André Bettencourt
Encyclopedia
André Bettencourt was a French politician. He had been awarded the Croix de Guerre
, and is a Chevalier
of the Legion of Honor. He served as a cabinet minister under Pierre Mendès-France
and Charles de Gaulle
, and was awarded for his bravery in the Resistance
against the Nazis
.
(Seine-Maritime) in an old Catholic Norman family. He is the descendant of the navigator Jean de Béthencourt
. He served in several posts in the government of France, most notably as interim minister of foreign affairs for two weeks in the spring of 1973. He also served as president of the regional council of Haute-Normandie
from 1974 to 1981. In addition, he was the mayor of Saint-Maurice-d'Etelan
from 1965 to 1989.
, a violent French fascist-leaning and anti-communist
group. Eugène Schueller
provided financial support and held meetings for La Cagoule at the L'Oréal
headquarters. In the 1990s, Jean Frydman
a shareholder and board member of L'Oréal's film and television subsidiary Paravision, alleged that he had been sacked in 1989 as the senior management at L'Oréal sought to avoid an Arab boycott of firms with Jewish links. Frydman held joint French and Israeli citizenship. Frydman also turned up the fact that Bettencourt had written several articles for a Nazi
propaganda
organ during World War II
. From 1940 to 1942, Mr. Bettencourt wrote more than 60 articles for La Terre Française, a newspaper that flourished with German Nazi financing during the occupation of France. In a special Easter issue in 1941, he described Jews as 'hypocritical Pharisees' whose 'race has been forever sullied by the blood of the righteous. They will be cursed'. Bettencourt attempted to dismiss the journalism as "errors of youth", claiming that his judgement was clouded by the propaganda of Vichy France
. "I have repeatedly expressed my regrets concerning them in public and will always beg the Jewish community to forgive me for them".
, one of the five academies of the Institut de France
, as an unattached member on 23 March 1988.
, daughter of Eugène Schueller
, the founder of L'Oréal
, the world's leading company in cosmetics and beauty products. Together, they have one daughter, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers
, who is a member of L'Oréal's board of directors
. Françoise Meyers is married to a Jew Jean-Pierre Meyers (*1948), who had lost all his grandparents in Auschwitz concentration camp
.
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 is a Chevalier
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
of the Legion of Honor. He served as a cabinet minister under Pierre Mendès-France
Pierre Mendès-France
Pierre Mendès France was a French politician. He descended from a Portuguese Jewish family that moved to France in the sixteenth century.-Third Republic and World War II:...
and Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, and was awarded for his bravery in the 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...
against the Nazis
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...
.
Biography
He was born in Saint-Maurice-d'ÉtelanSaint-Maurice-d'Ételan
Saint-Maurice-d’Ételan is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:A farming village in the Pays de Caux, situated some east of Le Havre, on the D81 and D281 roads, by the banks of the meandering river Seine, which forms the commune’s...
(Seine-Maritime) in an old Catholic Norman family. He is the descendant of the navigator Jean de Béthencourt
Jean de Béthencourt
Jean de Béthencourt was a French explorer who, in 1402, led an expedition to the Canary Islands, landing first on the north side of Lanzarote...
. He served in several posts in the government of France, most notably as interim minister of foreign affairs for two weeks in the spring of 1973. He also served as president of the regional council of Haute-Normandie
Haute-Normandie
Upper Normandy is one of the 27 regions of France. It was created in 1984 from two départements: Seine-Maritime and Eure, when Normandy was divided into Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy. This division continues to provoke controversy, and some continue to call for reuniting the two regions...
from 1974 to 1981. In addition, he was the mayor of Saint-Maurice-d'Etelan
Saint-Maurice-d'Ételan
Saint-Maurice-d’Ételan is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:A farming village in the Pays de Caux, situated some east of Le Havre, on the D81 and D281 roads, by the banks of the meandering river Seine, which forms the commune’s...
from 1965 to 1989.
Controversy
In his youth, Bettencourt was a member of La CagouleLa Cagoule
La Cagoule , officially called Comité secret d'action révolutionnaire , was a violent French fascist-leaning and anti-communist group, active in the 1930s, and designed to attempt the overthrow of the French Third Republic...
, a violent French fascist-leaning and anti-communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
group. Eugène Schueller
Eugène Schueller
Eugène Schueller was the founder of L'Oréal, the world's leading company in cosmetics and beauty.- Career with L'Oréal :...
provided financial support and held meetings for La Cagoule at the L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
headquarters. In the 1990s, Jean Frydman
Jean Frydman
-Resistant:During World War II, at the age of 15 he rallied the France libre. A prisoner at Buchenwald, he met Marcel Dassault. He escaped from Buchenwald.-Man of communication:...
a shareholder and board member of L'Oréal's film and television subsidiary Paravision, alleged that he had been sacked in 1989 as the senior management at L'Oréal sought to avoid an Arab boycott of firms with Jewish links. Frydman held joint French and Israeli citizenship. Frydman also turned up the fact that Bettencourt had written several articles for a Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
organ 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...
. From 1940 to 1942, Mr. Bettencourt wrote more than 60 articles for La Terre Française, a newspaper that flourished with German Nazi financing during the occupation of France. In a special Easter issue in 1941, he described Jews as 'hypocritical Pharisees' whose 'race has been forever sullied by the blood of the righteous. They will be cursed'. Bettencourt attempted to dismiss the journalism as "errors of youth", claiming that his judgement was clouded by the propaganda of 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...
. "I have repeatedly expressed my regrets concerning them in public and will always beg the Jewish community to forgive me for them".
Honors
He was elected a member of the Académie des beaux-artsAcadémie des beaux-arts
The Académie des Beaux-Arts is a French learned society. It is one of the five academies of the Institut de France.It was created in 1795 as the merger of the:* Académie de peinture et de sculpture...
, one of the five academies of the Institut de France
Institut de France
The Institut de France is a French learned society, grouping five académies, the most famous of which is the Académie française.The institute, located in Paris, manages approximately 1,000 foundations, as well as museums and chateaux open for visit. It also awards prizes and subsidies, which...
, as an unattached member on 23 March 1988.
Family
In 1950, Bettencourt married LilianeLiliane Bettencourt
Liliane Bettencourt is a French heiress, socialite, businesswoman and philanthropist. She is one of the principal shareholders of L'Oréal and, with a fortune estimated at US$23.5 billion, is one of the wealthiest people in the world.-Biography:...
, daughter of Eugène Schueller
Eugène Schueller
Eugène Schueller was the founder of L'Oréal, the world's leading company in cosmetics and beauty.- Career with L'Oréal :...
, the founder of L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
, the world's leading company in cosmetics and beauty products. Together, they have one daughter, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers
Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers is a French heiress and author of Bible commentaries and works on Jewish-Christian relations. The only daughter and thus under French law heiress of Liliane Bettencourt, Meyers was raised in a strictly Catholic household. However she married the Jewish grandson of a...
, who is a member of L'Oréal's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
. Françoise Meyers is married to a Jew Jean-Pierre Meyers (*1948), who had lost all his grandparents in Auschwitz concentration camp
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...
.