Désiré Ferry

Désiré Ferry (26 October 1886–11 January 1940) was a French politician of the Third Republic.

Désiré Ferry was born in Metz. He studied law at the University of Nancy and worked as a writer and publisher. During the First World War he served with the French Army. He was three times wounded, promoted to captain, received the Croix de guerre, and was made a member of Légion d'honneur.

After the war, Ferry was appointed by Georges Clemenceau to work on the reintegration of the provinces of Alsace-Lorraine which had been recovered from the German Empire. In the 1919 elections, he stood as the junior candidate for the Chamber of Deputies on a list headed by future president Albert Lebrun. The list was elected in its entireity in the overwhelming victory for the Bloc national. Ferry was reelected continuously until 1936, when he lost his seat. He was generally associated with the Fédération républicaine.

Ferry served as Minister of Marine in the short-lived government of Frédéric François-Marsal. In 1930, he served as Minister of Health in the second government of André Tardieu.

On the outbreak of the Second World War, Ferry was recalled to service as the commandant of the 128th Fortress Infantry Regiment. He was mortally wounded in an accident and died on 11 January 1940 aged 54.

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Preceded by
Maurice Brokanowski
Minister of Marine
1924
Succeeded by
Jacques-Louis Dumesnil
Preceded by
Louis Loucheur (Marius Roustan)
Minister of Health
1930
Succeeded by
Henri Queuille