Henri Zeller

{{Short description|French military officer (1896–1971)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name =  | native_name =  | native_name_lang =  | image = File:Henri Zeller (1961).jpg | image_upright = | alt = A French military officer saluting. | caption = General Henri Zeller on 23 April 1961. | order = | office = [[Military governor of Paris]] | status =  | term_start = 1953 | term_end = 1957 | president = | predecessor = [[René Jean-Charles Chouteau|René Chouteau]] | successor = [[Louis-Constant Morlière]] | order2 = | office2 = [[Chief of the Defence Staff (France)|Chief of the Defence Staff]] | term_start2 = 1 April 1950 | term_end2 = 20 August 1951 | president2 = | predecessor2 = | successor2 = [[Charles Léchères]] | order3 = | office3 = [[Governor-General of Metz]] | term_start3 = 1949 | term_end3 = 1953 | president3 = | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | order4 = | office4 = [[Major General of the Defence Staff (France)|Major General of the Defence Staff]] | term_start4 = 28 April 1948 | term_end4 = 31 March 1950 | president4 = | predecessor4 = | successor4 = | pronunciation = | birth_date = 18 March 1896 | birth_place = [[Besançon]], France | death_date = {{Death date and age|1971|04|16|1896|03|18|df=y}} | death_place = Paris, France | death_cause =  | citizenship = | party = | other_party =  | height =  | partner =  | relations = | children = | parents =  | mother =  | father = [[Léon Zeller]] | relatives = [[André Zeller]] (brother) | education = | alma_mater = | profession = Military officer | known_for = [[French Resistance]] | salary = | awards =  | blank1 = | data1 = | blank2 = | data2 = | blank3 = | data3 = | blank4 = | data4 = | blank5 = | data5 = | signature = | signature_alt = | signature_size = | website = | nickname =  | allegiance = France | branch = [[French Army]]<br/>[[French Forces of the Interior]] | service_years = 1914–1957 | rank = ''[[Army general (France)|Général d'armée]]'' | unit = | commands = | battles = [[World War I]]<br/>[[World War II]] | mawards =  | military_blank1 = | military_data1 = | military_blank2 = | military_data2 = | military_blank3 = | military_data3 = | military_blank4 = | military_data4 = | military_blank5 = | military_data5 =  | module = | module2 = | module3 = | module4 = | module5 = | footnotes = }} '''Henri Zeller''' (born 18 March 1896, [[Besançon]], France – died 16 April 1971, Paris, France) was a [[French Army]] [[General officer|general]] and member of the [[French Resistance|Resistance]] organization of the French Army during [[World War II]].

==Biography== In the last days of July 1914, aged 18, Zeller obtained from his father, future ''[[Divisional general|général de division]]'' [[Léon Zeller]], an authorization to enlist in the [[French Army]] for the duration of [[World War I]].<ref>''Dialogues avec un lieutenant'' (in French), André Zeller, éditions Plon, 1971</ref> He participated in the war as an [[artillery]]man.

During [[World War II]] Zeller was responsible for hiding materiel once France signed an [[armistice]] [[Armistice of 22 June 1940|with Germany]] on 22 June 1940 and [[Franco-Italian Armistice|with Italy]] on 24 June 1940.<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=Henri Zeller|url=http://museedelaresistanceenligne.org/media5563-Henri-Zeller|website=museedelaresistanceenligne.org|date=|access-date=15 December 2016}}</ref> After 1942, he was part of the [[French Resistance|Resistance]] organization of the French Army.<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=LA LUTTE ARMÉE : LES GRANDS MAQUIS Historique de l'Organisation de Résistance de l'Armée (ORA)|url=http://lesamitiesdelaresistance.fr/lien16-ora.php|website=Les Amitiés de la Résistance|date=|access-date=15 December 2016}}</ref> On 28 September 1943, by which time Zeller was a [[colonel]], the [[Free French Naval Forces]] [[submarine]] {{ship|French submarine|Aréthuse|NN7|2}} disembarked five agents and picked up seven, including Zeller, at [[Cap Camarat]] on the coast of [[Southern France]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.u-boote.fr/atalante.htm|website=u-boote.fr|title=ARÉTHUSE II|language=fr| date=|access-date=13 April 2023}}</ref>

Arriving in [[Algiers]] in [[French Algeria|Algeria]] in the very first days of August 1944 as a liaison officer, Colonel Zeller, by then head of the [[French Forces of the Interior]] (FFI) in the [[Alps]], presented General [[Charles de Gaulle]] with the operational possibilities of the French Resistance in the southeast of France. Inland, FFI forces had eroded German military potential. Informed that [[Operation Dragoon]], the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] plan for [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious landings]] in Provence in Southern France in August 1944, provided for reaching [[Grenoble]] in 90 days, Zeller replied "What a mistake! From [[Brignoles]] to Grenoble, 48 hours will suffice." Convinced, de Gaulle sent Zeller to [[Naples]], Italy, to make his case with General [[Jean de Lattre de Tassigny]], commander of the French [[First Army (France)|First Army]] and [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]] [[Alexander Patch]], commander of the U.S. [[Seventh Army (United States)|Seventh Army]], which made up the initial landing force. Zeller declared that throughout the Alps, "the Germans are practically prisoners in their garrisons, from which they only come out in force for their supply or some retaliatory expedition." The two generals took his recommendations into account. In particular, the U.S. Seventh Army, as soon as it landed, rushed towards Grenoble via the [[Durance]] valley and the [[Route Napoléon]], and with the support of the [[Maquis (World War II)|Maquis]] of [[Drôme]] and [[Isère]] reached it in seven days (and three days after the liberation of Brignoles, {{convert|270|km|0}} below).<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=L'épopée de l'armée de Lattre|author=André Kaspi|website=lhistoire.fr|url=http://www.lhistoire.fr/l%C3%A9pop%C3%A9e-de-larm%C3%A9e-de-lattre|date=July–August 1994}}</ref> These actions allowed the French First Army to ensure the junction with the French [[2nd Armored Division (France)|2nd Armored Division]] — which had landed in [[Normandy]] — on 12 September 1944 at [[Montbard]] and [[Nod-sur-Seine]].

After World War II Zeller served as [[Major General of the Defence Staff (France)|Major General of the Defence Staff]] from 28 April 1948 to 31 March 1950, then as Combined [[Chief of the Defence Staff (France)|Chief of the Defence Staff]] from 1 April 1950 to 20 August 1951. He was appointed [[military governor of Metz]], then from 1953 to 1957 served as [[military governor of Paris]]. Passing into the [[military reserve]] after that, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the [[Legion of Honour]] by [[Marshal of France|Marshal]] [[Alphonse Juin]] on 1 February 1958.

==Honors and awards== * [[File:Croix de Guerre 1914-1918 ribbon.svg|106px]] ''[[Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (France)|Croix de guerre 1914–1918]]'' (three citations) * [[File:Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 ribbon.svg|106px]] ''[[Croix de Guerre 1939–1945]]'' (two citations) * [[File:Legion Honneur GC ribbon.svg|106px]] Grand Cross of the [[Legion of Honour]]<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|title=Présentation de la SEMLH|url=http://www.smlh-lb.org/semlh.php?p=presentation|website=www.smlh-lb.org|date=|access-date=15 December 2016}}</ref> (as ''[[Army general (France)|général d'armée]]'') * [[File:Medaille de la Resistance ribbon.svg|106px]] [[Resistance Medal]] * [[File:Dso-ribbon.svg|106px]] [[Distinguished Service Order]]<ref>{{Cite web|author=The National Archives|title=The Discovery Service|url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7488891|website=discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk|access-date=15 December 2016}}</ref> (United Kingdom) * [[File:Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon.svg|106px]] Commander of the [[Order of the British Empire]] (United Kingdom) * [[File:Grande ufficiale OMRI BAR.svg|106px]] Grand Officer of the [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]] (Italy, 20 April 1956)<ref>{{Cite web|language=it|author=|title=Zeller Gen. Henry|url=https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/262496|website=Presidenza Della Repubblica|access-date=16 April 2023}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zeller, Henri}} [[Category:1896 births]] [[Category:1971 deaths]] [[Category:Military personnel from Besançon]] [[Category:French Army generals of World War II]] [[Category:French military personnel of World War I]] [[Category:French Resistance members]] [[Category:Chiefs of the Defence Staff (France)]] [[Category:Military governors of Paris]] [[Category:Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour]] [[Category:Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)]] [[Category:Recipients of the Resistance Medal]] [[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Grand Officers of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]] [[Category:French recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)]] [[Category:French recipients of the Legion of Honour]]