France FRANCISQUE GALLIQUE

[PKeating]

Thank you very much for this information. I remember seeing several of these badges in Paris shops a few years ago so they must have come from the lot you describe. One of the more famous members of the order was François Mitterand but I do not imagine that he had his certificate framed and hung in his office after the war...

[WRANGEL]

Hi PKeating,

Yes your right F. Mitterand was awarded the order of the Francisque Gallique, but you could also named Raoul Salan, the Lumière brothers, General Weygand, Louis II de Monaco, the widow of General Huntziger and so on...

Regarding Mitterand I would not be surprised if he had kept his awarding document. Mitterand was the only French President to flourish Marechal Petain's grave. Of course he said he was honouring the memory of the conqueror of the battle of Verdun. Nevertheless all the French president of the so-called right (Chirac and Sarkozy) have ended this tribute to Marechal Petain.

The certificate for this order is in fact a small member card.

Cheers

Bill