Henri-Jacques Citroën’s Speech to Transfer His Grandfather to the Panthéon in Paris

In a heartfelt speech on February 19, 2025 in the Richelieu Amphitheater at the Université Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne, Henri-Jacques Citroën, grandson of the visionary founder André Citroën, reflected on his grandfather’s extraordinary legacy.

He emphasized André Citroën’s innovative spirit, the deep integration of the brand into French society, and his significant role in France’s industrial history. Henri-Jacques Citroën highlighted how his grandfather, as the child of immigrants, revolutionized the automotive industry with foresight and determination, leaving an indelible mark.

Photos (C) Laurent Julliand.

This is also the reason why the Amicale Citroën Internationale support the initiative of ACI ambassador Henri Jacques to transfer his grandfather to the Panthéon Paris, an initiative that has support from Citroënvie and all Citroën Clubs around the world.

We are pleased to offer the following transcript of Henri-Jacques Citroën’s speech;

^{What an emotion to find oneself in this imposing amphitheater where, for centuries, so many prestigious speakers and distinguished professors have passed down their knowledge! In this beautiful historic university, situated across from the Panthéon… We’re getting closer…}

^{I am going to talk to you about André Citroën. I will tell you what I know, what I feel about my grandfather.}

^{André Citroën, „the most famous unknown man in the world,“ as British writer John Reynolds describes him in the introduction to his excellent book, published in 1996, simply titled: André Citroën, Engineer, Explorer, Entrepreneur. Other books have been written about him, with evocative titles: A Life of Double or Nothing by Jacques Wolgensinger; Citroën, a Genius Ahead by Dominique Pagneux. Citroën, 80 Years of the Future by Roger Guyot and Christophe Bonnaud, marking the brand’s 80th anniversary.}

^{Everyone knows André Citroën. In France and around the world, countless streets, avenues, and schools bear his name. A large park in the 15th arrondissement, a quay along the Seine, and a metro station in Paris. The Americans paid him the ultimate tribute: in 1998, he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, the hall of automotive celebrities where he holds a permanent place. But few know his story. A French story of creation, optimism, and determination. Of patriotism too.}

^{Everyone knows the Citroën brand, whose vehicles traverse our roads and streets. I’ve often said that it’s impossible for me to forget my name when I see so many Citroën cars in our cities and countryside, hear the ads on the radio, and watch the commercials on TV.}

E^{very person I meet always has anecdotes or memories to share about Citroën, often with emotion—stories I always listen to with pleasure. At the many Citroën gatherings I’m invited to, I meet them one by one and listen to them individually, often for hours. Citroën is truly embedded in the history of French families. One day, a journalist asked me: “What is Citroën to you?}“ ^{My answer:} “^{A car that most French families have owned at some point.“}

^{Our compatriots don’t know that André Citroën came from an immigrant background. His father was Dutch, his mother Polish; he became French at the age of 18 to attend the École Polytechnique. He married an Italian woman, Georgina Bingen. A European family.}

^{Our compatriots don’t know where the Citroën logo comes from. In 1900, at the age of 22, my grandfather traveled to Poland to visit his family. He was introduced to an industrialist who invited him to his foundry. In a corner of the factory, he discovered gears with chevron-shaped teeth.} “^{Why this shape?” he asked, intrigued. He was told it was a recent invention designed to make power transmission more efficient and gear engagement quieter. Sensing the growth that industry would soon experience in France, he bought the patent on the spot, returned to Paris, registered it there, and created the machine to cut chevron-shaped teeth. He then founded his company, Engrenages Citroën. A startup of its time. Thus began his epic journey. Later, he chose the double chevron to symbolize his automotive brand. It was the first time in global economic history that a company chose a symbol as its logo.}

^{In 1908, the struggling Automobiles Mors company hired him to turn it around. In 1912, aware that Americans were far ahead of Europeans in industrial work organization, he traveled to the United States to see firsthand the new methods of industrial production—Taylorism—and grasped their advantages.}

^{He was very close friends with Charlie Chaplin. A few years later, as his automotive company was thriving, they dined together. Chaplin asked him endless questions about the workings of assembly-line production. You can imagine what followed: the film Modern Times!}

^{The First World War broke out. André Citroën was sent to the front. In the trenches, he quickly realized that the Germans were firing far more shells at the French lines than the other way around. If nothing was done, he thought, France would lose the war. So he took the initiative to ask his family to secure him an audience with the Minister of War to propose the immediate construction of a shell factory. The audience was granted. André Citroën, then a little-known industrialist, got the government’s green light.}

^{Without delay, he bought land in the Javel district, had the massive factory building constructed, purchased the machines, established the production process, and hired 3,500 people—three-quarters of whom were women, since the men were at the front. To ensure they worked in good conditions: a nursery, daycare, infirmary, locker rooms with showers, maternity bonuses, and breastfeeding bonuses. In an astonishingly short time of four months, mass production of shells began. The number of employees gradually rose to 13,000. France now had the ammunition to defeat the Germans. Faced with the adversity striking the nation, André Citroën reacted and acted!}

^{As early as 1915, in the midst of war, and continuing afterward, he implemented a pioneering social policy. It was André Citroën who invented the 13th month’s salary in 1927, introduced ongoing vocational training, organized health services for workers, and created internal newsletters so every employee was informed about the company’s progress in all areas. Ahead of his time, he banned smoking in the factory and offices.}

^{A mutual respect bound André Citroën to his employees, with whom he was very close. The „Boss“ was well-liked, often admired. „Boss“: that’s what they called him, and some still call him that today, affectionately. After the passing of certain Citroën enthusiasts, I’ve come across obituaries noting, as a consolation, that the deceased} “^{will reunite with the Boss in heaven.}“

^{When aviator Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic solo and declared, after landing at Le Bourget in the dead of night, that he had been guided by the name Citroën written in illuminated letters across the full height of the Eiffel Tower, André Citroën immediately invited him to visit his factory. At the end of the visit, a grand banquet was held in his honor there. 6,000 guests: the 6,000 factory workers! On July 4th this year, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the lighting of that advertisement, the tallest in the history of the world. It remained there from 1925 to 1934.}

^{From the signing of the armistice in 1918, he began transforming his shell factory into a car factory, which he decided to produce on a large scale to reduce costs and sell them at affordable prices for most people. Bringing mobility to the population. Selling complete cars: indeed, before the war, the multitude of small manufacturers offered cars where almost everything was optional except the steering wheel and wheels. A visit to the remarkable National Automobile Museum in Mulhouse is enough to see this. It was André Citroën who standardized the steering wheel on the left.}

^{The constant goal he set for his teams: in the technical, technological, and aesthetic domains, to be more than five years ahead of the competition. An essential condition for the company to envision its future with some peace of mind. An instruction that became a mindset, enduring within Citroën’s teams throughout the 20th century. His great rival Louis Renault once said:} “^{Citroën does us good; he keeps us from falling asleep.}“

^{Citroën, an extraordinary creativity! Worldwide, it’s the brand that has produced the most iconic cars: Autochenilles, Rosalie, Traction Avant, 2CV, DS, Méhari, Ami6, SM, CX, XM, GX, C6. The most collected brand in the world. The Amicale Citroën Internationale currently counts over 70,000 collectors and enthusiasts. More members than any political party…}

^{Models that are part of our shared history and generate sympathy but also respect. Why respect? Recall the massive destruction in front of the Cercle des Armées on December 1, 2018, during the Yellow Vests crisis. Everything was smashed except a white DS. Journalist Thomas Morales wrote: “Paris was ablaze, but the Yellow Vests knew how to protect a symbol of a lost France, a banner of their struggle: amidst the flames and cobblestone throwing, a white Citroën DS was spared.” He continued: “This car, dear to Fantômas and the General, wasn’t just a mode of transportation, a paragon of mobility, but a work of art. A cathedral that Roland Barthes tried to decipher. A mysticism made of steel.”}

^{Vintage cars bring us together. The 2CV is the favorite car of the French, according to a recent survey.}

^{How could one stay at the technical forefront for so long? Appreciated leadership. A selection of excellent engineers, as the French education system knows how to „produce.“ A good atmosphere among the teams. Staying vigilant in the world of inventors. But also developing a privileged relationship with the United States, where André Citroën found industrial inspiration since his first trip in 1912…}

^{He maintained close ties with American inventors and industrialists, particularly Edward Budd. It was Budd who imagined the „all-steel“ car. André Citroën bought the patent from him, developed it, and produced the B10 model in 1924, the first all-steel car. It was Budd who conceived the front-wheel-drive principle. André Citroën bought that patent too, developed it, and produced the famous Traction Avant. To design its body, he took a big gamble: entrusting the design to an Italian sculptor, Flaminio Bertoni, specialized in animal sculptures. André Citroën and the United States: a story of industrial complicity. To be hired at his company, engineers had to speak English.}

^{To sell all these mass-produced cars, a vast network of motivated dealers and agents had to be quickly created. Motivated because they were highly valued and supported by André Citroën. It was done. At least one in every French city. Many in European countries. It was also necessary to make his cars known, showcase their benefits, seduce, and convince buyers. By force of circumstance, by the strength of his imagination and creativity, it was André Citroën who invented modern marketing, modern advertising, as Jacques Séguéla so aptly put it.}

^{His name on the Eiffel Tower for 10 years. The illumination of monuments gifted to the city of Paris. Road signs across our country. Citroën toys for children, dreaming that a child’s first three words would be: „Papa, Mama, Citroën“! He had an innate sense of public relations. Promoting the brand full-time… As a journalist wrote: „It was André Citroën who invented the buzz!“ Some say he invented CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).}

^{One day, Philippe Varin, CEO of PSA, showed me the 1932 dealer manual, saying: “Look, this manual could be applied word-for-word today!”}

^{Always at the forefront, even in societal matters, André Citroën launched an advertising campaign in the 1930s with the slogan: “The modern woman only drives Citroën!” What a bet on the future, considering how few women had driver’s licenses at the time! A slogan that outraged conservatives: “Why is this industrialist meddling in the organization of our society?”}

^{Starting from nothing in 1919, André Citroën became Europe’s leading manufacturer and the world’s second-largest in less than 10 years! The French automotive industry shone in Europe.}

^{France would shine globally thanks to the major expeditions conceived and organized by André Citroën. They would, of course, demonstrate the reliability and originality of his cars but, above all, open communication routes in numerous countries in Africa and Asia that didn’t yet have them. Enter the famous Autochenilles, invented by Russian engineer Kégresse and developed by André Citroën. The ancestor of off-road vehicles. First expedition: the Sahara Crossing (December 1922-January 1923).}

^{Then, from October 1924 to June 1925, exactly 100 years ago, the Black Cruise (also called the „Citroën Central Africa Expedition“), crossing all of Africa from Algeria to South Africa. To better understand the continent. Among the expedition members were scientists: an ethnologist, archaeologist, geologist, geographer, a filmmaker, a photographer, and the painter Alexandre Iacovleff.}

^{It’s interesting to note that several African countries, in the 2000s, paid tribute to André Citroën by issuing stamps in his honor: Sierra Leone in 2020 (85 years after his death), Djibouti in 2018 (140 years after his birth), Niger in 2015 (80 years after his death), Guinea-Bissau in 2015 (80 years after his death), Central African Republic in 2023 (145 years after his birth), and earlier, Gabon in 1978 (centenary of his birth).}

^{To commemorate the centenary of this epic journey, a Green Cruise is underway. Éric Vigouroux, a member of our committee, is crossing all of Africa, from Morocco to South Africa, aboard four electric Citroën AMI cars. A challenge: 14,000 kilometers powered solely by foldable solar panels. A great promotion of future mobility!}

^{In 1931, launching the Yellow Cruise (April 1931-February 1932), the extraordinary crossing of the Middle East and Asia from Lebanon to China, my grandfather considered it “the ultimate test for men and machines.” He wanted automobiles to break down geographical, cultural, and political barriers between nations. It was the greatest expedition in world history. On board were scientists and personalities such as the director of the Guimet Museum and Father Teilhard de Chardin.}

^{These were exceptional public relations operations, as the expedition members reported back to the French people every evening via radio about the day’s discoveries and events. Avant-garde communication.}

^{A monumental plaque in a corner of the Cour d’Honneur at Les Invalides commemorates all these Citroën expeditions, human adventures that left a lasting mark. Expeditions led by Georges-Marie Haardt, André Citroën’s friend, confidant, and trusted ally, accompanied by men who overcame a thousand trials, dangers, and difficulties. Physically, “superhumans.” I’ve had the chance to drive an Autochenille: I assure you, a metro fold-down seat is more comfortable than the driver’s seat of an Autochenille!}

^{One day, a friend, a renowned American psychoanalyst, Joel Gavriele-Gold, explained to me why André Citroën became an icon, like Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Frida Kahlo, or Jim Morrison in other fields: as France emerged destroyed from the First World War, with the French overwhelmed by sadness, a man burst forth—enthusiastic, optimistic, and determined. Being omnipresent, he transmitted an energy and hope that people felt. He showed that anything was possible, and that left an impression. When a light shines in the darkness, you see the path…}

^{A man not at all driven by the lure of profit. He owned nothing beyond his factories. His Paris apartment on Rue Octave Feuillet was rented, as was his house in Deauville! Only his family and his factories mattered. His factories were his tool to advance industry, the economy, and French society.}

^{In 1932, André Citroën visited Louis Renault’s fully renovated factory. Upon leaving, he decided to modernize his Javel factory to have facilities outperforming those of his competitor. A major investment in the midst of a global economic crisis—an endeavor Georges-Marie Haardt, his friend who knew how to temper his zeal, would surely have dissuaded him from. But Haardt had died of illness at the end of the Yellow Cruise he was leading. Financial troubles emerged. To confront them, the newly designed Traction Avant had to be rushed to market. It was released too soon, without proper testing.}

^{My grandfather, gravely ill and hospitalized for weeks, lost control of his company and died in July 1935.}

^{Jacques Séguéla, in his book Papa, Maman, Citroën, comments on this tragic end: “André Citroën, the tightrope walker without a balancing pole, left the stage as he lived: too fast.”}

^{Thus legends are born…}

^{André Citroën brought joy. He loved the chansonniers who so often mocked him. One day, he decided to gather the 12 most famous chansonniers and, in the presence of President Edouard Herriot and Joséphine Baker, proposed the following contest in verse:}

^{Lelièvre, Mauricet, Balthon, Rop, and Dorin
You’ve mistreated me from quatrain to quatrain
Thanks to me, you reap bravos every day
To the best among you, I’ll give a 5 HP.}

^{Then each chansonnier read his poem. The winner of the car was Léo Lelièvre with this charming poem:}

^{Lelièvre, my ancestor, long mocked
Was once soundly beaten by a tortoise from afar;
Me, thanks to Citroën, I outpace everyone,
No need to run, you need the right engine.}

^{This contest showcases André Citroën’s sense of humor and generosity. In the 20th century, try finding a more likable industrialist than him!}

^{Why our suggestion, submitted to the President of the Republic, to have André Citroën enter the Panthéon?}

^{In our beautiful country, we currently have several major goals:}

<sup>* Reindustrialization
* The pursuit of social cohesion
* Strengthening the role of women
* Being at the technological forefront in all future fields</sup>

^{To achieve these goals, André Citroën’s life and work provide a model and inspiration for us. They are full of lessons for the present and future. An inspiration from a charismatic man of immigrant origins, part of a family with multiple European roots. An exceptional personality, he symbolizes a French story of creation and faith in the future. A pioneer. A visionary. A humanist. A promoter of women’s role in society.}

^{Isn’t it time to pay tribute to the industrialists and entrepreneurs who helped create the wealth of France and the French people?}

^{The Century Gathering, held in July 2019, which I dubbed „Citroën’s Woodstock“ because it brought together 60,000 people over three days, was the major celebration of the brand’s 100th anniversary. A journalist on-site remarked to me: “In France, only two people can gather so many people from all social backgrounds, all geographic origins, all ages, with such fervor and enthusiasm: Johnny Hallyday and… André Citroën!”}

^{It’s often said that we are searching for heroes, that we need heroes. I’ve just told you the story of a hero.}

You can show your support to place the body of André Citroën in the Pantheon by signing the petition at one of these 3 links:

* Petition site : https://chng.it/9zX7dqCtTq

* INSTAGRAM account : andre_citroen_au_pantheon
https://www.instagram.com/andre_citroen_au_pantheon/

* FACEBOOK account : André Citroën au Panthéon
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557500791705836