The Resume

(April 9, 1872-March 30, 1950)
Born in Paris, France
Birth name was Andre Leon Blum
Socialist
Served three terms as Prime Minister of France (June 4, 1936-June 22, 1937; March 13, 1938-April 10, 1938; December 16, 1946-January 22, 1947)

Why he might be annoying:

To get a majority in Parliament and become Prime Minister, he had to ally with the French Communist Party.
His economic policies resulted in a 40% inflation rate.
His decision to nationalize the armaments and aviation industries disrupted weapons production, hindering rearmament during the years before World War II.
His first government collapsed over whether or not to provide military support to the Republican government during the Spanish Civil War.
His two later terms as Prime Minister each lasted only about a month.

Why he might not be annoying:

He first entered politics when he joined Emile Zola's defense during the Dreyfus Affair.
He was the frequent target of anti-Semitic slurs.
He was dragged from his car and beaten by members of the far-right French Action group (February 13, 1936).
His government legalized collective bargaining and implemented a 40-hour work week.
When the Vichy regime attempted to try him for treason, his defense -- especially his denunciation of pro-German politicians like Pierre Laval -- was so eloquent that the Nazis pressured Vichy into dropping the matter (1942).
He was then handed over to the Germans and imprisoned at Buchenwald for the rest of the war.
His brother Rene was executed at Auschwitz.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 86]
• I Attended University of Paris
• I Died in 1950 (Ranked: 77)
• Known By a Middle Name
• My Sibling was Murdered
• Profiles 53751-54000 (Ranked: 53961)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying