Suzanne Deutsch de la Meurthe

Suzanne Henriette Charlotte Deutsch de la Meurthe (1892–1937) was a French Jewish philanthropist who inherited a fortune from her father, a highly successful industrialist. She is remembered for restoring the village of Moÿ-de-l'Aisne which was devastated during the First World War and for launching a more effective version of the Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe, triggering the development of civil aviation in France in the 1930s.[1][2][3]

Suzanne Deutsch de la Meurthe

Biography

Born on 20 September 1892 in Paris, Suzanne Henriette Charlotte Deutsch de la Meurthe was the daughter of the successful petroleum businessman Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe (1846–1919)[4] and Marguerite Ida Caroline née Henriques Raba (1854–1941). She was the third of four daughters.[5] Her grandfather, Alexandre Deutsch de la Meurthe (1815–1889), had already developed a thriving vegetable oil business before extending his interests into petroleum imported from the United States. Raised in the Château de Romainville in les Yvelines, she followed with interest her father's support of aviation developments in France.[6]

During the First World War (1914–1918), Suzanne Deutsch de la Meurthe was a volunteer nurse in Biarritz where she cared for wounded soldiers from the front. One of her patients was Germain Testart from Picardie. After the war, she visited him in the village of Moÿ-de-l’Aisne which had been devastated during the fighting. She decided to rebuild the village for its inhabitants, restoring the water supply, constructing housing and providing sports facilities and a gymnasium. After completing work on the village itself in 1928, she built a textile factory providing work for the villagers.[6]

Suzanne's father had been an avid supporter of French aviation, both airships and planes. From 1900, he encouraged participation by launching various competitions from 1900 for both civil and military aircraft. Following in his footsteps, in 1931 she revived the Coupe de la Meurthe, this time with a view to improving the speed of planes which continued until 1936. She established and headed the Aéro-club de l'Aisne in 1921, and supported the Club Roland Garros. For these activities, she was decorated as an Officier of the Legion of Honour in 1935.[6][7]

Suzanne Deutsch de la Meurthe died in Paris on 29 November 1937.[2]

References
  1. "Deutsch de la Meurthe, Suzanne" (in French). Picardia. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  2. "Air Benefactress of France i Dead; Mile. Suzanne Deutsch de la Meurthe, Daughter of Late Aviation Pioneer, Was 45". New York Times. 30 November 1937. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  3. Blanchet (June 1933). "Mlle Suzanne Deutsch de la Meurthe" (PDF) (in French). l'Aérophile. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. "Henry Deutsch (1846-1919)" (in French). Bibiothèque nationale de France. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  5. "Marguerite Ida Caroline Deutsch". Geni. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  6. Mouton, Sophie (2009). "De l'aviation à la Cité universitaire. Philanthropie et patriotisme chez les Deutsch de la Meurthe" (in French). Archives Juives, 2009/1, Vol. 42). pp. 105–117. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  7. Tissot, Janine. "Une femme au grand cœur, mécène de l'aviation, surnommée " la fée des ailes "" (in French). les Actus DN. Retrieved 27 December 2020.

Further reading
  • Suzanne Deutsch de La Meurthe: la fée des Ailes by Edouard Garyga[1]
  1. Garyga, Edouard; Staes, Robert (1998). Suzanne Deutsch de La Meurthe: la fée des Ailes (in French). É. Garyga.
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