Claude Jeantet
Encyclopedia
Claude Jeantet was a French
journalist and far right
politician.
, Seine-et-Marne
, the son of poet Félix Jeantet and brother of fellow extreme rightist Gabriel Jeantet
.
He studied under philosopher Léon Brunschvicg at the Sorbonne
. He joined the student movement of Action Française
in 1919, taking over the editorship of their eponymous paper in 1923, although he severed his ties with the group in 1930. He worked for the publishing house Fayard
and was for a time associated with the historian and rightist Pierre Gaxotte
, whilst also spending brief periods as a member of both La Cagoule
and Croix-de-Feu
before, in 1934, becoming close to Paul Marion and the neosocialists
. In keeping with his shifting loyalties Jeantet also wrote for a number of journals, including Candide, Je suis partout
and Le Petit Journal. His main writing topics were his opposition to democracy
and his desire for a rapprochement
with Nazi Germany
and indeed in 1936 he attended the Nuremberg Rally
.
Following his spell in Germany
Jeantet joined the Parti Populaire Français
as a central committee member. He was added to the Politburo of the party in 1938 as one of a number of anti-communist new members. He also served as diplomatic editor of their paper L'Émancipation nationale, which was under the overall control of Maurice-Yvan Sicard
. Following the establishment of Vichy France
Jeantet served that regime as head of their Foreign Press Service and as editor of Le Petit Parisien
, which by then was the mouthpiece of the government. He fled to Germany in 1944 and attempted to continue publishing Le Petit Parisien, but was soon captured and sent back to France where he was sentenced to hard labour for life for his collaborationism
.
Despite his life sentence Jeantet was released after a few years and he returned to political involvement. Taking up his pen once again he wrote for a number of far right journals, including the monarchist
papers La France Réelle from 1951 and Aspects de la France from 1956 to 1965. He also became a vocal supporter of Poujadism.
He died in Thomery
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
journalist and far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
politician.
Biography
Jeantet was born at PomponnePomponne
Pomponne is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.The inhabitants are called Pomponnais.-History:...
, Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
, the son of poet Félix Jeantet and brother of fellow extreme rightist Gabriel Jeantet
Gabriel Jeantet
Gabriel Jeantet was a French far right activist, journalist and polemicist. Active before, during and after the Second World War, Jeantet's links to Francois Mitterrand became a source of controversy during the latter's Presidency...
.
He studied under philosopher Léon Brunschvicg at the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. He joined the student movement of Action Française
Action Française
The Action Française , founded in 1898, is a French Monarchist counter-revolutionary movement and periodical founded by Maurice Pujo and Henri Vaugeois and whose principal ideologist was Charles Maurras...
in 1919, taking over the editorship of their eponymous paper in 1923, although he severed his ties with the group in 1930. He worked for the publishing house Fayard
Fayard
Fayard is a French Paris-based publishing house established in 1857. Fayard is controlled by Hachette Livre.-Works published:Works published by Editions Fayard include:...
and was for a time associated with the historian and rightist Pierre Gaxotte
Pierre Gaxotte
-Biography:Gaxotte was born in Revigny-sur-Ornain, Meuse. He began his career as a history teacher at the Lycée Charlemagne and later worked as a columnist for Le Figaro...
, whilst also spending brief periods as a member of both La Cagoule
La Cagoule
La Cagoule , officially called Comité secret d'action révolutionnaire , was a violent French fascist-leaning and anti-communist group, active in the 1930s, and designed to attempt the overthrow of the French Third Republic...
and Croix-de-Feu
Croix-de-Feu
Croix-de-Feu was a French far right league of the Interwar period, led by Colonel François de la Rocque . After it was dissolved, as were all other far right leagues during the Popular Front period , de la Rocque replaced it with the Parti social français .- Beginnings :The Croix-de-Feu were...
before, in 1934, becoming close to Paul Marion and the neosocialists
Neosocialism
Neosocialism was a political trend of socialism, represented in France during the 1930s and in Belgium, which included several revisionist tendencies in the French Section of the Workers' International...
. In keeping with his shifting loyalties Jeantet also wrote for a number of journals, including Candide, Je suis partout
Je suis partout
Je suis partout was a French newspaper founded by Jean Fayard, first published on 29 November 1930. It was placed under the direction of Pierre Gaxotte until 1939...
and Le Petit Journal. His main writing topics were his opposition to democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and his desire for a rapprochement
Rapprochement
In international relations, a rapprochement, which comes from the French word rapprocher , is a re-establishment of cordial relations, as between two countries...
with Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and indeed in 1936 he attended the Nuremberg Rally
Nuremberg Rally
The Nuremberg Rally was the annual rally of the NSDAP in Germany, held from 1923 to 1938. Especially after Hitler's rise to power in 1933, they were large Nazi propaganda events...
.
Following his spell in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Jeantet joined the Parti Populaire Français
Parti Populaire Français
The Parti Populaire Français was a fascist political party led by Jacques Doriot before and during World War II...
as a central committee member. He was added to the Politburo of the party in 1938 as one of a number of anti-communist new members. He also served as diplomatic editor of their paper L'Émancipation nationale, which was under the overall control of Maurice-Yvan Sicard
Maurice-Yvan Sicard
Maurice-Yvan Sicard was a French journalist and far right political activist....
. Following the establishment of Vichy France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
Jeantet served that regime as head of their Foreign Press Service and as editor of Le Petit Parisien
Le Petit Parisien
Le Petit Parisien was a prominent French newspaper during the French Third Republic. It was published between 1876 and 1944, and its circulation was over 2 million after the First World War.-Publishing:...
, which by then was the mouthpiece of the government. He fled to Germany in 1944 and attempted to continue publishing Le Petit Parisien, but was soon captured and sent back to France where he was sentenced to hard labour for life for his collaborationism
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
.
Despite his life sentence Jeantet was released after a few years and he returned to political involvement. Taking up his pen once again he wrote for a number of far right journals, including the monarchist
Monarchism
Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...
papers La France Réelle from 1951 and Aspects de la France from 1956 to 1965. He also became a vocal supporter of Poujadism.
He died in Thomery
Thomery
Thomery is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France, between the forest of Fontainebleau and the river Seine.Inhabitants of Thomery are called Thomeryons.-Economy:...
.