Justin Godart
Encyclopedia
Justin Godart was a French politician who served as the Minister for Health
from June 3, 1932 to December 18, 1932.
on November 26, 1871. Godart was educated at the Collège-lycée Ampère
and gained a Doctor of Law
there. In 1904, Godart was elected the sixth deputy mayor of Lyon as a member of the Radical Party. In 1906, Godart became a Deputy of the French National Assembly
, representing Lyon. From 1915 to 1918, Godart served as the Undersecretary of State for War in charge of the armed forces medical service. When Édouard Herriot became Prime Minister of France
in 1924, Godart was appointed as the Minister for Labour, Hygiene, Welfare Work, and Social Security Provisions. Godart's time in this position came to an end with Herriot's ousting the next year. In 1926, Godart became a Senator, representing the department of Rhone. In 1932, Godart became the Minister of Public Health, again under Herriot. However, Godart did not remain in this position for long, as Herriot again lost power that December.
On July 10, 1940, Godart joined the Vichy 80, a collection of French parliamentarians who unsuccessfully voted against a constitutional amendment
dissolving the Third Republic
and giving Philippe Pétain
the power to establish a new authoritarian state, now known as Vichy France
. During World War II
, Godart was involved in Resistance
activities, editing an anti-Vichy newspaper. Upon Lyon's liberation by Allied forces
in September 1944, he became the interim Mayor of Lyon. In 1945, Godart resigned from the Radical Party.
After his political career, Godart continued to play an active role in campaigning for improved labour conditions, such as the eight-hour day
. Until 1950, Godart represented France in the International Labour Organization
. He died in Paris on December 12, 1956. In 2004, Israel conferred the Righteous among the Nations
honorific
upon Godart for his services to Jews during the Holocaust
.
Minister of Health (France)
Minister of Health and Solidarity is currently a cabinet position in the Government of France. The health portfolio oversees the healthcare public services and the health insurance part of the French Social Security...
from June 3, 1932 to December 18, 1932.
Biography
Justin Godart was born into a working class family in LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
on November 26, 1871. Godart was educated at the Collège-lycée Ampère
Collège-lycée Ampère
The Collège-lycée Ampère is a famous school located in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon.-History:It was founded in 1519 by members of the Brotherhood of the Trinity. It was then known under the name of Collège de la Trinité...
and gained a Doctor of Law
Doctor of law
Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...
there. In 1904, Godart was elected the sixth deputy mayor of Lyon as a member of the Radical Party. In 1906, Godart became a Deputy of the French National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
, representing Lyon. From 1915 to 1918, Godart served as the Undersecretary of State for War in charge of the armed forces medical service. When Édouard Herriot became Prime Minister of France
Prime Minister of France
The Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
in 1924, Godart was appointed as the Minister for Labour, Hygiene, Welfare Work, and Social Security Provisions. Godart's time in this position came to an end with Herriot's ousting the next year. In 1926, Godart became a Senator, representing the department of Rhone. In 1932, Godart became the Minister of Public Health, again under Herriot. However, Godart did not remain in this position for long, as Herriot again lost power that December.
On July 10, 1940, Godart joined the Vichy 80, a collection of French parliamentarians who unsuccessfully voted against a constitutional amendment
French Constitutional Laws of 1875
The Constitutional Laws of 1875 are the laws passed in France by the National Assembly between February and July 1875 which established the Third French Republic.The constitution laws could be roughly divided into three laws:...
dissolving the Third Republic
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
and giving 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...
the power to establish a new authoritarian state, now known as 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...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Godart was involved in Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
activities, editing an anti-Vichy newspaper. Upon Lyon's liberation by Allied forces
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
in September 1944, he became the interim Mayor of Lyon. In 1945, Godart resigned from the Radical Party.
After his political career, Godart continued to play an active role in campaigning for improved labour conditions, such as the eight-hour day
Eight-hour day
The eight-hour day movement or 40-hour week movement, also known as the short-time movement, had its origins in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where industrial production in large factories transformed working life and imposed long hours and poor working conditions. With working conditions...
. Until 1950, Godart represented France in the International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
. He died in Paris on December 12, 1956. In 2004, Israel conferred the Righteous among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
honorific
Honorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
upon Godart for his services to Jews during the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
.