Michel Debré

He got married to Anne-Marie Lemaresquier, the daughter of a famous architect, in 1936.

He had four sons from the marriage - Vincent, Francois, and the twins Jean-Louis and Bernard.

Michel Debre died on August 3, 1996 of Parkinson’s disease at his home in Montlouis-sur-Loire, 150 miles south of Paris.

Michel Debre was born in Paris on January 15, 1912. His parents were physicians.

Debre initially attended the ‘Lycee Montaigne’ and then studied in ‘Lycee Louis-le-Grand’ high school.

He did his diploma in law from ‘Ecole Libre des Sciences Politiques’.

He got his PhD in law from the University of Paris.

Michel Debre started his career by joining the University of Paris as a Professor of Law after completing his PhD. He joined the ‘School for Reserve Cavalry Officers’ at the same time.

He became a member of the ‘Conseil d’Etat’ in 1934 after passing the entrance examination at the age of twenty-two.

In 1938 he joined the staff in the ‘Ministry of Economical Affairs’ under Paul Reynaud.

Debre enlisted in the French Army as a cavalry officer when the Second World War broke out in 1939.

He was captured by the Germans in June 1940 during the invasion of France but managed to escape in September 1940.

Michel Debre published the book ‘The Death of the Republican State’ in 1947 criticizing the weaknesses of the Fourth Republic.

He also published his memoirs in three volumes during the period 1961 to 1969.