Joseph Adolphe Rovan (bornJoseph Adolph Rosenthal inMunich, Germany on 25 July 1918; died 27 July 2004) was a French philosopher and politician, and is considered a spiritual father of post-war Europe. Initially born into theJewish faith, on Whitsunday 1944 he was received into the Catholic Church.
Rovan was active in theFrench Resistance during World War II and was awarded theCroix de Guerre and theMédaille de la Résistance for his services. In 1944, he was arrested by theGestapo and survived 10 months in theDachau concentration camp. It was during this time that he converted toCatholicism. In 1945, after his return to France, he wrote in the magazineEsprit the article "L'Allemagne de nos mérites," where he suggested that the creation of ademocratic Germany on the ruins of theThird Reich was the responsibility of theAllies.
Rovan has also been awarded theLegion d'Honneur, theOrdre National du Mérite, theGerman Order of Merit with Star, and theBavarian Order of Merit. He died in a swimming accident in France.
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