François Tanguy-Prigent
François Tanguy-Prigent (October 11, 1909 – January 20, 1970) was a French politician and resistance fighter. (The name Prigent first appears in Redon in 869, from "Prit" "beautiful" and Gent "race - line").
Born in the small town of Saint-Jean-du-Doigt, in the Finistère département of Brittany, France, Tanguy-Prigent becomes politically active at age 16. At age eighteen he publishes his first political articles. In 1934 he is elected "conseiller général" for the Lanmeur Canton. Not having reached the age of twenty-five, he is disqualified for being too young, but is re-elected in 1935.
In 1936, Tanguy-Prigent is elected to the National Assembly. In May 1940, though he is exempt from duty, Tanguy-Prigent asks to join the front with the 31st regiment (Dragons Portés) and is lightly wounded at the "Bataille de France".
At the German victory, he returnes to Paris and on July 10, 1940 votes against the establishment of the German-controlled Vichy government. He is arrested by the Germans in September 1940. Released on the 23rd, Tanguy-Prigent opposes by any legal means the policies of Vichy. At the same time he joins the Resistance, notably in “Libération Nord” under the resistance name of "Jacques Le Ru". He narrowly escapes arrests in the summer of 1943 and is forced to go into hiding together with his wife. He also directs the “Resistance Paysanne”. For many months he participates in putting in place the structure of 'l'Armée secrète" (the secret Army) for the 19 departments of the North West of France. In the summer of 1944, he personally joins combat with the FFI to liberate the Morlaix region.
Upon Liberation, General de Gaulle appoints Tanguy-Prigent, who is not yet 35 years of age, to head the Ministry of Agriculture.
Tanguy-Prigent dies in 1970 in Morlaix.
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