Jean-Marie Musy
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Jean-Marie Musy (10 April 1876 – 19 April 1952) was a Swiss politician.
Affiliated with the Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland, he was elected to the Federal Council of Switzerland on 11 December 1919 served until 30 April 1934.
During his time in office he held the Department of Finance<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and became President of the Confederation twice, in 1925 and 1930.
Musy, a fascist with pro-Axis sympathies, was acquainted with Heinrich Himmler.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Toward the end of World War II, the forces of Nazi Germany were retreating and near defeat. At the request of two Swiss Orthodox Jews, Recha Sternbuch and her husband Yitzchak Sternbuch, and in coordination with them, Musy and his son Benoît Musy engaged in high-level negotiations with the Nazis to rescue large numbers of Jews in the concentration camps. Following the Template:Ill of 12 January 1945, Musy was involved in the release of 1,210 prisoners from the Theresienstadt concentration camp in February 1945. The group was saved after $1.25 million was placed in Swiss banks by Jewish organizations working in Switzerland. However, the money was never paid to the Nazis.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Moriah Films, Unlikely Heroes, documentary, includes a chapter on Recha Sternbuch (USA)</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Jean-Marie Musy's son Pierre received numerous equestrian competition titles and won the four-man bobsleigh gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Jean-Marie Musy biography in English Jean-Marie Musy – President of Switzerland
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Template:S-start Template:S-off Template:Succession box Template:S-end Template:Swiss Presidents
- 1876 births
- 1952 deaths
- People from Gruyère District
- Swiss fascists
- Swiss Roman Catholics
- Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland politicians
- Christian fascists
- Members of the Federal Council (Switzerland)
- Presidents of the Swiss Confederation
- Finance ministers of Switzerland
- Members of the National Council (Switzerland)
- University of Fribourg alumni
- People who rescued Jews during the Holocaust