PAPON (Maurice) Paris, 2nd May 1969. Typed letter signed, with autograph apostille. 1 p. in-4 on Assemblée Nationale headed paper. Important letter concerning the resignation of General de Gaulle and Georges Pompidou's candidacy to succeed him. "General de Gaulle's retirement is a sorrow for us all. But because he has been our conscience for thirty years, General de Gaulle will never cease to inspire our conduct and our actions. This loyalty inspires us to be courageous even as he leaves us. No sooner have you fought yesterday's battle than a new battle begins today. The movement has unanimously decided to support the candidacy of Georges Pompidou. The unity and cohesion that we are demonstrating on this grave occasion is an act of profound significance, in the face of the political games that are starting up again and which were foreseeable". He explained his vision of the forthcoming campaign: "Incidentally, while it must be conducted without arrogance, it must also be conducted without complexes. In fact, to be properly assessed, the figures for the Referendum of 27 April 1969 must be compared, in particular, with the figures for the first round of the 1968 legislative elections. This comparison highlights the stability of the electorate in our constituency, despite the strong "no" campaign that was waged from all sides. I would even go so far as to say that the Cher department as a whole held up well in the referendum, showing that our efforts were not in vain. Once again, I'd like to thank you for your dedication, especially our billposters who gave so much of themselves. Maurice Papon (1910-2007) was caught up in his past in 1981, following an article in Le Canard Enchaîné that appeared between the two rounds of the presidential election, when he was Budget Minister in the Barre government. In 1988, he was convicted of complicity in crimes against humanity for acts committed when he was Secretary General of the Gironde Prefecture between 1942 and 1944 (organising the deportation of local Jews to the death camps). After the war, he pursued a career as a senior civil servant (notably as Prefect of the Paris Police from 1958 to 1966), which took him as far as ministerial posts.