Louis Delâge

Louis Delâge ( born March 22, 1874 in Cognac as Pierre Louis Delâge, † December 14, 1947 in Le Pecq ) was a French automobile pioneer and founder of the automobile manufacturer Delage.

Life and work

Delâge grew up in modest circumstances. As an infant he lost his sight in one eye. At the age of 16, he attended vocational school in Angers and completed his formal training as an engineer from 1893. After he completed his military service and was stationed in Algeria. In 1895 he was discharged from the army and found work in a railway company in the south of France. He moved in 1900 to the development department of a car builder for Paris, until 1903 he accepted an offer from Renault.

Delâge soon realized the great potential that was in the car when the demand exceeded production. In 1905, he had saved up enough money to open his own assembly plant in a barn in Levallois -Perret, a suburb of Paris, can. The Delage Automobile Company grew quickly and their vehicles soon had a good reputation for their elegant appearance and their quality. Delâge renounced its international clientele sake on the Accent circonflexe in the company name (company). In addition, Delage was also successfully represented in automobile racing. But the global economic crisis in the 1930s caused the demand for cars significantly break. 1935 had to file for bankruptcy Delage and the naming rights were sold to Delahaye.

Delâge was almost 60 years old when he slipped and privately in a financial crisis - additionally aggravated by his divorce. He sought solace in the Roman Catholic faith. Since he was too poor to afford a car, he often made ​​his pilgrimage to the monastery in Lisieux on foot or by bicycle. Louis died in 1947 aged 73 Delâge in poverty and almost forgotten. He was buried in the cemetery at Le Pecq.

In 1990 in his birthplace Cognac named after him industrial school " Lycée professionnel Louis Delâge " was founded.