Henry Chazé

Henry Chazé (Gaston Davoust) is militant a communist French, born in 1904 and deceased in 1984.

It militates as of the school. It is at that time (1922-23) which it meets for the first time André Prudhommeaux during the creation of the first organizations of students. They will be then lost sight of the fact until the war of Spain. At the time of its military service in the navy of 1924 to 1926 (against the war of Rif), its behavior is worth to him to be shut down. Then after a few weeks in Paris, it finds work with Hirson, the steel-works. It is reproduced rather quickly on a black list of employers and must change trade. At the end of 18 months it goes back to Paris.

It is in Hirson that it starts to read the first documents of the left opposition. It adheres to the oppositional group " the Léniniste" Unit; (what has just left Albert Treint). It militates then in the PCF and the Federation of European and International Public Service Unions of Technicians. He works during one year at Pathé in Chatou, from which he is ejected for the same reasons as in Hirson. In 1929 (at 25 years), he becomes administrative secretary of the Federation of European and International Public Service Unions of Technicians, for 3 years. It takes part in the oppositional fight in PCF (western Suburbs). In 1932, it becomes acquainted with A. Hennaut, one of the first French translators of Anton Pannekoek. It is partly by him that it starts to be interested in the positions of the communist of council Dutch. It takes part fine 1932 in the preparation of the “Conference of Unification” of the groups of the Gauche Communist, as a secretary of the local group of the Western Suburbs (which are at the origin of this conference). This conference leads to creation in 1933 of the Communist Union. Internationalist during IIe war imperialist, and for this reason refusing to militate in patriotic resistance, it was stopped in 1941 and was off-set with the camp of Sachsenhausen. During detention, it will look further into its reflection, and particularly its rejection of the positions of Lénine.

After the war it takes part in the French Fraction of the International Communist Left (FFGCI), of which it ensures the international connections by being based on the old connections of the Communist Union. This group pertaining to the current of the Italian communist Left wing is related to the PC Internazionalista (PCInt) organized around Onorato Damen. Damen diverges at the time of Amadeo Bordiga on the Russian question and the trade unions, which justifies for broad by the entry of old of the Communist Union in the FFGCI. Chazé will however never have contact with Damen, the connections being done through Bruno Maffi, who ensures the connection between Milan and Paris. It benefits from short holidays to renew contact with Canne Meijer (Amsterdam) and A. Hennaut (Brussels).

It takes again its professional activity in addition as engineer in the moulding of the plastics with MIOM (C.G.E.), where there will remain 7 years in spite of the adventures due to discovered of his past. It will be ejected at the end of 52, its dismissal indemnity allowing him intaller in 1955 close to Fatty

It belongs to the militants of the FFGCI which joins in 1951 Socialisme or cruelty. It to with it assists with meetings without large hope (contrary to Lastérade which will not have its patience), noting that all had to be started again that had been made with the Communist Union. It will take part then in Informations and working correspondences. It will also contribute by articles to Noir and Rouge, the Black Lantern and the Books of the Communism of the Council. In the Seventies he will sympathize with the positions of the group For a Communist Intervention, which he will help in particular by his councils and his information. More generally, it will maintain a bulky correspondence with the individual contacts tied during all these years.

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