André Charles Adrien Tollet (1 July 1913 – 14 December 2001) was a French upholsterer, trade unionist and communist. He played a central role as chairman of the Paris liberation committee in the days leading up to the Liberation of Paris in 1944.
André Charles Adrien Tollet was born on 1 July 1913, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris.[1] His father was a small tradesman. He left school in 1926 at the age of thirteen and became an apprentice upholsterer in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. He recorded in his memoirs that the district still retained its traditions from the French Revolution, and that he paraded for the first time before he was fifteen.[2] He joined the Confédération générale du travail unitaire (CGTU, United General Confederation of Labor) at the age of 16, then joined the Jeunesses communistes (Young Communists), where he was made responsible for young apprentices.[1]
Raymond Guyot invited Tollet to represent the Communist Youth in 1936 at the Red Syndicalist International in Moscow. After his return to Paris he participated in the May–June 1936 strikes.[2] He became a full-time union worker in 1936, and was secretary of the Departmental Union of Parisian workers' unions.[1] He supported the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) by organizing collections, and in 1938 went to Spain with a convoy of shoes.[2] In Spain he met Henri Tanguy, a Parisian from a Breton family who was political commissar of the XIV International Brigade.[3]
World War IIedit
Tollet was mobilized at the start of World War II (1939–45).[1] After the Fall of France, in July 1940 Tollet, Eugène Hénaff and Jean-Pierre Timbaud began to form popular committees in the work places and clandestine unions.[4] He was arrested in October 1940 with other communist party politicians and activists, and was imprisoned for fifteen months in Fresnes Prison and then in the Rouillet camp. He was transferred to Royallieu-Compiègne internment camp. He escaped from this camp through a tunnel on 22 June 1942 with 18 other communist militants, and joined the clandestine organization of the French Communist Party (PCF).[1]
Plaque on the Paris Bourse du travail in memory of the Paris liberation committee
Tollet was appointed head of the PCF in Seine Inférieure, and took charge of communist union activities in the Seine department. He worked with Léon Jouhaux and Robert Bothereau to reunite the clandestine CGT, leading to the Perraux accords of May 1943.[1] In October 1943 he was named chairman of the Paris liberation committee (Comité parisien de la Libération, CPL).[5] After the Allied landings in June 1944, Tollet helped organize the public demonstrations in Paris, particularly that of 14 July 1944, and to organize the insurrectionist general strike.[6] The 14 July 1944 strike had been ordered on 10 July 1944 by Charles Tillon, leader of the communist Francs-Tireurs et Partisans.[7] Tollet demanded that the National Council of the Resistance (Conseil National de la Résistance, CNR) be the "official mouthpiece of the provisional government" rather than General Charles de Gaulle's appointees.[7]
Tollet urged an immediate nationwide insurrection, while de Gaulle did not want to provide arms to civilians and opposed premature action. With the allied armies approaching Paris, Tollet managed to persuade the CPL to support insurrection on 18 August 1944.[8] The French forces under de Gaulle entered Paris on 24 August 1944. The general did not go to the Hôtel de Ville, where Georges Bidault with the CNR and Tollet with the PCL were waiting for him. Instead he went first to the Ministry of War, where the center of government was established, and then to the Prefecture of Police, before finally visiting the Hôtel de Ville.[9] After the liberation of Paris de Gaulle did not appoint Tollet head of the city council, as might have been expected given his position.[8] Tollet was made a member of the Provisional Consultative Assembly in 1944, but played a minor role.[5]
Later careeredit
Tollet worked for the CGT until 1951, when he left the confederal office and moved to the CGT Departmental Union of the Seine. In 1966 he moved to Prague to work at the headquarters of the World Federation of Trade Unions. He returned to France in 1970, where he retired from politics and trade union activity. He helped create the Museum of National Resistance. André Tollet died on 14 December 2001 in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. He was an Officer of the Legion of Honor.[5]
Publicationsedit
André Tollet (1945). Criminels de Guerre!: derrière les coulisses : 50 potentats gouvernaient l'Allemagne. Edition "La vie ouvrière". p. 40.
André Tollet (1969). La classe euvrière dans la résistance.
André Tollet (1974). La souterrain. Éditions sociales. p. 165.
André Tollet; Jean Claude Poitou (1984). 100 "V.O." clandestines, 1940-1944, parmi les 223 numéros parus. Les Editions de La Vie Guvriere. p. 240.
André Tollet (1984). Marx-Engels et la troisième République (1871-1895): anthologie. Éditions sociales. p. 292. ISBN978-2-209-05550-0.
André Tollet; Claude Lecomte (2002). Ma traversée du siècle: André Tollet : mémoires d'un syndicaliste révolutionnaire. VO éditions. p. 112. ISBN978-2-913462-18-2.
Dallas, Gregor (2006). 1945: The War That Never Ended. Yale University Press. ISBN0-300-11988-7. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
Gildea, Robert (2014). . Archived from the original on 2015-10-08. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
Gildea, Robert (2015-09-01). Fighters in the Shadows: A New History of the French Resistance. Faber & Faber. ISBN978-0-571-28035-3. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
Houssin, Monique (2004). Résistantes et résistants en Seine-Saint-Denis: un nom, une rue, une histoire. Editions de l'Atelier. ISBN978-2-7082-3730-8. Retrieved 2015-06-07.
Maire de Paris (2013). "Attribution de la dénomination Esplanade André Tollet à la partie centrale de la place de la République" (in French). Retrieved 2015-08-16.
Virieux, Daniel (2004). "Esplanade André Tollet, Paris IIIe". La Résistance en Ile-de-France. AERI. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
November 27, 2023
andré, tollet, andré, charles, adrien, tollet, july, 1913, december, 2001, french, upholsterer, trade, unionist, communist, played, central, role, chairman, paris, liberation, committee, days, leading, liberation, paris, 1944, andré, charles, adrien, tolletbor. Andre Charles Adrien Tollet 1 July 1913 14 December 2001 was a French upholsterer trade unionist and communist He played a central role as chairman of the Paris liberation committee in the days leading up to the Liberation of Paris in 1944 Andre Charles Adrien TolletBorn 1913 07 01 1 July 1913Paris FranceDied14 December 2001 2001 12 14 aged 88 NationalityFrenchOccupationUpholsterer Contents 1 Early years 2 World War II 3 Later career 4 Publications 5 Notes 6 SourcesEarly years editAndre Charles Adrien Tollet was born on 1 July 1913 in the 14th arrondissement of Paris 1 His father was a small tradesman He left school in 1926 at the age of thirteen and became an apprentice upholsterer in the Faubourg Saint Antoine He recorded in his memoirs that the district still retained its traditions from the French Revolution and that he paraded for the first time before he was fifteen 2 He joined the Confederation generale du travail unitaire CGTU United General Confederation of Labor at the age of 16 then joined the Jeunesses communistes Young Communists where he was made responsible for young apprentices 1 Raymond Guyot invited Tollet to represent the Communist Youth in 1936 at the Red Syndicalist International in Moscow After his return to Paris he participated in the May June 1936 strikes 2 He became a full time union worker in 1936 and was secretary of the Departmental Union of Parisian workers unions 1 He supported the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War 1936 39 by organizing collections and in 1938 went to Spain with a convoy of shoes 2 In Spain he met Henri Tanguy a Parisian from a Breton family who was political commissar of the XIV International Brigade 3 World War II editTollet was mobilized at the start of World War II 1939 45 1 After the Fall of France in July 1940 Tollet Eugene Henaff and Jean Pierre Timbaud began to form popular committees in the work places and clandestine unions 4 He was arrested in October 1940 with other communist party politicians and activists and was imprisoned for fifteen months in Fresnes Prison and then in the Rouillet camp He was transferred to Royallieu Compiegne internment camp He escaped from this camp through a tunnel on 22 June 1942 with 18 other communist militants and joined the clandestine organization of the French Communist Party PCF 1 nbsp Plaque on the Paris Bourse du travail in memory of the Paris liberation committeeTollet was appointed head of the PCF in Seine Inferieure and took charge of communist union activities in the Seine department He worked with Leon Jouhaux and Robert Bothereau to reunite the clandestine CGT leading to the Perraux accords of May 1943 1 In October 1943 he was named chairman of the Paris liberation committee Comite parisien de la Liberation CPL 5 After the Allied landings in June 1944 Tollet helped organize the public demonstrations in Paris particularly that of 14 July 1944 and to organize the insurrectionist general strike 6 The 14 July 1944 strike had been ordered on 10 July 1944 by Charles Tillon leader of the communist Francs Tireurs et Partisans 7 Tollet demanded that the National Council of the Resistance Conseil National de la Resistance CNR be the official mouthpiece of the provisional government rather than General Charles de Gaulle s appointees 7 Tollet urged an immediate nationwide insurrection while de Gaulle did not want to provide arms to civilians and opposed premature action With the allied armies approaching Paris Tollet managed to persuade the CPL to support insurrection on 18 August 1944 8 The French forces under de Gaulle entered Paris on 24 August 1944 The general did not go to the Hotel de Ville where Georges Bidault with the CNR and Tollet with the PCL were waiting for him Instead he went first to the Ministry of War where the center of government was established and then to the Prefecture of Police before finally visiting the Hotel de Ville 9 After the liberation of Paris de Gaulle did not appoint Tollet head of the city council as might have been expected given his position 8 Tollet was made a member of the Provisional Consultative Assembly in 1944 but played a minor role 5 Later career editTollet worked for the CGT until 1951 when he left the confederal office and moved to the CGT Departmental Union of the Seine In 1966 he moved to Prague to work at the headquarters of the World Federation of Trade Unions He returned to France in 1970 where he retired from politics and trade union activity He helped create the Museum of National Resistance Andre Tollet died on 14 December 2001 in the 15th arrondissement of Paris He was an Officer of the Legion of Honor 5 Publications editAndre Tollet 1945 Criminels de Guerre derriere les coulisses 50 potentats gouvernaient l Allemagne Edition La vie ouvriere p 40 Andre Tollet 1969 La classe euvriere dans la resistance Andre Tollet 1974 La souterrain Editions sociales p 165 Andre Tollet Jean Claude Poitou 1984 100 V O clandestines 1940 1944 parmi les 223 numeros parus Les Editions de La Vie Guvriere p 240 Andre Tollet 1984 Marx Engels et la troisieme Republique 1871 1895 anthologie Editions sociales p 292 ISBN 978 2 209 05550 0 Andre Tollet Claude Lecomte 2002 Ma traversee du siecle Andre Tollet memoires d un syndicaliste revolutionnaire VO editions p 112 ISBN 978 2 913462 18 2 Notes edit a b c d e f Maire de Paris 2013 p 1 a b c Gildea 2015 PT55 Gildea 2015 PT56 Houssin 2004 p 246 a b c Maire de Paris 2013 p 2 Virieux 2004 a b Dallas 2006 p 183 a b Gildea 2014 Dallas 2006 p 198ff Sources editDallas Gregor 2006 1945 The War That Never Ended Yale University Press ISBN 0 300 11988 7 Retrieved 2015 08 16 Gildea Robert 2014 THE LAST SANS CULOTTES AND THE LIBERATION OF PARIS Archived from the original on 2015 10 08 Retrieved 2015 08 16 Gildea Robert 2015 09 01 Fighters in the Shadows A New History of the French Resistance Faber amp Faber ISBN 978 0 571 28035 3 Retrieved 2015 08 16 Houssin Monique 2004 Resistantes et resistants en Seine Saint Denis un nom une rue une histoire Editions de l Atelier ISBN 978 2 7082 3730 8 Retrieved 2015 06 07 Maire de Paris 2013 Attribution de la denomination Esplanade Andre Tollet a la partie centrale de la place de la Republique in French Retrieved 2015 08 16 Virieux Daniel 2004 Esplanade Andre Tollet Paris IIIe La Resistance en Ile de France AERI Retrieved 2015 08 16 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andre Tollet amp oldid 1169539362, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
