François Lehideux
Encyclopedia
François Lehideux was a French
industrialist and member of the Vichy government.
and soon became a leading figure in the Renault
car company. He was assistant to Louis Renault
and in this position convinced the head of the company to employ André Lefèbvre
within the development department, Lehideux admiring Lefèbvre's bold ideas and feeling that Renault needed to modernise its designs in order to continue to lead the way in French automobile manufacture.
newly completed car plant at Poissy
for shipment to the company's Cologne location.
Along with the likes of Jacques Barnaud
, Jean Bichelonne
and Pierre Pucheu
Lehideux was a member of a group of technocrats who were important in the early days of the Vichy regime. These individuals, sometimes known as jeunes cyclistes, advocated extensive economic reform in order that France could become a leading player in a the German-led Europe
that they saw emerging. Along with Pucheu and Paul Marion Lehideux expressed this view to Otto Abetz
when they signed a memorandum to him in March 1941 stating that they hoped to make France "Europe's bridgehead" in the new German-led order. William D. Leahy
, the United States
ambassador to France reported to his friend Franklin D. Roosevelt
that Lehideux was part of a coterie of strongly pro-Nazi Germany
figures that Philippe Pétain
had surrounded himself with.
In 1941 he was given charge of a new body, the Direction Générale de l'équipement nationale, the purpose of which was to improve the economy and overcome high unemployment. In his role as leader of this body Lehideux produced a ten-year plan for the economic development and growth of Vichy France.
Lehideux served as Minister of Industrial Production and worked closely with Nazi Germany
, providing parts for their tanks and organising repairs, all of which were carried out by Renault
, a company that he had married into. He held his ministerial portfolio from July 1941 to April 1942, resigning when Pierre Laval
returned to government.
. By now he was returning to a successful career in business. Indeed the Ford Motor Company
appointed him managing director of their French operations in 1950 in succession to Maurice Dollfus
, a controversial decision that sparked a hostile reaction that encouraged Ford to sell its French arm to Simca
in 1954.
Lehideux defended his involvement in Vichy after the war, stating as late as 1997 that "extenuating circumstances justified Vichy policy". He also became involved the Association for the Defence of the Memory of Marshal Pétain
, a group that campaigned for a reassessment of Petain. Lehideux's death at the age of 95 in June 1998 saw the end of the Vichy clique as he was the final minister of the regime left alive.
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...
industrialist and member of the Vichy government.
Car industry
Lehideux was married to the daughter of Fernand RenaultFernand Renault
Fernand Renault was one of the brothers that founded Renault, the French automobile manufacturer, in 1899....
and soon became a leading figure in the Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
car company. He was assistant to Louis Renault
Louis Renault
Louis Renault may refer to:* Louis Renault * Louis Renault * A character from the film Casablanca...
and in this position convinced the head of the company to employ André Lefèbvre
André Lefèbvre
André Lefèbvre was a French automobile engineer.André, René Lefèbvre was born in Louvres, France . He began his career as an aviation engineer working to Gabriel Voisin Company...
within the development department, Lehideux admiring Lefèbvre's bold ideas and feeling that Renault needed to modernise its designs in order to continue to lead the way in French automobile manufacture.
Vichy
In October 1940 Lehideux was appointed to the headship of the COA, an organisation charged with smoothing relations between the German authorities and French auto-makers. He is credited with having successfully intervened in 1943 to block German plans to crate up Ford'sFord SAF
Ford SAF was the French subsidiary of the American automaker Ford Motor Company, which existed under various names between 1916 and 1954, when Ford sold the manufacturing business to Simca....
newly completed car plant at Poissy
Poissy
Poissy is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center.In 1561 it was the site of a fruitless Catholic-Huguenot conference, the Colloquy at Poissy...
for shipment to the company's Cologne location.
Along with the likes of Jacques Barnaud
Jacques Barnaud
Jacques Barnaud was a French banker, businessman and member of the collaborationist Vichy regime during the Second World War....
, Jean Bichelonne
Jean Bichelonne
Jean Bichelonne was a French businessman and member of the Vichy government that existed during World War II following the occupation of France by Nazi Germany....
and Pierre Pucheu
Pierre Pucheu
Pierre Firmin Pucheu was a French industrialist, fascist and member of the Vichy government.-Early years:...
Lehideux was a member of a group of technocrats who were important in the early days of the Vichy regime. These individuals, sometimes known as jeunes cyclistes, advocated extensive economic reform in order that France could become a leading player in a the German-led Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
that they saw emerging. Along with Pucheu and Paul Marion Lehideux expressed this view to Otto Abetz
Otto Abetz
Dr. Heinrich Otto Abetz was the German ambassador to Vichy France during World War II.-Early years:Abetz was born in Schwetzingen on May 26, 1903. He was the son of an estate manager, who died when Otto was only 13...
when they signed a memorandum to him in March 1941 stating that they hoped to make France "Europe's bridgehead" in the new German-led order. William D. Leahy
William D. Leahy
Fleet Admiral William Daniel Leahy was an American naval officer, building his reputation through administration and staff work. As Chief of Naval Operations he was the senior officer in Navy, overseeing the preparations for war. After retiring from the Navy he was appointed by his close friend...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ambassador to France reported to his friend Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
that Lehideux was part of a coterie of strongly pro-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...
figures that Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
had surrounded himself with.
In 1941 he was given charge of a new body, the Direction Générale de l'équipement nationale, the purpose of which was to improve the economy and overcome high unemployment. In his role as leader of this body Lehideux produced a ten-year plan for the economic development and growth of Vichy France.
Lehideux served as Minister of Industrial Production and worked closely 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...
, providing parts for their tanks and organising repairs, all of which were carried out by Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
, a company that he had married into. He held his ministerial portfolio from July 1941 to April 1942, resigning when Pierre Laval
Pierre Laval
Pierre Laval was a French politician. He was four times President of the council of ministers of the Third Republic, twice consecutively. Following France's Armistice with Germany in 1940, he served twice in the Vichy Regime as head of government, signing orders permitting the deportation of...
returned to government.
Post-war
He was arrested after the Second World War but freed in 1946. On 17 February 1949 all charges against him were dropped by the High Court of Justice on grounds of "insufficient evidence": he had provided protection for members of the OCFOrganisation civile et militaire
The Organisation civile et militaire was one of the great movements of the French Resistance in the zone occupée, the northern German-occupied region of France, during the Second World War....
. By now he was returning to a successful career in business. Indeed the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
appointed him managing director of their French operations in 1950 in succession to Maurice Dollfus
Maurice Dollfus
Maurice Dollfus was appointed to head up Ford of France in 1930. Four years later he negotiated an agreement with Mathis which led to the creation of the Matford joint project in 1934 in order to enable Ford to grow its French business at a time of increased protectionism and at an acceptable cost...
, a controversial decision that sparked a hostile reaction that encouraged Ford to sell its French arm to Simca
Simca
Simca was a French automaker, founded in November 1934 by Fiat. It was directed from July 1935 to May 1963 by the Italian Henri Théodore Pigozzi...
in 1954.
Lehideux defended his involvement in Vichy after the war, stating as late as 1997 that "extenuating circumstances justified Vichy policy". He also became involved the Association for the Defence of the Memory of Marshal Pétain
Association for the Defence of the Memory of Marshal Pétain
The Association for the Defence of the Memory of Marshal Pétain is a French association set up on 6 November 1951 under the patronage of general Maxime Weygand, its honorary president until his death in 1965.-History:It was the successor to a "comité d'honneur", set up in 1948 by Marshal Philippe...
, a group that campaigned for a reassessment of Petain. Lehideux's death at the age of 95 in June 1998 saw the end of the Vichy clique as he was the final minister of the regime left alive.