11 Facts About Jean Catelas

Jean Joseph Catelas was a French communist politician who was a deputy for the Somme from 1936 to 1940.

Jean Catelas was arrested by the Vichy government during World War II, sentenced to death for his underground activities and executed.

Jean Joseph Catelas was born on 6 May 1894 in Puisieux, Pas-de-Calais, the seventh of nine children in a poor family.

Jean Catelas obtained his school certificate when he was aged 12, and became a worker in hosiery, working in this occupation until 1914.

Jean Catelas took part in the great strike of 1920.

Jean Catelas was a member in turn of committees on hygiene, public health, customs, and commerce and industry.

Jean Catelas was an active supporter of the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War and made frequent visits to Spain to see how they could be helped.

Jean Catelas was one of the last of the communists to leave Spain, in the company of Dolores Ibarruri.

Treand and Jean Catelas met with Otto Abetz on 26 June 1940 to discuss the arrangement, and followed up with a letter spelling out their request.

Jean Catelas opened by saying the purpose was to lay the foundations of a "new unionism", which would be based on popular committees in factories.

Jean Catelas was guillotined in the courtyard of La Sante Prison on 24 September 1941, aged 47.