Jacques Leprette papers, 1890-2006

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Summary

Creators:
Leprette, Jacques
Abstract:
The collection includes speeches, writings, correspondence, notes, memoranda, reports, conference and meeting materials, printed matter, audiovisual materials, photographs, certificates, guest books, and scrapbooks. It covers Leprette's diplomatic career, especially French foreign relations; French participation in the European Economic Community, the European Union and other European organizations; involvement with the United Nations and other international organizations; French relations with other Francophone countries; international law; and human rights.
Extent:
230 manuscript boxes, 11 oversize boxes, 5 sound cassettes, 2 sound tape reels, 2 video cassettes, 1 folio (104.5 Linear Feet)
Language:
French
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Jacques Leprette papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

Acquired in 2006, the papers of Jacques Leprette document the life and professional activities of a senior French diplomat, one whose long and distinguished career coincided with the evolution of a newly assertive French foreign policy in the decades following World War II. Occupying a series of important posts, including that of French ambassador to the United Nations, Leprette participated in a number of significant international negotiations and conferences. In particular, his work as a diplomat focused on France's efforts to promote European integration; the role of the United Nations in international peacekeeping; and cooperation among Francophone nations and communities. His papers also shed light on aspects of French political history, especially in the mid-1960s.

Records relating to Leprette's service in the French military during World War II can be found in the Military Career File. The Academic Career File series contains materials relating to Leprette's study of law before and during World War II, as well as to his post-war attendance at the prestigious École nationale d'administration, where he was a member of the first graduating class.

The Speeches and Writings series includes Leprette's many articles and public talks on foreign affairs, as well as those specifically dealing with the United Nations and the nature of international negotiations. This series also includes two monographs: Leprette's doctoral thesis on the status of Trieste after World War II and his book on the construction of European unity, Une clef pour l'Europe.

The Ministère des Affaires Étrangères File groups materials relating to Leprette's various postings as a diplomat and his work as a foreign ministry official in Paris. These materials include correspondence, speeches, and reports and are arranged chronologically under the headings of the specific postings held by Leprette at the time.

Leprette's first posting was as a counselor involved in the negotiations that created the Council of Europe, and the papers include a number of transcripts of the Council's proceedings. His next position was as head of the political department of the French military government in Berlin. Among the materials from this posting are memoranda and bulletins concerning the revolt of East German workers in June 1953, an important event in the early Cold War period.

A significant part of Leprette's subsequent career was spent in the United States, where he served twice at the French embassy in Washington, D.C., first as counselor and then as minister-counselor. In these postings, Leprette was often called upon to explain French foreign policy to American audiences, and the papers contain a number of his speeches on this subject. The materials from these two periods also reveal Leprette's interest in, and appreciation of, American society.

Between his postings in Washington, Leprette served as French ambassador to Mauritania in the years immediately following that country's achievement of independence from France. The papers include a number of reports on the internal situation in Mauritania, including information on opponents of the Ould Daddah regime.

After working at the French foreign ministry as the director of its department for the United Nations and international organizations, Leprette was named as French ambassador to the United Nations. His papers include extensive materials from his participation in the activities of the United Nations, including negotiations on the status of Namibia, the role of U.N. peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, and U.N. Security Council debates on the Iran-Iraq War.

Following his tenure at the United Nations, Leprette became France's ambassador to the European Community in Brussels. Materials from this period include records of meetings and official visits, as well as a dossier made for Leprette in preparation for France's presidency of the European Community in 1984.

One series (Directeur, Service de Liaison Interministériel pour L'Information File) concerns Leprette's one posting outside of the French foreign ministry, when he worked for Alain Peyrefitte in the French ministry of information. In this capacity, Leprette worked on the 1965 presidential re-election campaign of Charles de Gaulle, and the series contains correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating to the campaign. Peyrefitte remained a close friend of Leprette's, and more of their letters can be found in the Correspondence series.

The Conferences, Seminars, and Official Visits File pertains to the many conferences attended by Leprette, including major ones devoted to relations among Francophone nations and communities, and in which Leprette played a leading role. This series also includes extensive materials concerning seminars on foreign policy at the Académie de la Paix in Monte Carlo and elsewhere.

Leprette's participation in a large number of associations and societies is reflected in the extensive Organizations File. Among these are materials relating to Leprette's election to the Académie des Sciences morales et politiques and to honors he received from the Legion d'Honneur and the Ordre national du Mérite. The series also includes materials relating to Leprette's participation in the affairs of the Fondation et Institut Charles de Gaulle.

The papers also include a small series relating to the published works of Leprette's father, the author Fernand Leprette.

Biographical / historical:
Date Event
1920
Born, Alexandria, Egypt
1940-1941
Mobilized and serves in French army
1941
Evacuated to Algeria, where he studied law
1943
Enlisted in Foreign Legion
1944-1945
Landed with French forces in Provence. Wounded in the Battle of Belfort, then participated in campaigns in Alsace, Germany, and Austria
1947
Author, Le statut international de Trieste
Graduated from the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, Paris. Joined French foreign ministry as member of its European department
1949-1952
Counselor, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France
1952-1955
Head, political division, French military government in Berlin, Germany
1955-1959
First secretary, French embassy, Washington, D.C.
1959-1961
Head of European Community affairs service, French foreign ministry, Paris, France
1961-1964
French ambassador to Mauritania
1964-1966
Director of interministerial liaison service, French information ministry, Paris, France
1966-1971
Minister-counselor, French embassy, Washington, D.C.
1971-1975
Director responsible for affairs concerning the United Nations and international organizations, French foreign ministry, Paris, France
1975-1976
Associate director for political affairs, French foreign ministry, Paris, France
1976-1982
French ambassador to the United Nations and permanent representative on the Security Council, New York City
1982-1985
French ambassador to the European Community, Brussels, Belgium
1984
Elevated to the rank of Ambassador of France
1985-1989
Organized conferences and summit meetings relating to the international Francophone community
1987
Awarded title of Commandeur, Legion d'Honneur
1988-1990
French representative to U.N. Human Rights Commission, Geneva, Switzerland
1994-1995
Author, Une clef pour l'Europe. Book is awarded Prix des Ambassadeurs and Prix Jean Finot de l'Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques
1999
Elected member of the Institut de France, Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques
2002
Awarded title of Grand officier de l'Ordre National du MĂ©rite
2004
Died
Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 2006 and 2023.
Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Folio may not be used without permission of the Archivist. The remainder of the collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Jacques Leprette papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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