Henri Krasucki
Encyclopedia
Henri Krasucki was a French trade-unionist
, former secretary general of the Confédération générale du travail
(CGT) from 1982 to 1992.
, his father was arrested on charges of sabotage
on 20 January 1943 and interned at Drancy
, before being deported on 13 February to Birkenau concentration camp where he was gased at his arrival.
During his youth, Henri Krasucki involved himself in cooperative
movements, before entering the Renault
factory where he began activism as a trade-unionist. Under the Vichy regime, he took part to the FTP-MOI
Communist resistant movement composed of immigrants, under the pseudonyme of Mésange. His brother was killed during an attack against a formation of the Wehrmacht
. On 23 March 1943, Henri was arrested by the Gestapo
who also detained his mother and other resistants. Tortured in the Fresnes prison
, where he was detained six months, Henri Krasucki resisted to the interrogations and kept silent. He was then deported to Jawischowitz concentration camp, an annex of Auschwitz
, and then to Buchenwald
, on 23 June 1943, from Drancy (on 1,002 Jews, including 160 children less than 18 years old, deported by this train, n°55, only 86 survived). On 28 April 1945, Henri Krasucki returned to France, "just in time to demonstrate for the 1st of May
," as he said humorously.
(PCF) although his main interest remained trade-unionism. In 1949, he was secretary of the departmental union of the CGT in the Seine, then entered in 1953 the PCF's federal bureau in the Seine. In 1956, he entered the central committee of the PCF, and then in 1961, the confederal bureau of the CGT, before becoming the director of the union's mouthpiece, La Vie ouvrière. In 1964, he became a member of the political bureau of the PCF, and was for a time one of the candidates of the CGT's leadership in 1967. However, Georges Séguy was ultimately preferred to him, and Krasucki succeeded to him in 1982, during the 41st Congress of the CGT. He kept his functions of secretary general of the CGT until 1992, when he was succeeded by Louis Viannet. During these ten years, the membership of the CGT decreased by half, to approximatively 700,000 members.
At the beginning of his mandate, Krasucki placed himself as main interlocutor with the then Socialist power, until the resignation of the Communist ministers in 1984, when Laurent Fabius
succeeded to Pierre Mauroy
as Prime minister. Until the beginning of the 1980s, Krasucki defended some of the most rigid orientations of the PCF, leading him to somehow oppose himself to Georges Séguy, who was attempting, since 1978, to preserve the CGT from the consequences of the rupture of the Left-wings' Union, which had taken place in October 1977.
In 1986, Krasucki was elected as vice-president of the World Federation of Trade Unions
(Fédération syndicale mondiale, FSM). Although the beginning of his leadership of the CGT witnessed a radicalization of the union, he undertook a progressive evolution towards more "negotiation" with the government at the end of his mandate and took his distances with the PCF. Thus, he condemned the Tiananmen repression
in 1989.
In the 1980s, the French TV comedy sketch show Cocoricocoboy would include Le Bébête Show
, puppets satirising leading politicians and personalities. Among them was a puppet with huge crab
claws, representing Krasucki (as in "Krab-sucki").
France is renowned for its strikes in which almost all the workforce put down tools. On one occasion a protest march was held by consumers protesting against the strikes. Among their slogans was "Krasucki en Russie
", a call for Krasucki to be exiled to Russia, then still part of the Soviet block.
Krasucki remained a member of the PCF's political bureau until 1996. He is buried at the Père-Lachaise cemeetery, near the Mur des fédérés where the Communards
were executed in 1871. His memory was saluted both by Marie-George Buffet
, the national secretary of the PCF, and by then President Jacques Chirac
.
He is portrayed by actor Adrien Jolivet in the 2009 French film The Army of Crime
directed by Robert Guédiguian
.
Politics of France
France is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, in which the President of France is head of state and the Prime Minister of France is the head of government, and there is a pluriform, multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is...
, former secretary general of the Confédération générale du travail
Confédération générale du travail
The General Confederation of Labour is a national trade union center, the first of the five major French confederations of trade unions.It is the largest in terms of votes , and second largest in terms of membership numbers.Its membership decreased to 650,000 members in 1995-96 The General...
(CGT) from 1982 to 1992.
Early life
Henri Krasucki's father, Izaak, a worker and activist, emigrated from Poland with his wife, a textile worker and communist activist, in 1926. During the German occupationVichy 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...
, his father was arrested on charges of sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
on 20 January 1943 and interned at Drancy
Drancy internment camp
The Drancy internment camp of Paris, France, was used to hold Jews who were later deported to the extermination camps. 65,000 Jews were deported from Drancy, of whom 63,000 were murdered including 6,000 children...
, before being deported on 13 February to Birkenau concentration camp where he was gased at his arrival.
During his youth, Henri Krasucki involved himself in cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
movements, before entering 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...
factory where he began activism as a trade-unionist. Under the Vichy regime, he took part to the FTP-MOI
FTP-MOI
The Francs-tireurs et partisans – main-d'œuvre immigrée were a sub-group of the Francs-tireurs et partisans organization, a component of the French Resistance. A wing composed mostly of foreigners, the MOI maintained an armed force to oppose the German occupation of France during World War II...
Communist resistant movement composed of immigrants, under the pseudonyme of Mésange. His brother was killed during an attack against a formation of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. On 23 March 1943, Henri was arrested by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
who also detained his mother and other resistants. Tortured in the Fresnes prison
Fresnes Prison
Fresnes Prison is the second largest prison in France, located in the town of Fresnes, Val-de-Marne South of Paris...
, where he was detained six months, Henri Krasucki resisted to the interrogations and kept silent. He was then deported to Jawischowitz concentration camp, an annex of Auschwitz
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
, and then to Buchenwald
Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp was a German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937, one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil.Camp prisoners from all over Europe and Russia—Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slovenes,...
, on 23 June 1943, from Drancy (on 1,002 Jews, including 160 children less than 18 years old, deported by this train, n°55, only 86 survived). On 28 April 1945, Henri Krasucki returned to France, "just in time to demonstrate for the 1st of May
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
," as he said humorously.
Post-war
After the Liberation, he became a leader of the French Communist PartyFrench Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
(PCF) although his main interest remained trade-unionism. In 1949, he was secretary of the departmental union of the CGT in the Seine, then entered in 1953 the PCF's federal bureau in the Seine. In 1956, he entered the central committee of the PCF, and then in 1961, the confederal bureau of the CGT, before becoming the director of the union's mouthpiece, La Vie ouvrière. In 1964, he became a member of the political bureau of the PCF, and was for a time one of the candidates of the CGT's leadership in 1967. However, Georges Séguy was ultimately preferred to him, and Krasucki succeeded to him in 1982, during the 41st Congress of the CGT. He kept his functions of secretary general of the CGT until 1992, when he was succeeded by Louis Viannet. During these ten years, the membership of the CGT decreased by half, to approximatively 700,000 members.
At the beginning of his mandate, Krasucki placed himself as main interlocutor with the then Socialist power, until the resignation of the Communist ministers in 1984, when Laurent Fabius
Laurent Fabius
Laurent Fabius is a French Socialist politician. He served as Prime Minister from 17 July 1984 to 20 March 1986. He was 37 years old when he was appointed and is, so far, the youngest Prime Minister of the Fifth Republic.-Early life:...
succeeded to Pierre Mauroy
Pierre Mauroy
Pierre Mauroy is a French Socialist politician and former Prime Minister under François Mitterrand . Mauroy also served as Mayor of Lille from 1973 to 2001. Mauroy is currently emeritus mayor of Lille.-Biography:...
as Prime minister. Until the beginning of the 1980s, Krasucki defended some of the most rigid orientations of the PCF, leading him to somehow oppose himself to Georges Séguy, who was attempting, since 1978, to preserve the CGT from the consequences of the rupture of the Left-wings' Union, which had taken place in October 1977.
In 1986, Krasucki was elected as vice-president of the World Federation of Trade Unions
World Federation of Trade Unions
The World Federation of Trade Unions was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations...
(Fédération syndicale mondiale, FSM). Although the beginning of his leadership of the CGT witnessed a radicalization of the union, he undertook a progressive evolution towards more "negotiation" with the government at the end of his mandate and took his distances with the PCF. Thus, he condemned the Tiananmen repression
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
in 1989.
In the 1980s, the French TV comedy sketch show Cocoricocoboy would include Le Bébête Show
Le Bébête Show
Le Bébête Show was a satirical puppet show shown on French television. The show was introduced in Stéphane Collaro's Collaroshow on channel TF1, before becoming a daily broadcast. Major French political figures were designed by artists: Alain Duverne, Jacques Loup, Jean-Yves Grall.....
, puppets satirising leading politicians and personalities. Among them was a puppet with huge crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
claws, representing Krasucki (as in "Krab-sucki").
France is renowned for its strikes in which almost all the workforce put down tools. On one occasion a protest march was held by consumers protesting against the strikes. Among their slogans was "Krasucki en Russie
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
", a call for Krasucki to be exiled to Russia, then still part of the Soviet block.
Krasucki remained a member of the PCF's political bureau until 1996. He is buried at the Père-Lachaise cemeetery, near the Mur des fédérés where the Communards
Communards
The Communards were members and supporters of the short-lived 1871 Paris Commune formed in the wake of the Franco-Prussian War and France's defeat....
were executed in 1871. His memory was saluted both by Marie-George Buffet
Marie-George Buffet
Marie-George Buffet is a French politician. She was the head of the French Communist Party from 2001 to 2010. She joined the Party in 1969, and was the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports from June 4, 1997 to May 5, 2002. Ms...
, the national secretary of the PCF, and by then President Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
.
Legacy
A place in the 20th arrondissement of Paris was given his name on 23 June 2005, near Belleville and close-by 107 rue des Couronnes where he lived for a long time.He is portrayed by actor Adrien Jolivet in the 2009 French film The Army of Crime
The Army of Crime
The Army of Crime is a 2009 French drama-war film directed by Robert Guédiguian and based on a story by Serge Le Péron, one of three credited for the screenplay. It received a wide release in France on September 16, 2009 and opened in the United States in 2010.The film deals with the events of the...
directed by Robert Guédiguian
Robert Guédiguian
Robert Jules Guédiguian is a French film director, actor, screenwriter and producer. Most of his films star Ariane Ascaride and Jean-Pierre Darroussin....
.
Quotes
- "There is no more violent coercition means used by employers against employees than unemploymentUnemploymentUnemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
" (« Il n’y a pas de moyen de coercition plus violent des employeurs contre les employés que le chômage. » — quoted by Stéphane Beaud & Michel Pialoux in Le Monde diplomatiqueLe Monde diplomatiqueLe Monde diplomatique is a monthly newspaper offering analysis and opinion on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first created mainly for a diplomatic audience as its name implies...
, November 2001, page 2. )