Jean Chauvel

See also: Chauvel

Jean Chauvel , friend in particular of Louis-Rene of the Forests, is a diplomat and French poet born and died in Paris (1897-1979), of a father a long time surgeon with Quimper in the Finistere.

It precedes the call to engage at 18 years in 1915 in the Guerre of 14-18 and in fate corporal chief. It enters then to the Political sciences. It passes the contest of the Foreign affairs where it is received in 1921. Its first contact with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is then the service of Giraudoux, that of the " French works abroad ". It meets there Paul Morand without binding to him.

The following year, it goes on a cruise around the world to defend the Réparation S that the France wishes to see requiring by SDN of the Germany overcome. Passing to Australia, it meets its homonym and remote cousin, the general to sir Harry Chauvel, hero of the war in Orient. Passing in Ethiopia, it becomes acquainted then with the future emperor Hailé Sélassié, obscure and remote in the order of succession with the throne.

Its first diplomatic station (3rd secretary) the conduit in China. Before leaving, it meets Alexis Leger, later known as the poet Saint-John Perse who returns of this country. The two men will remain dependant and, when Leger becomes general secretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, he will often call upon Chauvel. In China, Chauvel marries the girl of the minister of Belgium, Diane de Warzée.

After China, the High commissionership with the Lebanon and in Syria of 1929 to 1934. In Beirut, Chauvel meets the future Général de Gaulle. While returning, it finds the central administration, from where it will prepare on behalf of the government Blum the exit of the international mandate of the France on the Lebanon.

After this last mission, Chauvel is returned abroad: it is Vienna in Austria. One is in 1938. Little time after, Hitler makes the Anschluss and invades the Austria. The minister of France is recalled to Paris. First secretary of the Embassy, Chauvel is promoted chief of station with the title of general Consul. He gets busy to obtain many visas to make it possible the Juifs to leave the country and prepares the closing of the diplomatic station by dispatching papers, silverware, etc of the embassy. He returns to Paris with the war. The rout plunges it in consternation. It joined the exiled administration with Vichy near the marshal Pétain. From there, thanks to the American diplomatic representation, it makes pass from information to London.

In November 1942, at the time of the invasion of the " free Zone " , he is the diplomat moreover high ranking to be resigned, taking along with him all the young people (in particular the future minister Guiringaud). He enters clandestinity then and founds a think tank charged to reconstitute the many files destroyed in the panic of 1940. He joined the Provisional government with Algiers at the beginning of 1944. In the summer, it is named with a title being equivalent to that of general secretary of the Foreign affairs, held before war by Alexis Leger taken refuge with the the United States. A disagreement opposes it to De Gaulle and Chauvel moves away. The departure of De Gaulle causes her recall with the title of general secretary (1946-1949) and the dignity of Ambassadeur of France.

As general secretary, Chauvel decides to reinforce the function of the minister to the detriment of his: he considers the authority excessive of the general secretary partly responsible for the defeat of 1940. He must also negotiate the re-establishment of the French positions weakened by the defeat.

In 1949, it is made indicate as ambassador near the UNO which does not have a fixed seat yet. It leaves soon for New York. It will remain there until 1952. From there, it is sent to Bern in Suisse. It becomes there in 1954 the French chief negotiator conference to finish the Guerre of Indo-China held with Geneva under the aegis of Bidault then of Mendès-France.

Its last diplomatic station is London (1955-1962). There, it must face the crisis of Suez in 1956, the signature of the the Treaty of Rome on the European Community, the regime change in 1958 and of course the difficulties related to the Guerre of Algeria. It receives the official visit of the Général de Gaulle in 1960.

Reprocessed in 1962, it is still selected to prepare the voyage of De Gaulle in Latin America then the recognition of the Popular republic of China by France in 1964.

In 1973, he is consulted by Kissinger at the time of the conference of Paris on the Kampuchea.

Jean Chauvel was Grand Cross of the Légion of honor, masterly Grand Cross of the Ordre of Malta, Grand Cross of Saint-Michel and Saint-George and other many French and foreign decorations.

In addition to the diplomacy and the service of the France, he was recognized like poet. Among his/her friends of youth, Philippe Soupault. Later, it bound with Louis-Rene of the Forests and especially Pierre-Jean Jouve, but also Marguerite Yourcenar. It published several collections ( Labyrinthe , Of a Deep water at Egloff, Infidèle at Guy Lévis-Mano, Clepsydre with the Seuil, Imaginaires at Grasset, Sables with the Mercure de France, Préludes at Robert Laffont…). It also gave a study on Rimbaud at Seghers and its memories in three volumes under the title Commentaire at Fayard.

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