21 Facts About Gaston Monmousseau

Gaston Rene Leon Monmousseau was a French railway worker, trade union leader, politician and author, from a rural working-class background.

Gaston Monmousseau became an anarcho-syndicalist, then a communist, and played a leading role in the French Communist Party and in the national trade union movement both before and after World War II.

Gaston Monmousseau was born on 17 January 1883 in Luynes, Indre-et-Loire.

Gaston Monmousseau's grandfather was a Republican during the Second French Empire and his father was a radical after the Paris Commune, then a socialist against the decay of radicalism, and then a communist against the decay of socialism.

Gaston Monmousseau became an anarcho-syndicalist, and was active in the railway workers' union.

Gaston Monmousseau was enthusiastic about the 1917 October Revolution in Russia.

At the first postwar congress of the General Confederation of Labor, held in Lyon from 15 to 21 September 1919, Gaston Monmousseau was among the leaders of the minority, with Pierre Monatte, Raymond Pericat and Joseph Tommasi.

Gaston Monmousseau was secretary-general of the Association of Trade Unions of the Paris district from 1921 to 1922.

Gaston Monmousseau would be director of this journal until 1960.

Gaston Monmousseau met Vladimir Lenin, and according to his memoirs was greatly impressed.

Gaston Monmousseau was pragmatic, and although he did not abandon his syndicalist beliefs, he could accept the need for a strong, repressive state to steer the revolution.

Gaston Monmousseau was a member of the French party's Central Committee from 1926 to 1945, and a member of the Profintern Executive Committee from 1926 to 1937.

Gaston Monmousseau was jailed in 1927 for organizing strikes against the war in Morocco.

Gaston Monmousseau was jailed again in April 1931, and held for four months.

Gaston Monmousseau was a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party from 1932 to 1945.

In 1936 Gaston Monmousseau participated in bringing the CGTU back into the reunified CGT.

Gaston Monmousseau sat with the Communist group, and was mainly involved in social laws.

Gaston Monmousseau was convicted in absentia and lost his position as deputy.

From 1956 to 1960 Gaston Monmousseau was again a member of the Central Committee of the French Communist Party.

Gaston Monmousseau contributed to many magazines and newspapers including Le Libertaire, Le Journal du Peuple and L'Humanite.

Gaston Monmousseau published several works under the pseudonym Jean Brecot, including activist works and memoirs.