André Citroën
He put France on wheels with mass-produced cars and the brilliant, quirky engineering that became a national signature.
1878–1935 (age 57)·French industrialist and Citroën car brand founder·Birthday: February 5·The Gilded Age
Biography
André Citroën was an industrial showman whose name became synonymous with French automotive daring. After a successful stint manufacturing munitions in World War I, he converted his factory to produce affordable cars for the masses, launching the Type A in 1919. His genius lay in marrying American-style assembly line efficiency with distinctly Gallic technical flair, exemplified by his early use of double-helical gears, symbolized by the chevrons in his logo. Citroën wasn't just selling transportation; he was selling modernity, sponsoring epic expeditions across Africa and Asia to prove his cars' mettle. Though his financial overreach led to the company's takeover by Michelin in 1934, his legacy is the enduring spirit of innovation—front-wheel drive, hydropneumatic suspension—that defined Citroën for decades.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
André was born in 1878, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When André Was Born
The biggest hits of 1878
André's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1878Born
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1883Started school
President: Chester A. Arthur
1891Became a teenager
President: Benjamin Harrison
1894Could drive
President: Grover Cleveland
1896Could vote
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1899Turned 21
President: William McKinley
1908Turned 30
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1918Turned 40
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1928Turned 50
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1935Died at 57
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
Key Achievements
- Pioneered the mass production of automobiles in Europe with the Citroën Type A in 1919.
- Successfully converted his World War I munitions factory into a major car manufacturing plant.
- Organized highly publicized transcontinental expeditions like the 1922 'Croisière Noire' to demonstrate his cars' durability.
- Introduced the revolutionary front-wheel-drive Citroën Traction Avant in 1934.
- Lit up the Eiffel Tower with a quarter of a million light bulbs bearing his name, creating a landmark advertisement.
Did You Know?
The double-chevron logo of his company is derived from the pattern of double helical gears he once manufactured.
He had the Eiffel Tower used as a giant advertising billboard for his company from 1925 to 1934.
He was an avid promoter of consumer credit, founding a finance company to help people buy his cars.
Citroën's final project, the Traction Avant, was so advanced it bankrupted the company, though the car remained in production for 23 years.
“The car must be comfortable, robust, and easy to handle, but above all, it must be affordable.”
