Paul Boulet
Encyclopedia
Paul Marie Maurice Boulet (8 September 1893, Marseille
– 27 July 1982) was a French
Christian democrat politician.
Paul Boulet was born in Marseille
and raised in Béziers
and Montpellier
. He studied medicine at the University of Montpellier
. He served in the French Army
during the First World War, initially as a stretcher-bearer and later as a medical officer. He was captured late in the war and held as a prisoner of war in Germany
. For his services he received the Croix de guerre
and was appointed a chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
in 1920, becoming an officer of the order in 1944.
After the war he taught in the medical faculty at the University of Montpellier. In 1935 he was elected mayor of Montpellier but resigned office in 1937. In 1936 he gained election to the French Chamber of Deputies, where he sat as a member of the Young Republic League, representing the Hérault
département.
On the outbreak of the Second World War Boulet rejoined the French Army, serving medical director of a military hospital. He received a second Croix de guerre for his service. Demobilised in June he was one of the 80 who voted against
the grant of special powers to Philippe Pétain
and the creation of the Vichy régime
in July 1940.
Paul Boulet was mayor of Montpellier a second time from 1945 to 1953 and served on the city council until 1957. He was re-elected by the voters of Hérault in 1945 to the lower house of the French parliament, the National Assembly of France which replaced the earlier Chamber of Deputies in the Fourth French Republic, sitting with the Popular Republican Movement
. He was unsuccessful in retaining his seat in 1951 and again failed to win election in 1956.
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
– 27 July 1982) was a French
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...
Christian democrat politician.
Paul Boulet was born in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
and raised in Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
and Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
. He studied medicine at the University of Montpellier
University of Montpellier
The University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university...
. He served in the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
during the First World War, initially as a stretcher-bearer and later as a medical officer. He was captured late in the war and held as a prisoner of war in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. For his services he received the Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
and was appointed a chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1920, becoming an officer of the order in 1944.
After the war he taught in the medical faculty at the University of Montpellier. In 1935 he was elected mayor of Montpellier but resigned office in 1937. In 1936 he gained election to the French Chamber of Deputies, where he sat as a member of the Young Republic League, representing the Hérault
Hérault
Hérault is a department in the south of France named after the Hérault river.-History:Hérault is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
département.
On the outbreak of the Second World War Boulet rejoined the French Army, serving medical director of a military hospital. He received a second Croix de guerre for his service. Demobilised in June he was one of the 80 who voted against
The Vichy 80
The Vichy 80 were a group of elected French parliamentarians who, on 10 July 1940, voted against the constitutional change that dissolved the Third Republic and established an authoritarian regime known as Vichy France....
the grant of special powers to 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...
and the creation of the Vichy régime
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...
in July 1940.
Paul Boulet was mayor of Montpellier a second time from 1945 to 1953 and served on the city council until 1957. He was re-elected by the voters of Hérault in 1945 to the lower house of the French parliament, the National Assembly of France which replaced the earlier Chamber of Deputies in the Fourth French Republic, sitting with the Popular Republican Movement
Popular Republican Movement
The Popular Republican Movement was a French Christian democratic party of the Fourth Republic...
. He was unsuccessful in retaining his seat in 1951 and again failed to win election in 1956.