# Henri Zeller

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French military officer (1896–1971)

Henri Zeller General Henri Zeller on 23 April 1961. Military governor of Paris In office 1953–1957 Preceded by René Chouteau Succeeded by Louis-Constant Morlière Chief of the Defence Staff In office 1 April 1950 – 20 August 1951 Succeeded by Charles Léchères Governor-General of Metz In office 1949–1953 Major General of the Defence Staff In office 28 April 1948 – 31 March 1950 Personal details Born 18 March 1896 Besançon, France Died 16 April 1971(1971-04-16) (aged 75) Paris, France Parent Léon Zeller (father) Relatives André Zeller (brother) Profession Military officer Known for French Resistance Military service Allegiance France Branch/service French Army French Forces of the Interior Years of service 1914–1957 Rank Général d'armée Battles/wars World War I World War II

**Henri Zeller** (born 18 March 1896, [Besançon](/source/Besan%C3%A7on), France – died 16 April 1971, Paris, France) was a [French Army](/source/French_Army) [general](/source/General_officer) and member of the [Resistance](/source/French_Resistance) organization of the French Army during [World War II](/source/World_War_II).

## Biography

In the last days of July 1914, aged 18, Zeller obtained from his father, future *[général de division](/source/Divisional_general)* [Léon Zeller](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=L%C3%A9on_Zeller&action=edit&redlink=1), an authorization to enlist in the [French Army](/source/French_Army) for the duration of [World War I](/source/World_War_I).[1] He participated in the war as an [artilleryman](/source/Artillery).

During [World War II](/source/World_War_II) Zeller was responsible for hiding materiel once France signed an [armistice](/source/Armistice) [with Germany](/source/Armistice_of_22_June_1940) on 22 June 1940 and [with Italy](/source/Franco-Italian_Armistice) on 24 June 1940.[2] After 1942, he was part of the [Resistance](/source/French_Resistance) organization of the French Army.[3] On 28 September 1943, by which time Zeller was a [colonel](/source/Colonel), the [Free French Naval Forces](/source/Free_French_Naval_Forces) [submarine](/source/Submarine) [*Aréthuse*](/source/French_submarine_Ar%C3%A9thuse_(NN7)) disembarked five agents and picked up seven, including Zeller, at [Cap Camarat](/source/Cap_Camarat) on the coast of [Southern France](/source/Southern_France).[4]

Arriving in [Algiers](/source/Algiers) in [Algeria](/source/French_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](/source/French_Forces_of_the_Interior) (FFI) in the [Alps](/source/Alps), presented General [Charles de Gaulle](/source/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](/source/Operation_Dragoon), the [Allied](/source/Allies_of_World_War_II) plan for [amphibious landings](/source/Amphibious_warfare) in Provence in Southern France in August 1944, provided for reaching [Grenoble](/source/Grenoble) in 90 days, Zeller replied "What a mistake! From [Brignoles](/source/Brignoles) to Grenoble, 48 hours will suffice." Convinced, de Gaulle sent Zeller to [Naples](/source/Naples), Italy, to make his case with General [Jean de Lattre de Tassigny](/source/Jean_de_Lattre_de_Tassigny), commander of the French [First Army](/source/First_Army_(France)) and [Lieutenant General](/source/Lieutenant_general_(United_States)) [Alexander Patch](/source/Alexander_Patch), commander of the U.S. [Seventh Army](/source/Seventh_Army_(United_States)), 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](/source/Durance) valley and the [Route Napoléon](/source/Route_Napol%C3%A9on), and with the support of the [Maquis](/source/Maquis_(World_War_II)) of [Drôme](/source/Dr%C3%B4me) and [Isère](/source/Is%C3%A8re) reached it in seven days (and three days after the liberation of Brignoles, 270 kilometres (168 mi) below).[5] These actions allowed the French First Army to ensure the junction with the French [2nd Armored Division](/source/2nd_Armored_Division_(France)) — which had landed in [Normandy](/source/Normandy) — on 12 September 1944 at [Montbard](/source/Montbard) and [Nod-sur-Seine](/source/Nod-sur-Seine).

After World War II Zeller served as [Major General of the Defence Staff](/source/Major_General_of_the_Defence_Staff_(France)) from 28 April 1948 to 31 March 1950, then as Combined [Chief of the Defence Staff](/source/Chief_of_the_Defence_Staff_(France)) from 1 April 1950 to 20 August 1951. He was appointed [military governor of Metz](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Military_governor_of_Metz&action=edit&redlink=1), then from 1953 to 1957 served as [military governor of Paris](/source/Military_governor_of_Paris). Passing into the [military reserve](/source/Military_reserve) after that, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the [Legion of Honour](/source/Legion_of_Honour) by [Marshal](/source/Marshal_of_France) [Alphonse Juin](/source/Alphonse_Juin) on 1 February 1958.

## Honors and awards

- *[Croix de guerre 1914–1918](/source/Croix_de_guerre_1914%E2%80%931918_(France))* (three citations)

- *[Croix de Guerre 1939–1945](/source/Croix_de_Guerre_1939%E2%80%931945)* (two citations)

- Grand Cross of the [Legion of Honour](/source/Legion_of_Honour)[6] (as *[général d'armée](/source/Army_general_(France))*)

- [Resistance Medal](/source/Resistance_Medal)

- [Distinguished Service Order](/source/Distinguished_Service_Order)[7] (United Kingdom)

- Commander of the [Order of the British Empire](/source/Order_of_the_British_Empire) (United Kingdom)

- Grand Officer of the [Order of Merit of the Italian Republic](/source/Order_of_Merit_of_the_Italian_Republic) (Italy, 20 April 1956)[8]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** *Dialogues avec un lieutenant* (in French), André Zeller, éditions Plon, 1971

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Henri Zeller"](http://museedelaresistanceenligne.org/media5563-Henri-Zeller). *museedelaresistanceenligne.org* (in French). Retrieved 15 December 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["LA LUTTE ARMÉE : LES GRANDS MAQUIS Historique de l'Organisation de Résistance de l'Armée (ORA)"](http://lesamitiesdelaresistance.fr/lien16-ora.php). *Les Amitiés de la Résistance* (in French). Retrieved 15 December 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["ARÉTHUSE II"](http://www.u-boote.fr/atalante.htm). *u-boote.fr* (in French). Retrieved 13 April 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** André Kaspi (July–August 1994). ["L'épopée de l'armée de Lattre"](http://www.lhistoire.fr/l%C3%A9pop%C3%A9e-de-larm%C3%A9e-de-lattre). *lhistoire.fr* (in French).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Présentation de la SEMLH"](http://www.smlh-lb.org/semlh.php?p=presentation). *www.smlh-lb.org* (in French). Retrieved 15 December 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** The National Archives. ["The Discovery Service"](http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7488891). *discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk*. Retrieved 15 December 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Zeller Gen. Henry"](https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/262496). *Presidenza Della Repubblica* (in Italian). Retrieved 16 April 2023.

v t e Military governors of Paris Governors of Paris under the Ancien Régime Louis I d'Anjou: 1356–1357 Jean de Berry: 1411 Waléran III de Luxembourg: 1411–1413 Jean II de Luxembourg: 1418–1420 Jean de La Baume: 1422–142. Jean de Villiers: 1429–14.. Philippe de Ternant: 14..–14.. Jacques de Villiers: 1461 Charles d'Artois: 1465 Charles de Melun: 1465–1467 Charles I d'Amboise: 1467–1470 Charles de Gaucourt: 14..–1472 Antoine de Chabannes: 1472–147. Guillaume de Poitiers: 1478–14.. Louis d'Orléans: 1483–1485 Antoine de Chabannes: 1485–1488 Gilbert de Montpensier: 14..–1494 Charles II d'Amboise: 1493–1496 Antoine de La Rochefoucauld: 15..–15.. Paul de Thermes: 1559–1562 Charles de Cossé: 1562–1563 François de Montmorency: 15..–1572 René de Villequier: 1580 François d'O: 158.–1589 Charles-Emmanuel de Savoie: 1589–1590 Jean-Francois de Faudoas: 1590–1594 Charles II de Cossé: 1594 François d'O: 1594 Charles du Plessis: 1616 Hercule de Rohan: 1643–16.. François de L'Hospital: 1648–1657 Ambroise-François de Bournonville: 1657–1662 Antoine d'Aumont: 1662–1669 Gabriel de Rochechouart: 1669–1675 Charles III de Créquy: 1676–1687 Léon Potier: 1687–1704 Duc de Tresmes: 1704–1739 Bernard Potier: 1739–1757 Charles Louis d'Albert: 1757–1771 Jean de Cossé-Brissac: 1771–1780 Louis de Cossé-Brissac: 1780–1791 General commanders of the Armed Forces in Paris Louis-Auguste-Augustin d'Affry: 1791–1792 Jacques-François de Menou: 1792–1794 Jean Thierry: 1794–1795 Jacques-François de Menou: 1795 Paul de Barras: 1795 Napoléon Bonaparte: 1795–1796 Jacques Maurice Hatry: 1796–1797 Pierre Augereau: 1797 Louis Lemoine: 1797 Jean-François Moulin: 1797–1798 Joseph Gilot: 1798–1799 Barthélemy Catherine Joubert: 1799 Jean-Antoine Marbot: 1799 François Joseph Lefebvre: 1799–1800 Édouard Mortier: 1800–1803 Jean-Andoche Junot: 1803–1804 Military governors of Paris after the French Revolution Joachim Murat: 1804–1805 Louis Bonaparte: 1805–1806 Joachim Murat: 1806 Jean-Andoche Junot: 1806–1807 Pierre-Augustin Hulin: 1807–1814 Louis de Rochechouart: 1814 Louis Sébastien Grundler: 1814–1815 Nicolas-Joseph Maison: 1815 Pierre-Augustin Hulin: 1815 André Masséna: July 1815 Nicolas-Joseph Maison: 1815 Hyacinthe Despinoy: 1815–1816 Catherine-Dominique de Pérignon: 1816–1818 Nicolas-Joseph Maison: 1819–1821 Auguste de Marmont: 1821–1830 Pierre-Claude Pajol: 1830–1842 Tiburce Sébastiani: 1842–1848 Nicolas Changarnier: 1848–1851 Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers: 1851 Bernard Pierre Magnan: 1851–1865 François Certain de Canrobert: 1865–1870 Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers: 1870 Louis-Jules Trochu: 1870–1871 Joseph Vinoy: 1871 Paul de Ladmirault: 1871–1878 Édouard Aymard: 1878–1880 Justin Clinchant: 1880–1881 Alphonse Lecointe: 1882–1884 Félix-Gustave Saussier: 1884–1898 Émile Zurlinden: 1898–1899 Joseph Brugère: 1899–1900 Georges-Auguste Florentin: 1900–1901 Paul-Vincent Faure-Biguet: 1901–1903 Jean Dessirier: 1903–1906 Jean-Baptiste Dalstein: 1906–1910 Michel-Joseph Maunoury: 1910–1912 Victor-Constant Michel: 1912–1914 Joseph Gallieni: 1914–1915 Michel-Joseph Maunoury: 1915–1916 Augustin Dubail: 1916–1918 Adolphe Guillaumat: 1918 Charles Emile Moinier: 1918–1919 Pierre Berdoulat: 1919–1923 Henri Gouraud: 1923–1937 Gaston Billotte: 1937–1939 Pierre Héring: 1939–1940 Henri Dentz: 1940 Military governors of Paris under the German occupation Otto von Stülpnagel Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel Dietrich von Choltitz Military governors of Paris since 1944 Philippe Leclerc: 1944 Marie-Pierre Kœnig: 1944–1945 Paul Legentilhomme: 1945–1947 René Chouteau: 1947–1953 Henri Zeller: 1953–1957 Louis-Constant Morlière: 1957–1958 Pierre Garbay: 1958–1959 Raoul Salan: 1959–1960 Maurice Gazin: 1960 André Demetz: 1960–1962 Louis Dodelier: 1962–1965 Philippe de Camas: 1965–1968 André Meltz: 1968–1971 Bernard Usureau: 1971–1974 Philippe Clave: 1974–1975 Jean Favreau: 1975–1977 Jacques de Barry: 1977–1980 Jeannou Lacaze: 1980–1981 Roger Périer: 1981–1982 Alban Barthez: 1982–1984 Michel Fennebresque: 1984–1987 Hervé Navereau: 1987–1991 Daniel Valéry: 1991–1992 Michel Guignon: 1992–1996 Michel Billot: 1996–2000 Pierre Costedoat: 2000–2002 Marcel Valentin: 2002–2005 Xavier de Zuchowicz: 2005–2007 Bruno Dary: 2007–2012 Hervé Charpentier: 2012–2015 Bruno Le Ray: 2015–2020 Christophe Abad: 2020–2024 Loïc Mizon: 2024

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Henri Zeller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Zeller) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Zeller?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.