Louis Loucheur (12 August 1872 inRoubaix,Nord – 22 November 1931 in Paris) was a French politician in theThird Republic, at first a member of the conservativeRepublican Federation, then of theDemocratic Republican Alliance and of theIndependent Radicals.[1]
Harold Nicolson, in "Curzon The Last Phase 1919-1921," wrote, in his biographical footnote on Loucheur, "one of the most reasonable and intelligent of French post-war experts; not a politician."
Coming from a background in thearms industry, Loucheur becameMinister of Armaments in September 1917.[2] He was administrator ofTréfileries et Laminoirs du Havre (TLH) when he was appointed Minister of Armaments.[3]He replacedAlbert Thomas and served as armaments minister until 26 November, 1918 when he became Minister of Industrial Re-construction where he remained until 20 January, 1920.
He was the principal economic advisor forGeorges Clemenceau at the1919 Paris Peace Conference. The product of this conference was the controversialTreaty of Versailles.
He wasMinister of Liberated Regions from 16 January 1921 to 15 January 1922 in the 7th cabinet ofAristide Briand.
Loucheur was brieflyMinister of Commerce, Industry, Posts, and Telegraphs underRaymond Poincaré in 1924.
He also served asMinister of Finance in Briand's seventh Government during 1925 and 1926.
InÉdouard Herriot's Second Ministry Loucheur served asMinister of Commerce and Industry and from June 1928 to February 1930. He succeededMaurice Bokanowski, who had died in an air accident. He then served again under Poincaré asMinister of Labour, Hygiene, Welfare Work, and Social Security Provisions.
