Henri Amouroux

Henri Amouroux (July 1, 1920 Perigueux, France – August 5, 2007 Le Mesnil-Mauger) was a French historian and journalist.

Life and career

Henri Amouroux was born in the French city of Perigueux on July 1, 1920. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/06/europe/EU-GEN-France-Obit-Amouroux.php « Henri Amouroux, historian who documented Nazi occupation of France, dies at 87 »] , "IHT", August 6, 2007] After studying at the ECJ, he began his career as a journalist during World War II and joined a French Resistance group based in Bordeaux (group Jade-Amicol [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2531200.ece « Henri Amouroux, Journalist and historian of German occupation in France »] , "Times", September 25, 2007] ). He was awarded Croix de guerre 1939-1945. [ [http://www.lefigaro.fr/france/20070806.WWW000000295_la_mort_dhenri_amouroux.html « La disparition d’Henri Amouroux »] , "Le Figaro", October 10, 2007]

Amouroux wrote several books on the German occupation of France during his life, especially a ten-volume "La Grande Histoire des Français sous l'Occupation" ("The Full History of the French under the Occupation"), published from 1976 to 1993. He later worked for several French newspaper ("France Soir") radio (France Inter) and television (TF1) stations. Amouroux was called to testify on behalf of Maurice Papon in 1997, who was on trial in France for his role in the deportation of Jews during the German occupation of France and Vichy collaboration. His testimony was used to counter the testimony American historian Robert O. Paxton's version of the Vichy France period during World War II. His testimony was criticized mostly by lawyers representing Jewish Holocaust victims who accused Amouroux of being an apologist for Papon and Vichy France's collaboration with the Nazis. Amouroux denied all charges and MRAP's lawyer, Gérard Boulanger, was convicted for defamation in 1997. [« Henri Amouroux s'est éteint », "L'Express", August 6, 2007]

Amouroux was a member of the Institut de France and served as president of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques. He died in 2007 in Normandy at the age of 87, and was buried in the Gironde region of France.

References