Historical Figure
François Mitterrand
1916–1996
President of France from 1981 to 1995
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Biography
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was a French politician and statesman who served as President of France from 1981 to 1995, the longest holder of that position in the history of France. As a former Socialist Party First Secretary, he was the first left-wing politician to assume the presidency under the Fifth Republic.
Timeline
The story of François Mitterrand, told in moments.
Wounded and captured at Verdun. Escaped from a German POW camp on his third attempt. Made his way across occupied France on foot.
Forced de Gaulle into a runoff in the presidential election. Lost, but proved the left could compete. The general was furious at how close it got.
Elected president on his third try, at 64. Crowds flooded the Place de la Bastille. He walked alone into the Pantheon carrying a single red rose.
Revealed publicly that he'd been hiding a prostate cancer diagnosis for 14 years. He'd known he was dying since his first year in office.
In Their Own Words (9)
"In such countries, genocide is not too important…"
Comments about Rwanda attributed to President Mitterrand by Philip Gourevitch in "Reversing the Reversals of War," The New Yorker, 26 April 1999., 1999
One must defeat their prejudices. What I demand you here is almost impossible, for we have to defeat our history. And yet, if we do not defeat it, one must know a rule will impose itself, ladies and gentlemen: nationalism is war! War is not only our past, it may be our future; and you members of parliament are henceforth the guardians of our peace, of our security, and of this future.
Lecture held at European Parliament (17 January 1995), 1995
I believe in the forces of the spirit, and I won't leave you.
Last televised address to the French people, 31st of december 1994, 1994
The man of the past.
Debate with Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, characterising the latter (May 1981), 1981
For me Greece is Maria Farantouri. This is how I imagined Goddess Hera to be: strong, pure and vigilant. I have never encountered any other artist able to give me such a strong sense of the divine.
L’Abeille et l’architecte [The Bee and the Architect] (1980), 1980
More from the Late 20th Century
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