Doumer, Paul

Doumer, Paul

(pōl do͞omâr`), 1857–1932, president of the French republic (1931–32). He entered the chamber of deputies in 1888, was governor-general of Indochina (1897–1902) and a senator after 1912, and served in several cabinets after World War I. After following Gaston Doumergue as president, he was assassinated by an insane Russian émigré. Albert Lebrun succeeded him.

Doumer, Paul

 

Born Mar. 22, 1857, in Aurillac; died May 7, 1932, in Paris. French statesman.

Doumer began his career as a teacher and publicist. He belonged to the Radical Party. He was governor-general of Indochina from December 1896 to 1902 and minister of finance in 1895-96, 1921-22, and 1925-26. Doumer was president of the Chamber of Deputies in 1905-06 and was elected president of the Senate in 1927. He was president of France in 1931-32. Doumer was fatally wounded by Gorgulov, a White Russian emigre. Reactionary circles in France tried to make use of his murder to instigate an anti-Soviet and anti-communist campaign.