The Paris World Exposition 1937
Edmond Labbé, Commissioner General

Year: 1937 City: Paris Country: France Duration: 25th May - 25th November 1937

1  Copyright: Generalkatalog, Paris 1937, S. 5

"Son of a humble family of Parisian artisans, Edmond Labbé devoted himself to the teaching profession. He ascended the school hierarchy step by step. With the outbreak of war, as inspector general of technology education, he was put in charge of supplying the inhabitants of the occupied north with food, and in this position, knew how to gain the respect and attention of the enemy troops. At the end of the war, Labbé was appointed engineer-in-chief to rebuild the devastated provinces.

In 1920, when Parliament passed the law on technology education, the post of director general of technology education was vacant. Edmond Labbé appeared to be exactly the right person to implement the new law and establish truly professional teaching - which until then had only taken place on a piecemeal basis. He was therefore appointed director general of technology education and held the position until 1933. In 1931, he received the highest honour awarded to civil servants in France: the major cross of the Legion of Honour. On retirement, he was again honoured by the government in an unprecedented way in France with the title of permanent adviser to the Ministry of Education. He was appointed Commissioner General of the World Exposition on 15 July 1934."

Source: Text from the Marketing Office, Archives Nationalles F1212231. Quote after AK Paris 1987, p. 38, Anm.10