Andre Dewavrin

André Dewavrin , known as colonel Passy (Paris, June 9th 1911 - Paris, December 20th 1998) is a French soldier. Former student of the Polytechnic school (X1932 Promotion), captain, he becomes professor with Saint-Cyr military school. He takes part in 1940 in the countryside of Norway, under the orders of the Béthouart general. As of July of this year, it joined Charles de Gaulle with London. It is during the Second world war the organizer and the chief of the Secret services of the free France, BCRA.

In 1941, it starts to weave bonds between BCRA and the French interior Résistance, grace in particular to Pierre Brossolette and Jean Moulin.

August 5th, 1944, it is parachuted in the area of Guingamp to assist Breton resistance, with the head of 2.500 members of the French Forces of the interior American and soldiers. This troop takes part in the release of Paimpol, where there are 2.000 prisoners.

In April 1945, Passy succeeds Jacques Soustelle with the head of the secret services, the DGER which was going to become later SDECE a few months. It will remain in this place until the departure of the general De Gaulle in 1946.

It purifies the service by laying off 8.323 of the 10.123 employees, of which a big number of Communistes. In reaction, the latter will carry out a violent press campaign against him, showing it of embezzlement lasting the war in order to finance the movement gaullist: Passy will make even four months of preventive prison but the legal proceedings will be abandoned.

In 1981, colonel Passy invites to vote for François Mitterrand and defends the titles of Résistance of the candidate of the Socialist party during the Second world war.

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