Adrien Alary

Adrien Alary is a French politician. Born on November 9th, 1897 with Ginals (Tarn-et-Garonne), deceased on September 8th, 1982 with Castelsarrasin.

Biography

Insurance agent. Militant and city council man radical socialist with Castelsarrasin of 1929 to 1941, then mayor named by Vichy of March 5th, 1941 in August 1944, relieved in 1945 by local Resistance, elected mayor of Castelsarrasin in April 1945 and without stopped until in 1977, general adviser of Castelsarrasin (1945-1973), vice-president of the general adviser of Tarn-et-Garonne.

Endowed pupil, Adrien Alary stopped his studies after the baccalaureat to take part in the Great War. Wounded seriously in 1917, it obtained the Military Cross with four quotations. After its demobilization in September 1919, it took the direction of the Savings bank of Castelsarrasin. This enviable position brought it in a few years closer to the notable radicals which held the sub-prefecture of Tarn-et-Garonne. Initially elected city council man in May 1929, he was constantly re-elected with this mandate. With the favor of the municipal elections of May 1935, Joseph Flamens, the emblematic figure of radicalism castelsarrasinois, took it as second mayor-assistant.

The day before the defeat, Alary was mobilized and took an active part in the Drôle of war. It returned wounded from there and again with four military quotations. Of return to Castelsarrasin, the life seemed to take again its course quietly. If the totality of the radical members of Parliament Tarn-and-garonnais voted the full powerss with the Pétain marshal, and thus contributed to put an end to the III {{E}} République, the local municipal officials, following the example Joseph Flamens, granted only one confidence limited to the winner of Verdun. The membership of a great number of radical socialists to the Freemasonry, could only worsen their disagreement with the new mode which had just voted the prohibition of the maconnic cabins. The attachment with the values of the Republic, with secularity, was larger for Joseph Flamens, who preferred to resign of his mandate on February 22nd, 1941, with the majority of its municipal council. Indeed, the new Constitution of the French State, obliged the training of municipal councils favorable to the new mode, and had of this fact claimed with Flamens its allegiance. However, four members of the Municipal council refused to give up their municipal loads. Avid of being able, recognition or simple desire to see perdurer its action of town councilor, Adrien Alary, as well as the city council men Bru, of Beaufort and Redon did not resign. By order of the prefect of March 4th, 1941, Alary was named mayor of Castelsarrasin.

This young person quadragénaire who dreamed to replace Joseph Flamens, did not express much enthusiasm in favor of the marechalism. In June 1942, it was opposed to the request French Légion of the combatants, which wished to see the bust of the Pétain marshal replacing, in the room of the Council, the bust of Marianne, and to register in the place of the republican currency, that of the new mode: “Work, Family, Fatherland”.

As of the year 1943, Alary played a double game. While remaining the mayor named by Vichy, it was in contact with organizations of local resistance, even if some of these detractors seemed to see there an engagement more pragmatic than sincere. Alary which did not have in sympathy the German soldiers that it had courageously fought by twice, could hardly approach the radical Resistance carried out by Joseph Flamens and Faustin Bésiers. In department where the PCF had never been able truly to be established - even with the presence of the French factory of metals which employed more than 1.000 workmen -, Alary found without much difficulty of allied among the communist local. In direct relationship with Marcel Guiche which was one of principal the leader castelsarrasinois clandestine Communist party, Alary provided “false indentity cards made to the police station and goods of food”, testifies the communist framework. Attachment with certain national values, or feeling which the opinion was increasingly hostile with collaboration, the authorities suspended Alary one month of its mandate of mayor, after it deposited a sheaf with the war memorial of the city, to commemorate on July 14th, 1943. One can note that the adhesion of Adrien Alary to the mode of Vichy in 1941 had changed nature in 1943. Its patriotic feelings affected by the presence of the occupant, compromisings of the French mode, made it rock like good number of war veterans of the Great War, of a passive resistance, with an active resistance. Thus it adhered to the National front, organization communist obedience which aimed to the Release of France. It was to become about it later the local president. This adhesion and its standpoint were not enough when, the August 21st 1944, FFI settled with the Banel barracks, and that Local committee of Release settled with the town hall. Alary then preferred to hide, by fear of reprisals on behalf of his/her former radical friends. Marcel Guiche testifies moreover, to have asked the Communist party to protect Adrien Alary - then member of Front National - in the possibility where members of the Secret Army, directed by Faustin Bésiers, would be caught some with him.

September 8th, 1944, by order of the prefect, Adrien Alary was dislocated of its functions of mayor and excluded from the party radical socialist, “to have exerted its functions under the Vichy government”. Joseph Flamens was reinstated in his mandate, for which he had resigned in 1941. The dissensions within the new municipal council made it give up a few days later. Political rival of Alary, Faustin Bésiers of the same age as him and which took by with the Release of the commune, with the head of troops FFI, benefitted from the moment to be appointed provisional mayor.

The time of purification passed, Alary took again share with the political life of the commune. Supported by the Communist party and the National front, it remained with the orders of the committee castelsarrasinois of Front National, in spite of the multiple attacks conducted by the socialist press and the MLN. The principal socialist press agency, the Hope , qualified it thus in February 1945: “definitely the National front does not have any shame. It persists in maintaining pétainistement famous Alary with the head of its movement of Castelsarrasin. Does mayor named by Pétain and Laval, making build a bust with his Pétain lord, encouraging youth in speeches ignited to follow the marshal in the way of the national revolution… where go the National front? ” . These defamatory attacks intensified when Alary announced that it was presented to the first municipal elections which were to proceed in April 1945. Candidate without another label that of the National front, Alary carried out a list, known as republican union, made up of dissenting Communists, radicals and members of Front National. Opposed to its rival Béziers radical socialist, Alary carried it with the second turn, by 2.293 votes, against 1.422 for F. Bésiers. Alary, so remained suspended less than eight month of its mandate of mayor. He, consequently, was elected without stopped until 1977. Benefitting from its popularity, it also took the canton of Castelsarrasin as of the cantonal elections of October 1945, mandate which it also preserved until 1973. Skilful skilful policy and end, it succeeds in in February 1947 adhering to SFIO, party which had however copiously calumniated it in the leading articles of the Hope, on its “control” during the occupation. The socialist party which remained in minority in this department held by the radicals, could hardly refuse the adhesion of an elected official also shining. Indeed, Alary was pointed out to many recoveries in the hemicycle of the General advice, while being opposed to the owner of the party radical socialist, Jean Baylet. If its positions did not prevent it from being elected vice-president of the General advice the October 26th 1951 (19 vote out of 21 voters), he was never candidate with the legislative elections of his district. Its political activities did not stop either carrying out has well a professional path as insurer council. In same time, it acquired for his Yvonne wife a bookseller's and stationer's which they yielded to their sons Robert in January 1966.

One could wonder about the reasons of the political longevity of Adrien Alary, which, lasting nearly forty years, held in a true stronghold the town hall of Castelsarrasin. Not very doctrinary, it could be with the listening of its managed, and could skilfully use its mandate of General adviser, to follow an active policy of modernization of its commune. Indeed, Alary succeeds in developing considerably Castelsarrasin which was not whereas a small town of 8.000 inhabitants. A stage, a public swimming pool were built like one THESE and a College. Octogenarian, Adrien Alary left the policy in 1977 definitively. Four years rather, it had given up its mandate of General adviser.

Sources

Public records, F/1a/3228; F/1cII/207; F/1cII/280; F/1cII/305; F/1cII/703; CAC, 19830172, article 069 - Departmental records of Tarn-et-Garonne 1014W56, 1014W82; 1014W331; 1063W19 - Files of the BEAR, file Tarn-et-Garonne and personal note -- the Patriot of Toulouse , February 10th, 1945; the Hope April 11th, 1945; the Dispatch of the South , June 2nd, 1970; South-western , April 22nd, 1975 - Testimony of Robert Alary, the 9/4/2002

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