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| André Citroën with his wife Georgina, his daughter Jacqueline, his son Bernard, in Deauville |
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| André Citroën |
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| My great-uncle Jacques Bingen, Heroe of the French Resistance, "Compagnon de la Libération" |
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| My father Bernard Citroën during a ceremony of War Veterans |
THE SAGA OF THE CITROËN FAMILY, a European story
…
The Citroën family is no
ordinary family. Not only because they bear a very well-known name, made
famous worldwide by André Citroën, but because they show particularly notable
features originating from diverse roots.
The family derives from
immigrants, connected to several European countries. André Citroën’s father left Holland
and emigrated to France during the 19th century. His mother
was Polish. Georgina Bingen, André Citroën’s wife, was Italian.
My father Bernard was French. My mother Piroska was Hungarian and
became Swedish during the 2nd World War: she spoke 7
languages fluently. I was born in Spain as was my brother Philippe. My
other brother Bernard was born in France: he is married to Jeffrey Krogh who is
Danish and became British a few years ago. My cousin the Marquis
André de Saint-Sauveur (son of Jacqueline Citroën) was married to the late
Ivana Andjelic-Walch who was Yugoslavian. The family is truly European.
It is also a family that
have emigrated. My parents lived in Spain and in Mexico for
many years. During the 2nd World War, my mother lived in Italy
before taking refuge in Sweden. For many years, I lived and worked in Venezuela
(where my 3 children were born). My brother Philippe lives in Belgium.
My other brother Bernard lives in Luxembourg with a 2nd home
in the UK. My eldest daughter Clémentine has spent some years living in Colombia
(her 2 children were born there). My younger daughter Anne-Rosalie lives in Great
Britain. My son Charles-Henri decided to stay in Paris.
On my father’s side, it is a
Jewish family, but some members became Catholic. During the 1960’s, my father
was baptized. My mother was a practicing catholic. My parents raised my
brothers and I as Catholics.
The Citroën family includes quite
a number of fighters who fought for France and, in several cases, died
for France : my great-uncle Bernard, André Citroën’s brother, was
killed in 1914 trying to rescue a companion in the trenches of World War 1 - As
an officer, André Citroën himself fought in the trenches before taking
the initiative of proposing the immediate construction of a shell factory to
the French government in 1915 – Louis-Hugues Citroën, André Citroën‘s
nephew, died in a German concentration camp in 1944 – Jacques Bingen,
André Citroën’s brother-in-law and a French Resistance hero, was posthumously
made “Compagnon de la Libération” : Général de Gaulle, with whom he
worked closely, ordered him to become the Head ad interim of the Resistance for
the South of France after Jean Moulin, the Head of the French Resistance was
tortured and killed. Betrayed, Jacques Bingen was arrested by the Gestapo and,
knowing too many secrets, preferred to commit suicide (historian Jean Lacouture
considers him as one of the 3 or 4 most exceptional leaders of the Resistance)
– His brother Max Bingen died for France in 1917 – My father Bernard
Citroën secretly left France to join General de Gaulle in England where he
became a bomber pilot in the “Groupe Lorraine” : he carried out a great number
of bombing missions in Normandy and Brittany in 1944 ; at the beginning of the
War, being a Jew, he was dismissed from the French Army by the Vichy regime.
For a long time, he was president of the FAFL (Forces Aériennes Françaises
Libres) – My uncle Maxime Citroën fought in Africa, as an officer during
the 2nd World War.
Academically, the family has
been strong. André Citroën graduated from the famous
Ecole Polytechnique (promotion X98), as did my father Bernard (X37) and my uncle
Maxime (X38). Jacques Bingen graduated from the Ecole des Mines de Paris and
from Sciences Po. My brother Philippe graduated from Sciences Po and from the
prestigious ENA (Ecole Nationale d’Administration). My brother Bernard
graduated from HEC (Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales). My cousin André
Citroën graduated from INSEAD. My cousins all have University degrees. I
graduated from HEC and from Paris-Sceaux University Law School. The next
generation comprising my children and nephews, have all successfully completed
their graduate studies.
The French Republic has
recognized the merits of some members of the family by awarding them the “Légion
d’Honneur” : André Citroën (Grand-Officier), his brother-in-law Jacques
Bingen (Chevalier), his children Jacqueline Citroën (Chevalier), Bernard
Citroën (Commandeur), Maxime (Officier), his grand-son Philippe Citroën
(Chevalier); the well-known prosecutor Raymond Lindon, son of Fernande Citroën
and nephew of André Citroën, was Commandeur (he is the grand-father of famous
actor Vincent Lindon).
Since 1987, every 3 years, I have
been appointed by the French government as « Conseiller du Commerce
Extérieur de la France” (French Foreign Trade Advisor), a voluntary role in
which I promote the international business development of French companies. I
am also an “Ambassador” of the “Amicale Citroën Internationale” which brings
together about 70.000 Citroën collectors and enthusiasts gathered in more than
1000 clubs worldwide.
The family has been a victim
of the dark forces (or not so dark) of capitalism : in 1934,
amidst the global economic crisis of the early 30’s, André Citroën, whose
company “Automobiles Citroën” was facing severe cash flow problems, did not
receive any help from his partners, the banks or the State. He lost control of
the company and, shortly after, he tragically died. A few months later,
“Automobiles Citroën”, under the management of the new main shareholder,
Michelin, found the path of success again. My father wrote the story of this
dramatic end in his book “La Conjuration de Javel”.
Out of respect to such
outstanding ancestors, their efforts, sacrifices, successes, and their roles
which so benefited our country; belonging to such a lineage gives one
responsibilities and a real obligation to do one’s best to try to be useful,
and to always rise to the occasion …
Henri-Jacques Citroën / May 18th, 2020
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| My mother Piroska |
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| André Citroën dans son bureau |
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| "Sanguine" portrait of André Citroën |
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| With my brothers Philippe (right) and Bernard (center) |
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