1940
1944
Service des prisonniers de guerre
France. Direction du service des prisonniers de guerre (1940-1944)
L'organisation de la Direction du Service des Prisonniers de Guerre s'est amplifiée peu à peu.
Primitivement, la D.S.P.G. comportait, outre le Secrétariat particulier du Général directeur, d'une part le Cabinet, organisme d'études, de liaison, de coordination et de contrôle, d'autre part, un Bureau central militaire (B.C.M.) organe d'exécution, placé sous l'autorité du Lieutenant Colonel Chevrier. Ce dernier organisme comprenait quatre bureaux : le premier s'occupait des libérations, congés de captivité, rapatriement, état-civil, état militaire, statut du prisonnier ; le second, des secours matériels, de l'aide intellectuelle et morale aux prisonniers et de l'aide aux familles, la Croix-Rouge française lui servant d'organe d'exécution ; le troisième, des renseignements généraux et du régime des prisonniers ; le quatrième, correspondant aux Bureau des renseignements prévu par l'article 77 de la Convention de Genève, était chargé du fichier de renseignements individuels et des statistiques.
A dater du 15 mars 1942, une note de service règla la réorganisation et le fonctionnement de la D.S.P.G. : le personnel de la Direction comportant un chef de cabinet, deux sous-directeurs chargés de diriger et de coordonner l'action des bureaux, l'un pour les affaires générales, l'autre pour les affaires privées et intérieures ; un troisième sous-directeur connaissait toutes les questions d'ordre financier et budgétaire ou de contentieux administratif ; six bureaux se répartissaient les affaires suivant un ordre bien défini : à la suite des quatre premiers, dont il a été parlé plus haut, un cinquième bureau s'occupait de la censure, de la presse et de la radio, de la propagande, des liaisons générales et des renseignements aux visiteurs, le sixième des activités individuelles des prisonniers, des récompenses et des sanctions.
En août 1942, une partie des attributions du 2è bureau fut dévolue à un 7è bureau en ce qui concerne l'aide intellectuelle et morale aux prisonniers et leurs intérêts privés.
Annexe : organigramme
Direction du Service des Prisonniers de Guerre.
Secrétariat particulier, Sous-Direction de Paris
M. BRICKA Général Directeur
Colonel CHEVRIER Chef de Cabinet.
Sous direction pour les affaires privées et les affaires intérieures : M. BRICKA, Service général
Courrier général : M. MICAELLI
Sous-direction pour les affaires générales : M. DESCHAMPS
7 bureaux :
1er bureau : Libérations congés, rapatriements, état-civil, statut M. FLUHR
2e bureau : secours matériel M. MENAT
3e bureau : renseignements généraux sur les camps, régime des Prisonniers de Guerre M. MASSARD
4e bureau : renseignements, art.77 Convention de Genève, fichiers, statistiques M. VILLEMEY
5e Bureau ; censure, presse, radio, propagande, liaisons M. BUZENAC
6e bureau : activité individuelle des prisonniers, récompenses, sanctions M. D'ANDRE
7e bureau : aide intellectuelle et morale, intérêts privés M. MIRAILLEA.
Sous-direction pour les affaires financières et contentieuses : Intendant SUANT
Section financière : M. ALFONSI
Un Service des Prisonniers de Guerre fut mis en place dès le premier jour de la mobilisation au Ministère de la Défense nationale et de la Guerre. Il comprenait, d'une part un organisme chargé de traiter toutes les questions relatives aux prisonniers de guerre, aussi bien ennemis en France que Français en pays ennemis, d'autre part, un "Bureau des renseignements" prévu par l'article 77 de la Convention de Genève. En juillet 1940, ce service se trouvait installé à Vichy dans les locaux des bains Calou, sous les ordres du Lieutenant Colonel Chevrier. Par un arrêté de la Présidence du Conseil du 28 juillet, il fut transformé en Direction autonome "chargée de centraliser et de traiter toutes les questions concernant les prisonniers de guerre". Primitivement rattaché au Ministère de la Défense nationale, la Direction du Service des Prisonniers de Guerre passa ensuite au Secrétariat d'Etat à la Guerre par un arrêté du 26 septembre 1940. Elle fut confiée successivement au Général Besson, jusqu'au 31 décembre 1942, puis au Général Bertin-Boussu (1 janvier au 30 mai 1943) enfin au Général Godechevre (30 mai 1943 au 31 août 1944).
A son arrivée à Vichy, le Général Besson utilisa les locaux des bains Calou, puis occupa quatre pièces supplémentaires à l'Hôtel Thermal. A partir du 30 octobre 1940, la Direction fut transférée à Lyon, 52 avenue Foch. Cette ville avait été choisie en raison de sa proximité de la Suisse, et des avantages que cela présentait pour l'acheminement des trains de secours vers les camps.
Tandis que l'Ambassade Scapini était chargée de négocier avec les Allemands les mesures d'ensemble relatives aux prisonniers, la Direction du Service des Prisonniers de Guerre, organisme officiel d'exécution, devait traiter toutes les questions d'application pratique concernant la vie du prisonnier pendant sa captivité, donc apporter à celui-ci toute l'assistance matérielle, intellectuelle et morale dont il avait besoin.
Elle assurait donc le ravitaillement collectif des camps (envois de vivres, vêtements, médicaments, livres et jeux, ceci grâce au magasin entrepôt de la Croix-Rouge française à Lyon), l'aide morale aux familles et la gestion de leurs intérêts (solde, allocations, impôts, assurances, etc.), la transmission aux prisonniers de toutes pièces d'état-civil et autres documents importants, la défense morale du foyer des prisonniers.
Elle agissait en liaison avec d'autres organismes chaque fois que les sujets à traiter sortaient du cadre défini ci-dessus : c'est ainsi qu'elle transmettait au Service diplomatique toutes les questions relevant de lui en sa qualité de puissance protectrice, telles que les interventions au point de vue des libérations, du régime des camps, des violations de la Convention de Genève ; à la Direction des Services de l'Armistice les démarches à entreprendre, en vertu des clauses de la Convention d'Armistice, concernant les prisonniers de guerre ; à la "Famille du Prisonnier", (relevant du Secours National) les cas d'assistance intéressant les familles sans ressources de certains prisonniers ; au Commissariat au Reclassement toutes les requêtes provenant de prisonniers rapatriés.
La Direction fonctionna jusqu'à la Libération. Dès le 1er septembre 1944, le Général Godechevre était à la disposition du nouveau Ministère des Prisonniers, Déportés et Réfugiés ; en octobre, il s'installa au Ministère à Paris en qualité de Directeur du Service de l'Assistance aux Absents. Le fichier des prisonniers était resté à Lyon avec une fraction infime du personnel (16 employés) qui constituait l'échelon de Lyon et s'occupait surtout de la confection de colis. Le décret du 31 mars 1945 consacra le procès-verbal de la réunion du 11 octobre précédent au cours de laquelle avait été décidée la fusion de la D.S.P.G. dans l'ensemble des services du Ministère et l'ordonnance du 11 mai 1945 la supprima définitivement.
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