Jacques Barnaud (French pronunciation:[ʒakbaʁno]; 24 February 1893,Antibes – 15 April 1962,Paris) was a French banker, businessman, and member of thecollaborationistVichy regime during theSecond World War.
A graduate of theÉcole Polytechnique, Barnaud worked for theBanque Worms as an executive from 1928 to 1939.[1]
He was enthusiastic about theVichy regime, and following the appointment ofFrançois Darlan asPrime Minister of France in February 1941, Barnaud was brought into the government as Delegate General for Franco-German Economic Relations.[2] Along with the likes ofJean Bichelonne,François Lehideux, andPierre Pucheu, he was a member of a group of technocrats who were important in the early days of the Vichy regime.[3]
Barnaud worked withNazi Germany during theoccupation in order to secure deals to supply them withaluminium andrubber fromFrench Indo-China.[4] He did, however, successfully oppose a plan suggested byHermann Göring that the Nazis collect France's church bells and melt them down for their metal content, feeling that such a scheme would breed too much resentment against theNazi occupiers.[5]
Barnaud was arrested in October 1944 on charges of providing the enemy with intelligence. After several delays, the charges were dismissed in 1949.[4] He returned to his business interests and amassed a fortune in post-warFrance.[4]
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