Gaston Doumergue
A jovial, pipe-smoking statesman who guided France through the turbulent postwar years with a steady, conciliatory hand.
1858–1937 (age 79)·President of France from 1924 to 1931·Birthday: August 1
Biography
Gaston Doumergue's political career was a long ascent through the ranks of the Third Republic, marked less by fiery ideology than by pragmatic competence and a famously sunny disposition. A Protestant in a Catholic-majority nation, he held numerous ministerial posts before his election to the presidency in 1924, a role he approached as an arbiter above the fray of daily politics. His term oversaw a period of relative stability and economic recovery, the so-called 'Years of Illusion' before the Great Depression. Known for his accessibility and informal charm, he was called upon again in 1934 to lead a national unity government during a moment of severe crisis. His legacy is that of a reassuring figure, a symbol of republican continuity during a fragile era for French democracy.
#1 When Gaston Was Born
The biggest hits of 1858
Gaston's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1858Born
1863Started school
President: Abraham Lincoln
1871Became a teenager
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1874Could drive
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1876Could vote
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1879Turned 21
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1888Turned 30
President: Grover Cleveland
1898Turned 40
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1908Turned 50
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1918Turned 60
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1928Turned 70
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1937Died at 79
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
Key Achievements
- Served as the President of the French Republic from 1924 to 1931.
- Held the position of Prime Minister of France on two separate occasions, in 1913-1914 and again in 1934.
- Was the first Protestant to be elected President of France.
- Presided over the signing of the Locarno Treaties, which aimed to secure post-WWI borders in Europe.
Did You Know?
He was known for his habit of smoking a pipe constantly, even during official meetings.
Before politics, he worked as a magistrate in colonial Algeria and Indochina.
His nickname was 'Gastounet,' a Provençal diminutive reflecting his roots in the south of France.
“To govern is to choose, and to choose is to sacrifice.”
