Eugène Deloncle

Eugène Deloncle
Delonclec.1940
Born	(1890-06-20)20 June 1890 Brest,France
Died	17 January 1944(1944-01-17)(aged 53) Paris,German-occupied France
Cause of death	Gunshot wounds
Nationality	French
Occupations	Politician Naval engineer
Known for	Founder ofLa Cagoule
Spouse	Mercedes Cahier
Parent	Louis Deloncle(father)
Relatives	François Deloncle(uncle)
Awards	Legion of Honour(Chevalier)

Eugène Deloncle(20 June 1890 – 17 January 1944) was a French politician andfascistleader who founded the organisation “Secret Committee of Revolutionary Action" (CSAR), better known asLa Cagoule.He became a prominentNazi collaboratorduringWorld War II.Later on in the war, Deloncle, now doubtful that Germany would win, went into contact with the German resistance. He was later assassinated for these activities bySDagents.

Early life and war service

Antoine Octave Eugène Deloncle was born on 20 June 1890 in Brest,Brittany,France. His parents were Antoine Charles Louis Deloncle and Anna Ange MarienéeGrossetti.

His father died in tragic circumstances in 1898 when his son was 8. He was the captain of the French transatlantic linerSSLa Bourgogneaccidentally rammed in thick fog by the sailing shipCromartyshireoffSable Islandwith a high death toll. Captain Deloncle did his best to organize rescue in difficult circumstances and refusing to leave the bridge went down with his ship.Eugène Deloncle was a graduate of theÉcole Polytechnique,and worked as a naval engineer for theFrench Navy.He married Mercedes Cahier on 4 February 1918 in Paris.

World War I

Deloncle served as anartilleryofficer duringWorld War I,including theChampagnefrontline, where he was wounded.

1930s political activity

Initially supportive of theintegralistAction Française,he left the movement in 1935 because of his perception of inaction by the older organisation in combating the French left. Deloncle founded his own group, theComité Secret d'Action Révolutionnaire(CSAR), with similar political goals. The new group became well known by theepithetLa Cagoule('The Hood'), a term that was first applied byCharles MaurrasandMaurice PujoofAction Française,as the group's tactics reminded them of the AmericanKu Klux Klan;the name was subsequently embraced by the press.TheCagoulewas a fascist and anti-communist terrorist group that kept theOrleanistand strongly anti-republicanline of theAction Française,but added the rhetoric of fascism. It was formed to overthrow the leftistPopular Frontgovernment ofLéon Blum.In the 1930s theCagoulewas responsible for assassinations, including those of the antifascist activists and Italian refugees,Carlo Rosselliand his brotherNelloin June 1937, and terrorist attacks, including the bombing of several Paris synagogues.

World War II and death

In 1940, with theFall of FranceduringWorld War IIand theGermanperiod of occupation,Deloncle created a movement backingPhilippe Pétain's "French State",theMouvement Social Révolutionnaire(MSR, 'Social Revolutionary Movement'). MSR, a more radical form of theCagoule,strongly supported Pétain'ssocial conservatismandreactionaryaims; it viewed with approval the political experiment that was being engineered inVichy Francein the south of the country. Afterwards, he approached theNational Popular Rally(RNP) ofMarcel Déat,but conflicts with Déat saw him expelled in May 1942, when he was succeeded as leader byJean Fontenoy.

In October 1941, unbeknownst to his superiors, SS OfficerHans Sommerhelped plan anattack on seven synagogues in Paris,inspired by the1938 pogrom,in collaboration with Eugène Deloncle.

By 1942, Deloncle became doubtful of the inevitability of German victory and became a member ofFrançois Darlan's secret staff; he was in contact withAbwehrheadWilhelm Canaris.Deloncle's involvement with theAbwehrmade him an enemy of theGestapo.Initially, he was arrested in August 1943, interrogated and detained for a month in Ville-d'Avray. Once released, he renewed contact with Canaris, sustaining the Gestapo's enmity.On 17 January 1944, Deloncle's house was swarmed by SD agents and he was killed in a shootout.

Awards

On 16 June 1920, Deloncle was made aChevalier(Knight) of theLegion of Honour.

References

Sources

• Lefevre, Maurice (16 July 1898)."Souvenirs de laBourgogne:Le Commandant Louis Deloncle ".Le Monde illustré(in French). pp. 44−46 – via Gallica.
• Nationales, Archives; DELONCLE Antoine Octave Eugène."Archives nationales".Léonore database(in French).