Jean Filippi (5 October 1905 – 15 January 1993) was a French politician. Born in Geneva, Switzerland, to a French diplomat, he belonged to the

Radical Party (France) The Radical Party (, ), officially the Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party ( ), is a Liberalism and radicalism in France, liberal and Social liberalism, social-liberal List of political parties in France, political party in France ...

. From 1930 onwards Filippi worked as a finance inspector for the Inspectorate General of Finances. Filippi then worked as the secretary of

SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...

, the French national railway. In March 1940 Filippi became chief of cabinet to Yves Bouthillier, the Minister of Finance, a position he remained in following the defeat of France at the hands of Germany and into the period of the

Vichy Government Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the defeat against ...

. In July 1941, he was appointed as the secretary-general of economic affairs, and in 1942 returned to head SNCF until September 1944. Filippi avoided being purged as a collaborator as he was able to show that when working with SNCF he had helped the

French resistance The French Resistance ( ) was a collection of groups that fought the German military administration in occupied France during World War II, Nazi occupation and the Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy#France, collaborationist Vic ...

. In December 1944 he was hired to work in General Koeltz's Military Mission for German Affairs and took part in the administration of French-occupied Germany. Between 1956 and 1957, he was France's minister of Budget. From 1955 until 1980, he was a Senator of Corsica. When

Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after assassination of John F. Kennedy, the assassination of John F. Ken ...

claimed that

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

was Italian, Filippi criticised this saying that “It's a stupidity,” and said that Bonaparte "had the same right to be called a Frenchman as I have."

References

1905 births 1993 deaths Corsican politicians Budget ministers of France French senators of the Fourth Republic French senators of the Fifth Republic Senators of Corsica {{France-politician-RPV-stub