Jean-Pierre Mourer
Encyclopedia
Jean-Pierre Mourer was an Alsatian
politician. He was elected to the French National Assembly
in 1928, 1932 and 1936.
A railway employee, Mourer joined the French Communist Party
. He was elected to parliament in April from the 2nd constituency of Strasbourg
. In a second round of voting, he defeated Georges Weill by 7,140 votes against 6,013. In parliament, he was a member of the committees on Algeria
, colonies and protectorates, liberated regions, hygiene and economy.
Mourer was expelled from the French Communist Party in July 1929. In October 1929, he became one of the leaders of the Opposition Communist Party of Alsace-Lorraine
.
In the 1932 election, he defeated the socialist
Marcel-Edmond Naegelen with 6,575 votes against 6,192 in the second round.
In the 1936, he was re-elected in the second round with 5,844 votes.
In the fall of 1939 he was arrested, alongside with other prominent Alsatian autonomists. In 1940 he was freed by German forces. He was appointed as the Kreisleiter (Chief Administrator) of the Mulhouse
district by the German authorities. His appointment as Kreisleiter materialized in spite of reservations from the Gestapo
, who were reluctant to see a former communist occupy such a strategic office. During this period, he Germanized his name to 'Hans Peter Murer'.
Murer was arrested by American
forces in Munich
in August 1945. He was detained at Bad Mergentheim
, but later handed over to French authorities and imprisoned at Mulhouse jail.
After the war, the Court of Justice of Haut-Rhin sentenced him to death on February 26, 1947 for collaboration with the Germans. He was executed by a firing squad on June 10, 1947 on Ile Napoléon.
Notably, evidence in Mourer's case focused primarily not on collaboration during the occupation itself but rather contacts he was accused of having had with Germany prior to the war.
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
politician. He was elected to the French National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
in 1928, 1932 and 1936.
A railway employee, Mourer joined the French Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
. He was elected to parliament in April from the 2nd constituency of Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. In a second round of voting, he defeated Georges Weill by 7,140 votes against 6,013. In parliament, he was a member of the committees on Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, colonies and protectorates, liberated regions, hygiene and economy.
Mourer was expelled from the French Communist Party in July 1929. In October 1929, he became one of the leaders of the Opposition Communist Party of Alsace-Lorraine
Alsatian Workers and Peasants Party
The Alsatian Workers and Peasants Party , initially the Opposition Communist Party of Alsace-Lorraine , was a political party in Alsace-Lorraine. The party was led by Jean-Pierre Mourer and Charles Hueber. The party was founded in late October 1929...
.
In the 1932 election, he defeated the socialist
Sfio
Sfio, or Safe/Fast String/File I/O, is a C programming language I/O library developed by David Korn and Kiem-Phong Vo AT&T Labs Research, intended as a replacement for the standard C standard I/O library....
Marcel-Edmond Naegelen with 6,575 votes against 6,192 in the second round.
In the 1936, he was re-elected in the second round with 5,844 votes.
In the fall of 1939 he was arrested, alongside with other prominent Alsatian autonomists. In 1940 he was freed by German forces. He was appointed as the Kreisleiter (Chief Administrator) of the Mulhouse
Mulhouse
Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...
district by the German authorities. His appointment as Kreisleiter materialized in spite of reservations from the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
, who were reluctant to see a former communist occupy such a strategic office. During this period, he Germanized his name to 'Hans Peter Murer'.
Murer was arrested by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
forces in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
in August 1945. He was detained at Bad Mergentheim
Bad Mergentheim
Bad Mergentheim is a town in the Main-Tauber district in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.-History:Mergentheim is mentioned in chronicles as early as 1058, as the residence of the family of the counts of Hohenlohe, who early in the 13th century assigned the greater part of their estates in...
, but later handed over to French authorities and imprisoned at Mulhouse jail.
After the war, the Court of Justice of Haut-Rhin sentenced him to death on February 26, 1947 for collaboration with the Germans. He was executed by a firing squad on June 10, 1947 on Ile Napoléon.
Notably, evidence in Mourer's case focused primarily not on collaboration during the occupation itself but rather contacts he was accused of having had with Germany prior to the war.