Françoise Dior
Encyclopedia
Marie Françoise Suzanne Dior, also known as Françoise de Caumont La Force, Françoise Dior-Jordan, and Françoise Dior-de Mirleau (7 April 1932 – 21 January 1993), was a French
socialite and post-war Nazi underground financier. She was a close friend of Savitri Devi and niece of French fashion designer Christian Dior
.
.
Françoise grew up in France during the Nazi occupation, and a historian has stated "one of [Françoise Dior's] sweetest memories was the compliment of an SS
-man, 'What a beautiful little Aryan girl.'"
's rallies; that same year, she used her fortune to support the creation of the French chapter of the World Union of National Socialists
. She was able bring on former Waffen SS officers as leaders in 1963.
Thereafter she became intimately involved with British Nazis and supported their front activities in the country. During the 1980s, British fascist Martin Webster
made two visits to Paris, and she gave him some money to help fund the short-lived Our Nation group that he had founded following his expulsion from the British National Front
.
for four months over an old case of posting swastika
labels on the walls of the British embassy. Dior returned to Britain on a brief visit in April 1967 but was arrested and sent to Holloway prison
, charged with the crime of arson against London synagogues in 1965. On her release in 1969, Dior left Britain permanently, removing to Normandy.
In 1985, she was photographed attending an evening at the residence of Comte Jacques de Ricaumont, and in 1992 with Henri d'Orleans, Count of Paris at his Gallery Apomixie exhibition.
after the 1949 death of Louis II
. His parents were Armand de Caumont, Comte La Force and Anne Marie Guigues de Moreton de Chabrillan. They had one child, Anne-Marie Christiane de Caumont La Force (4 November 1957 – 5 July 1978). The Caumonts divorced in 1960.
, who was later incarcerated along with other members of the National Socialist party for paramilitary activities.
, who had been released before Tyndall. This act played the central role in the lifelong split between the two allies in 1964.
After a civil ceremony at Caxton Hall
, where demonstrators hurled rotten eggs and apples at the couple as they gave the Nazi salute—Dior and Jordan had a second wedding on 5 October 1963 at 74 Princedale Road, London W11, the former home of Arnold Leese
. The photographs and newsreel footage of the ceremony, illustrating them mingling blood from cuts to their ring fingers over a copy of Mein Kampf
, were published widely. Dior also stated, “All I want is little Nazi children.” A month after their honeymoon, however, Dior-Jordan (as she now called herself) returned to France, having "separated over a few ideological differences. She was also disillusioned by her husband's leadership qualities ..." and dismissed him "as 'a middle-class nobody'".
(R.P.R.) in 1983, where she met writer and former diplomat, Comte Hubert de Mirleau; he became her third husband. He was a member of one of France's oldest noble houses.
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...
socialite and post-war Nazi underground financier. She was a close friend of Savitri Devi and niece of French fashion designer Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
.
Early life
Born in Paris, Dior was the only child of Raymond Dior, a Communist International sympathizer who embraced radicalism and subversive ideas. He was a proponent of the '200 families' theory in that all the world's problems rest with them. Being an heir to the Dior Frères fertilizer fortune, he married the former Madeleine Leblanc. Raymond was the brother of Christian DiorChristian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
.
Françoise grew up in France during the Nazi occupation, and a historian has stated "one of [Françoise Dior's] sweetest memories was the compliment of an SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
-man, 'What a beautiful little Aryan girl.'"
Post-war Nazi underground
Dior resided back and forth between France and England for a period of time in the 1960s, where she financed Nazi movements and became romantically involved with their leadership. The former countess traveled to London, in the summer of 1962, after reading about the National Socialist MovementNational Socialist Movement (1960s)
The National Socialist Movement was a British Neo-Nazi group formed on 20 April 1962, Adolf Hitler's birthday, by Colin Jordan, with John Tyndall as his deputy as a splinter group from the original British National Party of the 1960s.-Formation:...
's rallies; that same year, she used her fortune to support the creation of the French chapter of the World Union of National Socialists
World Union of National Socialists
The World Union of National Socialists is an organisation founded in 1962 as an umbrella group for neo-Nazi organisations across the globe.-Formation:...
. She was able bring on former Waffen SS officers as leaders in 1963.
Thereafter she became intimately involved with British Nazis and supported their front activities in the country. During the 1980s, British fascist Martin Webster
Martin Webster
Martin Guy Alan Webster is a former leading figure on the far-right in British politics.-Early political activism:An early member of the Young Conservatives, from which he claimed to have been expelled, Webster was associated loosely with the League of Empire Loyalists until he joined the National...
made two visits to Paris, and she gave him some money to help fund the short-lived Our Nation group that he had founded following his expulsion from the British National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
.
Arrests
After leaving England and arriving in France in 1966, she was imprisoned in NiceNice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
for four months over an old case of posting swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
labels on the walls of the British embassy. Dior returned to Britain on a brief visit in April 1967 but was arrested and sent to Holloway prison
Holloway (HM Prison)
HM Prison Holloway is a closed category prison for adult women and Young Offenders, located in the Holloway area of the London Borough of Islington, in north and Inner London, England...
, charged with the crime of arson against London synagogues in 1965. On her release in 1969, Dior left Britain permanently, removing to Normandy.
French socialite
Dior was a royalist, eventually marrying noble claimants to some of France's oldest houses.In 1985, she was photographed attending an evening at the residence of Comte Jacques de Ricaumont, and in 1992 with Henri d'Orleans, Count of Paris at his Gallery Apomixie exhibition.
Robert-Henri Aynard François Nompar
Dior married Robert-Henri Aynard François Nompar, Comte de Caumont La Force, on 26 April 1955. He was a grandson of Aynard Guigues de Moreton de Chabrillan, 10th Marquis de Chabrillan, a Grimaldi descendant who unsuccessfully sought the throne of MonacoMonaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
after the 1949 death of Louis II
Louis II, Prince of Monaco
Louis II was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 27 June 1922 until 9 May 1949.-Early years:Born Louis Honoré Charles Antoine Grimaldi in Baden-Baden, Germany, he was the only child of Prince Albert I of Monaco , and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton...
. His parents were Armand de Caumont, Comte La Force and Anne Marie Guigues de Moreton de Chabrillan. They had one child, Anne-Marie Christiane de Caumont La Force (4 November 1957 – 5 July 1978). The Caumonts divorced in 1960.
John Tyndall
Dior became engaged to party member John TyndallJohn Tyndall (politician)
John Hutchyns Tyndall was a British politician who was prominently associated with several fascist/neo-Nazi sects. However, he is best known for leading the National Front in the 1970s and founding the contemporary British National Party in 1982.The most prominent figure in British nationalism...
, who was later incarcerated along with other members of the National Socialist party for paramilitary activities.
Colin Jordan
After Tyndall's arrest, she instead married another party leader, Colin JordanColin Jordan
John Colin Campbell Jordan was a leading figure in postwar Neo-Nazism in Britain. In the far-right nationalist circles of the 1960s, Jordan represented the most explicitly 'Nazi' inclination in his open use of the styles and symbols of the Third Reich.Through organisations such as the National...
, who had been released before Tyndall. This act played the central role in the lifelong split between the two allies in 1964.
After a civil ceremony at Caxton Hall
Caxton Hall
Caxton Hall is a building on the corner of Caxton Street and Palmer Street, in Westminster, London, England. It is a Grade II listed building primarily for its historical associations...
, where demonstrators hurled rotten eggs and apples at the couple as they gave the Nazi salute—Dior and Jordan had a second wedding on 5 October 1963 at 74 Princedale Road, London W11, the former home of Arnold Leese
Arnold Leese
Arnold Spencer Leese was a British veterinarian and fascist politician. He was born in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England and educated at Giggleswick School....
. The photographs and newsreel footage of the ceremony, illustrating them mingling blood from cuts to their ring fingers over a copy of Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf is a book written by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. It combines elements of autobiography with an exposition of Hitler's political ideology. Volume 1 of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926...
, were published widely. Dior also stated, “All I want is little Nazi children.” A month after their honeymoon, however, Dior-Jordan (as she now called herself) returned to France, having "separated over a few ideological differences. She was also disillusioned by her husband's leadership qualities ..." and dismissed him "as 'a middle-class nobody'".
Terence Robert Cooper
In March 1966, Dior-Jordan separated from her husband, eloping to Paris with her 19-year-old secretary, Terence Robert Cooper. (The Jordans divorced in October 1967.) The couple's relationship ended in 1980 after having lived in Normandy together for a period.Hubert de Mirleau
Dior joined the Rally for the RepublicRally for the Republic
The Rally for the Republic , was a French right-wing political party. Originating from the Union of Democrats for the Republic , it was founded by Jacques Chirac in 1976 and presented itself as the heir of Gaullism...
(R.P.R.) in 1983, where she met writer and former diplomat, Comte Hubert de Mirleau; he became her third husband. He was a member of one of France's oldest noble houses.
External links
- Francoise Dior Neo-Nazi Footage: Designer's Niece Says Hitler Is Her Hero (VIDEO), Huffington Post (12 March 2011)