Maurice Thorez

Maurice Thorez (28 April 1900 – 11 July 1964) was a French politician and longtime leader of the French Communist Party (PCF) from 1930 until his death. He also served as vice premier of France from 1946 to 1947.

Thorez, born in Noyelles-Godault, Pas-de-Calais, became a coal miner at the age of 12. He joined the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO) in 1919 and was imprisoned several times for his political activism. After a split in the SFIO led to the formation of the French Communist Party (PCF), Thorez became party secretary in 1923 and, in 1930, secretary general of the party, a position he held until his death. Thorez was supported by the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, for PCF leadership following splits in many non-Soviet Communist parties in wake of his struggle with Leon Trotsky. As the official leader, Thorez was secretly controlled by the Comintern and the secretive Eugene Fried.

In 1932, Thorez became the companion of Jeannette Vermeersch; they had three sons before marrying in 1947, and they remained married until his death.

Thorez was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1932 and was reelected in 1936. In 1934, following the Comintern directive, he helped form the Popular Front, an alliance between Communists, Socialists, and radical Socialists. The front, because of strong popular support as France was reeling from the impact of the Great Depression, won the elections of 1936. With the support of the Communists under Thorez, Léon Blum became prime minister of a Popular Front government and managed to enact their social legislation programme. Meanwhile, Thorez presided over the massive growth of the Communist Party beginning with the elections of 1936.

Following the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of 1939 and the subsequent Soviet participation in the invasion of Poland, the Communist Party was against the French war effort and in tacit alliance with the Nazis, so was outlawed. Its publications were banned and many Party members were interned. Thorez himself had his nationality revoked. Shortly thereafter, Thorez was drafted, but rather than fight the Germans, he deserted from the army to flee to the Soviet Union. Thorez was tried in absentia for desertion and sentenced to death.

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