Pierre Sudreau (13 May 1919 – 22 January 2012) was a French politician. His childhood correspondence with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900–1944) helped inspire the title character of the 1943 novel The Little Prince.

Biography

Sudreau was born in Paris, the son of businessman Jean Sudreau and Marie-Marguerite (née Boyer) Sudreau. He announced his resignation as French Education Minister in October 1962 in protest against a proposal by Charles de Gaulle to amend the constitution. In 1985, Sudreau sat on the "Jury of Honor" that assessed whatever the film Des terroristes à la retraite should be aired in France or not. Sudreau referred to the recent Palestinian bombings of American and Israeli targets and stated: "at the very moment when we are again talking about direct action, this broadcast legitimizes terrorist methods.” The "Jury of Honor" in its report stated “though it is highly desirable that a film inform French of all generations about the saga of the FTP-MOI, such a film nevertheless still remains to be made”.

Personal life

He was married to France Brun; they had three children: Jean Sudreau (predeceased), Anne Sudreau O'Connor (predeceased), and Bernard Sudreau. His son Jean died of lung cancer and was married to Danièle Louis-Dreyfus, daughter of French Resistance fighter and businessman Pierre Louis-Dreyfus.

Publications

Books