Ludovic-Oscar Frossard
Encyclopedia
Ludovic-Oscar Frossard (also known as L-O Frossard or Oscar Frossard; 5 March 1889, Foussemagne
, Territoire de Belfort — 11 February 1946, Paris) was a French socialist and communist politician, a member of six successive French governments between 1935 and 1940.
family opposed to the antisemitical side during the Dreyfus Affair
(his father was a saddler and a member of the Radical Party), Frossard became involved in socialist politics, and also worked as a schoolteacher. His anti-militarism
got him expelled from his teaching position during World War I
.
In 1918, he was elected general secretary of the Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière
(SFIO) socialist party. Frossard took a trip to Bolshevist Russia
in 1920 and became a supporter of Leninism
, campaigning for his party to join the Comintern
. The Leninists inside the PSU led to the party's split at the 25 December Congress of Tours
. Frossard became general secretary of the new French Communist Party
(PCF), while Léon Blum
led the SFIO. Nonetheless, Frossard soon became disenchanted with the PCF's rejection of pluralism – he resigned on 1 January 1923, and joined the SFIO himself.
) on a Socialist platform with the 1928 and the 1932 Cartel des gauches
; Frossard quit the SFIO parliamentary group during the latter 1936 mandate. His departure did not prevent him from becoming Minister of Propaganda
(and the first one ever in this capacity) in Blum's Second Popular Front
Ministry (March–April 1938). From 1935, Frossard had been a member of the governments of Pierre Laval
and Albert Sarraut
(as Labor Minister
), as well as that of Camille Chautemps
(as Minister of State in charge of the Services of the Presidency of the Council).
Afterwards, he served as Minister of Public Works
under radical Édouard Daladier
, and again as Minister of Propaganda under conservative Paul Reynaud
.
Frossard was made Minister of Public Works and Transmissions in the First Government of Philippe Pétain
, created after the Battle of France
and the beginning of the Nazi German
occupation of France
. After the signing of the armistice
, he refused to be part of any Vichy France
executive, but worked as a journalist. Suspicion of collaboration with the enemy led to an enquiry into his activities at the end of World War II
, but his name was soon cleared.
He was father of André Frossard
, journalist and writer, who converted into Catholicism in 1935.
Foussemagne
Foussemagne is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France.-External links:*...
, Territoire de Belfort — 11 February 1946, Paris) was a French socialist and communist politician, a member of six successive French governments between 1935 and 1940.
Early career and PCF
Born into an anti-clericalAnti-clericalism
Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes religious institutional power and influence, real or alleged, in all aspects of public and political life, and the involvement of religion in the everyday life of the citizen...
family opposed to the antisemitical side during the Dreyfus Affair
Dreyfus Affair
The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s and the early 1900s. It involved the conviction for treason in November 1894 of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish descent...
(his father was a saddler and a member of the Radical Party), Frossard became involved in socialist politics, and also worked as a schoolteacher. His anti-militarism
Antimilitarism
Antimilitarism is a doctrine commonly found in the anarchist and, more globally, in the socialist movement, which may both be characterized as internationalist movements. It relies heavily on a critical theory of nationalism and imperialism, and was an explicit goal of the First and Second...
got him expelled from his teaching position during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In 1918, he was elected general secretary of the Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière
Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière
The French Section of the Workers' International , founded in 1905, was a French socialist political party, designed as the local section of the Second International...
(SFIO) socialist party. Frossard took a trip to Bolshevist Russia
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic , commonly referred to as Soviet Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or simply Russia, was the largest, most populous and economically developed republic in the former Soviet Union....
in 1920 and became a supporter of Leninism
Leninism
In Marxist philosophy, Leninism is the body of political theory for the democratic organisation of a revolutionary vanguard party, and the achievement of a direct-democracy dictatorship of the proletariat, as political prelude to the establishment of socialism...
, campaigning for his party to join the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
. The Leninists inside the PSU led to the party's split at the 25 December Congress of Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
. Frossard became general secretary of the new French Communist Party
French 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), while Léon Blum
Léon Blum
André Léon Blum was a French politician, usually identified with the moderate left, and three times the Prime Minister of France.-First political experiences:...
led the SFIO. Nonetheless, Frossard soon became disenchanted with the PCF's rejection of pluralism – he resigned on 1 January 1923, and joined the SFIO himself.
SFIO and independent
Elected to the Chamber of Deputies (the lower chamber of the French Third RepublicFrench 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...
) on a Socialist platform with the 1928 and the 1932 Cartel des gauches
Cartel des Gauches
The Cartel des gauches was the name of the governmental alliance between the Radical-Socialist Party and the socialist French Section of the Workers' International after World War I , which lasted until the end of the Popular Front . The Cartel des gauches twice won general elections, in 1924 and...
; Frossard quit the SFIO parliamentary group during the latter 1936 mandate. His departure did not prevent him from becoming Minister of Propaganda
Minister of Information (France)
The Minister of Information was a cabinet member in the Government of France from 1938 to 1974. The position no longer exists.-Ministers of Information:*Ludovic-Oscar Frossard 13 March 1938 - 10 April 1938...
(and the first one ever in this capacity) in Blum's Second Popular Front
Popular Front (France)
The Popular Front was an alliance of left-wing movements, including the French Communist Party , the French Section of the Workers' International and the Radical and Socialist Party, during the interwar period...
Ministry (March–April 1938). From 1935, Frossard had been a member of the governments of 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...
and Albert Sarraut
Albert Sarraut
Albert-Pierre Sarraut was a French Radical politician, twice Prime Minister during the Third Republic.Sarraut was born in Bordeaux, Gironde, France.He was Governor-General of French Indochina, from 1912 to 1919....
(as Labor Minister
Minister of Social Affairs (France)
The Minister of Social Affairs and Employment The Minister of Social Affairs and Employment The Minister of Social Affairs and Employment (French: Ministre des Affaires sociales et de l'emploi is a cabinet member in the Government of France. The position was originally known as Minister of Labor...
), as well as that of Camille Chautemps
Camille Chautemps
Camille Chautemps was a French Radical politician of the Third Republic, three times President of the Council .-Career:Described as "intellectually bereft", Chautemps nevertheless entered politics and became Mayor of Tours in 1912, and a Radical deputy in 1919...
(as Minister of State in charge of the Services of the Presidency of the Council).
Afterwards, he served as Minister of Public Works
Minister of Public Works (France)
The Minister of Public Works was a cabinet member in the Government of France. Formerly known as "Ministre des Travaux Publics" , in 1870, it was largely subsumed by the position of Minister of Transportation. Since the 1960s, the positions of Minister of Public Works has reappeared, often...
under radical Édouard Daladier
Édouard Daladier
Édouard Daladier was a French Radical politician and the Prime Minister of France at the start of the Second World War.-Career:Daladier was born in Carpentras, Vaucluse. Later, he would become known to many as "the bull of Vaucluse" because of his thick neck and large shoulders and determined...
, and again as Minister of Propaganda under conservative Paul Reynaud
Paul Reynaud
Paul Reynaud was a French politician and lawyer prominent in the interwar period, noted for his stances on economic liberalism and militant opposition to Germany. He was the penultimate Prime Minister of the Third Republic and vice-president of the Democratic Republican Alliance center-right...
.
Frossard was made Minister of Public Works and Transmissions in the First Government of 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...
, created after the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and the beginning of the Nazi German
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...
occupation of France
Military history of France during World War II
The military history of France during World War II covers the period from 1939 until 1940, which witnessed French military participation under the French Third Republic , and the period from 1940 until 1945, which was marked by mainland and overseas military administration and influence struggles...
. After the signing of the armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
, he refused to be part of any 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...
executive, but worked as a journalist. Suspicion of collaboration with the enemy led to an enquiry into his activities at the end of 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...
, but his name was soon cleared.
He was father of André Frossard
André Frossard
-Biography:Frossard was born in Saint-Maurice-Colombier, Doubs to Louis-Oscar Frossard, one of the historic founders of the Parti communiste français, who was leader of the party for 31 years. His parents raised him an atheist, but when he was 20 years old he converted to Roman Catholicism. He was...
, journalist and writer, who converted into Catholicism in 1935.