Jacques Pâris de Bollardière, born on December 16, 1907, in Châteaubriant, Loire-Inférieure, France, and died on February 22, 1986, in Guidel, Morbihan, France, was a French army general officer and a prominent figure in the fight against torture.
Born into a fervent Catholic family with a long tradition of military service, Jacques followed in the footsteps of his ancestors by pursuing a military career. His family, originally from Dauphiné, had produced many officers for the French army over the centuries.
Jacques participated in World War II, the Indochina War, and the Algerian War, where he demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership skills. However, it was his opposition to torture during the Algerian War that brought him fame.
In 1957, Jacques was sentenced to 60 days in prison for speaking out against torture in the newspaper L'Express. Despite this, he continued to campaign for human rights and non-violence, eventually becoming an ardent defender of these causes.
Jacques' experiences during World War II, particularly in the Manises maquis, had a profound impact on him. He witnessed the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime and realized that torture was a tool used by totalitarian regimes to intimidate and control populations.
As a senior officer, Jacques was the only one to publicly condemn the use of torture during the Algerian War. He wrote, "I think with infinite respect of those of my brothers, Arabs or French, who died like Christ, at the hands of their fellow men, flogged, tortured, disfigured by the contempt of men."
Jacques was also involved in various social and humanitarian causes, including pacifist movements and civil disobedience actions to protest against nuclear weapons.
Throughout his life, Jacques remained committed to his principles, even when it meant sacrificing his career. He died on February 22, 1986, at the age of 78, leaving behind a legacy of integrity, courage, and a commitment to justice and peace.
