ille-et-Vilaine
, of Somme
, and of Bas-Rhin
. In 1948 he was appointed High Commissioner in French Equatorial Africa
then, from 1951 to 1956, High Commissioner in French West Africa
.
After this, he served as France's permanent representative to the United Nations Security Council
, and in 1957 as ambassador to Argentina
.
Standing for the Gaullist Party
, the UNR, he was elected to represent Alpes-Maritimes
in the 1958 election
to the National Assembly of France. He had been minister without portfolio in June 1958, then Minister of Overseas France
from 3 June 1958 to 8 January 1959 in the governments of Charles de Gaulle
. Under Michel Debré
he served as Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones
from 8 January 1959 to 5 February 1960. He resigned ministerial office at the same time as Jacques Soustelle
, over the handling of the affair of the barricades in Algiers
and broke with the Gaullists.
He sat in the National Assembly as an independent until 1968 and again from 1973 to 1978. Locally, he served as mayor of Cannes
from 1959 to 1968 and from 1971 to 1978. Here he initiated a programme of redevelopment and renovation.
His nephew François Cornut-Gentille
has served as representative of the Haute Marne department since 1993 and mayor of Saint-Dizier
since 1995.
Born in Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
, Cornut-Gentille studied at the École Libre des Sciences Politiques
École Libre des Sciences Politiques
École Libre des Sciences Politiques , often referred to as the École des Sciences Politiques or simply Sciences Po was created in Paris in February 1872 by a group of European intellectuals, politicians and businessmen, which included Hippolyte Taine, Ernest Renan, Albert Sorel, Pierre Paul...
. In 1943 he was appointed as the Subprefect of Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, but resigned to assist the Free French delegate Émile Bollaert. Following the Liberation of France he served as Prefect of Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country.- History :Ille-et-Vilaine is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
, of Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
, and of Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...
. In 1948 he was appointed High Commissioner in French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
then, from 1951 to 1956, High Commissioner in French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
.
After this, he served as France's permanent representative to the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
, and in 1957 as ambassador to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Standing for the Gaullist Party
Gaullist Party
In France, the Gaullist Party is usually used to refer to the largest party professing to be Gaullist. Gaullism claimed to transcend the left/right rift...
, the UNR, he was elected to represent Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
in the 1958 election
French legislative election, 1958
- National Assembly by Parliamentary Group:...
to the National Assembly of France. He had been minister without portfolio in June 1958, then Minister of Overseas France
Minister of Overseas France
The Minister of Overseas France is a cabinet member in the Government of France responsible for overseeing French overseas departments and territories .The position is currently held by Brice Hortefeux, who is also the Minister of the Interior...
from 3 June 1958 to 8 January 1959 in the governments of Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
. Under Michel Debré
Michel Debré
Michel Jean-Pierre Debré was a French Gaullist politician. He is considered the "father" of the current Constitution of France, and was the first Prime Minister of the Fifth Republic...
he served as Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones
Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones (France)
The Minister of Posts and Telegraphs, to which was later added the charge of Telephones , was, in the Government of France, the cabinet member in charge of the French Postal Service and development of the national telecommunication system.The position was occasionally combined with Minister of...
from 8 January 1959 to 5 February 1960. He resigned ministerial office at the same time as Jacques Soustelle
Jacques Soustelle
Jacques Soustelle was an important and early figure of the Free French Forces and an anthropologist specializing in pre-Columbian civilizations. He became vice-director of the Musée de l'Homme in Paris in 1938. He was elected to the Académie française in 1983.- Biography :Jacques Soustelle was...
, over the handling of the affair of the barricades in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
and broke with the Gaullists.
He sat in the National Assembly as an independent until 1968 and again from 1973 to 1978. Locally, he served as mayor of Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
from 1959 to 1968 and from 1971 to 1978. Here he initiated a programme of redevelopment and renovation.
His nephew François Cornut-Gentille
François Cornut-Gentille
François Cornut-Gentille is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Haute-Marne department, and is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement.-References:...
has served as representative of the Haute Marne department since 1993 and mayor of Saint-Dizier
Saint-Dizier
Saint-Dizier is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France.It has a population of 31,000 and is a subprefecture of the department...
since 1995.