Jean Malavoy 1903 - 1945

Born 7.11.1903 in Rochefort-sur-Mer
Died 13.2.1945 in Gusen

Biography

Jean Malavoy, the son of Vice-Admiral Henri Malavoy, was born on 7 November 1903 in Rochefort and died on 13 February 1945 in the Gusen I concentration camp. He was a chief mining engineer. After attending various grammar schools he developed an interest in mathematics at the Lycée Henri-IV in Paris and subsequently studied at the École Polytechnique with flying colours. There he became particularly interested in the interaction between game and probability theory and applied mechanics. Jean Malavoy therefore continued his studies at the École des Mines mining academy, where he took a special interest in geology.

After completing his studies, Jean Malavoy went to Dakar in Senegal in 1927 in order to improve West Africa’s neglected mining industry. In Dakar he built up an important geological collection and reported regularly from there from 1932 onwards. Alongside his work on a stratigraphical atlas of Africa he also supplied materials for scientific exhibitions in Paris and other places outside France.

In 1935 his health forced him to leave West Africa but when, from 1936 onwards he was working as the geologist responsible for parts of the Marseille district and later for the Valenciennes district, he missed his interesting days in Africa. As the person responsible for the safety of mining operations, he developed a keen understanding for the social situation of those living in mining areas and in 1938 was able to settle a strike amicably.

After the outbreak of war, Jean Malavoy was called up to serve as deputy commander of an artillery regiment in the rank of captain of the reserve. After demobilisation he returned briefly to his post in Valenciennes before being made principal engineer responsible for the mineralogy of the Rouen district on 15 November 1941. There he joined the Résistance but was arrested by the Gestapo on 2 March 1942. Via Fresnes, Romainville and Saarbrücken he was deported to the Mauthausen concentration camp.

Jean Malavoy was assigned to the Ebensee and Redl-Zipf subcamps. However, when an interpreter with whom he worked closely carried out an act of sabotage in December 1944, he was transferred to the Gusen concentration camp, where he was executed on 13 February 1945. In 1947, France posthumously awarded Jean Malavoy a high Order of the Republic.

Rudolf A. Haunschmied

 

Gedenkdienstkomitee Gusen (www.gusen.org)

Translation into English: Joanna White

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