Koenig, Marie Pierre (1898-1970)

Koenig, Marie Pierre

GENERAL, STATESMAN (FRANCE)

BORN 10 Oct 1898, Caen, Calvados - DIED 2 Sep 1970, Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine
GRAVE LOCATION Paris: Cimetière de Montmartre, 20 Avenue Rachel (division 20)

Marie Pierre Koenig joined the French army in 1917 during the First World War. He was decorated in 1918. After the war he served in Morocco, Cameroon and Silesia. During the Second World War he fought the German army in Norway in 1940 and in Normandy. He escaped to England from Dunkirk and joined Charles de Gaulle in London. He was promoted to colonel and saw action in Syria and Lebanon in 1941. After he was promoted to general he commanded the 1st Free French Brigade in Egypt.

In 1944 he returned to London and was a commanding officer during the landings in France on D-Day. On 21 August 1944 he was appointed military governor of Paris by De Gaulle. From 1945 to 1949 he was in command of the French occupation zone in Germany. Under Pierre Mendes-France and Edgar Faure he was minister of defence from 1954 to 1955.

Images

The grave of Marie Pierre Koenig at Montmartre Cimetière, Paris.
Picture by Androom (18 May 2005)