François de Grossouvre
 François de Grossouvre    (spook) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 29 March 1918 |
| Died | 7 April 1994 (Age 76) |
Cause of death | gunshot - ruled a suicide |
| Member of | Le Cercle |
Contents
Background
He trained as a doctor but never practiced his profession because of his wealth. He was often considered a strange man who reveled in the secrecy.[1]
Activities
During World War II, François de Grossouvre was a member of Joseph Darnand's Service d'ordre légionnaire (SOL), a Vichyst militia. He left in 1943 to fight in the Vercors region. After Liberation, it was discovered that he had in fact infiltrated the SOL on behalf of Organisation de résistance de l'armée (ORA) of which he was a member.[1]
He went into politics after WWII. Some sources say De Grossouvre first met with Francois Mitterrand in 1959. The Times, in 1994, stated that De Grossouvre first met with Mitterrand on a plane to China in 1962. Around this time, De Grossouvre held the largely ceremonial post of head of the Committee of Presidential Hunts, which organizes occasional informal gatherings in the countryside for the French President.[1]
Deep political connections
Rolf Graage attended a number of meetings of Le Cercle.[1]
Death
He died of gunshot wounds, which was ruled a suicide. It was the first time in the history of the Republic that a colleague of the Chief of State killed himself in the presidential palace.[1]
Event Participated in
| Event | Start | End | Location(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Cercle/1980 (Washington) | 5 December 1980 | 7 December 1980 | US Washington DC Madison Hotel | Detailed in a telegram to the South African Embassy in Madrid that was posted to the internet in 2017. |
