Robert Hersant

Robert Joseph Emile Hersant ( born January 31, 1920 in Vertou (Loire -Atlantique ), † 21 April 1996 Neuilly -sur -Seine ) was a French entrepreneur, Press publisher and politician. From the 1970s to the 1980s, he practiced in France from a journalistic supremacy. In the political debate there his role was discussed very critical and controversial.

Life

Youth

The father of Robert Hersant was deep sea captain. Robert attended high school in Rouen and Le Havre. At the age of 16, he joined the Socialist Youth. According to his own statements, he became interested in youth years in journalism. After a long stay abroad, he was at the age of 18 years out its first newspaper, but of which appeared just one number. " But the path was mapped out ," said Hersant about yourself "I realized that the press would be my calling. "

After the French capitulation in 1940, he traveled to Paris, changed the political side, and benefited from the new order. He became a leading member of the Jeune Front ( Young Front ), a fascist youth organization. Their newspaper, Au Pilori ( Pillory ), was notorious for anti-Semitic hate speech. In September 1940, he was reported for fraud to the detriment of Jewish businessmen. In 1942 he founded his own newspaper, organs des jeunes du Maréchal ( organ of the youth of the Marshal ). In 1943 he was again displayed for fraud, abuse of trust, and violation of the laws and regulations related to food rationing, and therefore sat a one month in prison of Rouen. In 1945 he ran for the municipal elections in Paris. In 1947 he was sentenced to 10 years of indignité national, but pardoned in 1953 as part of a general amnesty.

Ascent as entrepreneurs

In the same year he was mayor of Ravenel in Oise. As a candidate of the left-liberal front républicain, then under the direction of Pierre Mendès France and François Mitterrand, he was after a vociferous campaign, in which he harnessed the acting stars Martine Carol and Luis Mariano, was elected MPs. On April 18, 1956 his election was declared invalid after an independent MP Jean Legendre had the National Assembly presented his research to Hersant's biography during the Second World War.

In the same year he experienced his first major publishing success. The car -journal, at the head of which he stood since 1950, was commercially successful, as is the regional daily newspaper Oise - Matin, which he headed since 1952. In 1960, he founded the Centre group - presse, 1963, against the resistance of General de Gaulle, France- Antilles. In 1968 he bought the socialist regional newspaper North Matin. In 1972 he succeeded after a bitter campaign conducted, the acquisition of a symbol object of the Resistance, the newspaper Paris -Normandie, from which he had gradually the share - holders, in most former members of the Resistance, bought out. In public, this action was interpreted as personal revenge Hersant; to compensate for the humiliations he had suffered in the process from 1947 and 1956.

The Pressezar

In 1975 its largest acquisition, the purchase of Figaro, the journalistic flagship of democratic rights.

In the 1970s and 1980s, followed by little further acquisitions, including France Soir (1976 ), L' Aurore (1977 ), Le Dauphiné Libéré (1983) and L'Union et le Progres (1985). Because of its numerous purchases of press organs finally he was called Le Papivore, the paper eater.

The public debate on the person and the role of Robert Hersant was again loud and controversial, as he was a candidate on the list of Simone Veil in 1984 for the European Parliament. While some denounced the fascist past, the journalistic concentration of power and his political change of direction, the other side tribute to his achievements as an entrepreneur and his entrepreneurial directness and determination. Simone Veil responded to public criticism that there is in the personal environment of François Mitterrand people who have done worse things than Hersant.

The relationship between Mitterrand himself and Hersant was characterized by a distanced mutual respect. 1956 Mitterrand had not voted to withdraw Hersant parliamentary mandate. In 1977, a detailed portrait of Mitterrand in Le Figaro. During his presidency, Mitterrand not proceeded against Hersant's media empire. 1986 Mitterrand said in an interview with Le Monde, Hersant in his opinion, a good writer.

Later years

In the 1980s Hersant suffered a number of serious personal tragedies. Died in 1986 his confidant Audinot André, who had served him since the death of his brother Patrick as a right hand in the overall management. 1987 failed in his attempt to build a television empire involving Silvio Berlusconi. The creation of the television channel La Cinq ended in an economic fiasco. By poaching the audience Stars of TF1, the audience should be taken to La Cinq over. However, the majority of this audience did not follow the advertising. Died in 1991 of former culture minister Michel d' Ornano on the street in front Hersant apartment in a traffic accident, immediately after a visit to Hersant. Shortly before Christmas 1992, died unexpectedly, his eldest son, Jacques.

His last public interview he gave in 1984 the beginning of 1995 he suffered a serious heart condition. ; then he no longer appeared in public.