• France edition

Renault heirs sue France for nationalizing company

Published: 14 Dec 2011 12:16 GMT+01:00 | Print version
Updated: 14 Dec 2011 10:10 GMT+01:00

The heirs of auto magnate Louis Renault are suing the French state over the nationalisation of his company in the aftermath of World War II. Historians today disagree about the extent of Renault’s collaboration with the Nazis.

Renault heirs are to demand reparations in court on Wednesday for the nationalisation of the company in 1945, Le Figaro reports. They say their family received no compensation at the time and the move was unfair punishment for Louis Renault’s attitude during the war.

“No other French company was nationalised in this way,” said lawyer Thierry Levy in an interview with journalists. “some industrial leaders were condemned for collaborating with the Nazis, but their companies weren’t taken away.”

Louis Renault founded the auto company in 1898 with his brother, and was arrested in September 1944. He died a month later in prison without facing trial. At the time of his death, Renault owned 96.8 percent of his company, factories across France and offices on the Paris avenue Les Champs Elysées.

Historians however disagree on Renault’s attitude during the war. Unlike auto manufacturers Michelin or Peugeot, the auto magnate did not build ties with the French Resistance. Historians however say the relationship between Renault and the Nazis has yet to be fully investigated.

Clea Caulcutt (news@thelocal.fr)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Noah dismisses home French Open hopes
Yannick Noah celebrates his French Open win in 1983. Photo: STF/AFP

Noah dismisses home French Open hopes

Yannick Noah believes that none of the current crop of French tennis players are capable of matching his exploit in winning the French Open 30 years ago. READ () »

IMF's Lagarde in 12 hour court grilling
Photo: Jacques Demarthon/AFP

IMF's Lagarde in 12 hour court grilling

IMF chief Christine Lagarde's future was at stake Friday as French prosecutors grilled her for a second day to decide if she should be charged over a state payout to a disgraced tycoon when she was finance minister. READ () »

Mobile app to help fight against racism in France
A file image of an iPhone 4. Photo: John Karakatsanis/Flickr

Mobile app to help fight against racism in France

A French anti-racism association is launching a mobile application it hopes will help eradicate racist graffiti by enabling users to take photos of offensive tags, geo-locate them and get them removed. READ () »

Language barriers
Top Ten: English terms the French want barred
Photo: Ashok666

Top Ten: English terms the French want barred

When it comes to fighting off the invasion of English words the French Resistance has had mixed fortunes over the years. Nevertheless the fight goes on. With the help of the Ministry of Culture here's a list of the latest English terms that French authorities want deported. READ () »

Street crime hurts Paris tourism: fashion brands
Elisabeth Ponsolle des Portes (l), here shown handbags in Dubai in 2010, worries "Paris is getting a reputation of total insecurity". Photo: Randi Sokoloff/AFP

Street crime hurts Paris tourism: fashion brands

The streets of Paris are getting a reputation for being unsafe for tourists and this is a threat to business for the great brand names of French fashion, a top body representing the luxury industry warned on Friday. READ () »

Amnesty wants Hollande to up human rights effort
Protesters at an Amnesty International demo in Paris. Photo: Fred Dufour/AFP

Amnesty wants Hollande to up human rights effort

Rights watchdog Amnesty International has filed its end of year report on French President François Hollande's record on tackling human rights issues. Its conclusion was: Could do better. READ () »

Thrill seeker dies 'train surfing' on Paris Metro
File photo: Thomas Ulrich

Thrill seeker dies 'train surfing' on Paris Metro

The dangerous craze of ‘train surfing', which has long been popular in Russia, came to France this week and ended in tragic circumstances. A young man who was reportedly riding the roof of a Paris Metro was killed when the train entered a tunnel. READ () »

Call for probe into sale of Printemps to Qataris
The famous French store Printemps, set to be bought by Qatari investors. Photo: MadebyMark/flickr

Call for probe into sale of Printemps to Qataris

The purchase of the famous upmarket French department store Printemps by investors from Qatar needs to be investigated by authorities for possible corruption, money laundering and tax fraud, unions demanded this week. READ () »

France scraps plan to limit fat cat salaries
A plan to cut fat cat pay in the private sector has been ditched. Photo: Images of Money/Flickr

France scraps plan to limit fat cat salaries

The proposal was labelled by critics as another example of France's Socialist government attacking the richest. But after a u-turn announced on Friday the plan to limit executive pay in the private sector will not now see the light of day. READ () »

Man held suspected of eating his grandmother
Photo: Victor/Flickr

Man held suspected of eating his grandmother

It could easily be the script of a grisly horror movie. Police arrested a man in Nice this week, suspected of chopping up his 95-year-old grandmother. According to sources the suspect admitted to having eaten part of the body. READ () »

Highlights
Photo: M&S
Hollande's first year: Top 10 Nightmare Moments
Revealed: France's Best Restaurants in 2013
French Face of the Week
French politicians reveal their wealth
Ten best chat-up lines to use in French
Opinion
Ten most embarrassing mistakes to avoid in French
Fred Dufour/AFP
Photo: AP
Simone Ramella
Latest news from The Local in Sweden

More news from Sweden at thelocal.se

Latest news from The Local in Germany

More news from Germany at thelocal.de

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no