Definition
Antoine Veil (30 September 1926 – 9 March 2013) was a French senior civil servant who served in various high‑level administrative positions within the French government. He is also noted for being the husband of Simone Veil, a prominent French politician and Holocaust survivor.
Overview
Born in Blaye, Gironde, France, Antoine Veil pursued a career in the French civil service after completing his studies at the École nationale d'administration (ENA). He held numerous posts, including roles within the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior. Veil retired from public service in the late 1990s. Throughout his life, he remained largely out of the public spotlight, with most public attention focusing on his wife’s political career. He and Simone Veil were married in 1950 and had three children. Antoine Veil died in Paris at the age of 86.
Etymology/Origin
- Antoine is the French form of the Latin name Antonius, which historically denotes “priceless” or “of the Antonius family.”
- Veil is a French surname. Its precise etymology is not definitively established, but it may derive from regional toponymic origins or occupational roots within French naming traditions.
Characteristics
- Professional career: Held senior administrative posts, notably within the French Ministry of Finance, contributing to fiscal policy implementation and public administration reforms.
- Public profile: Maintained a low public profile; involvement in political life was primarily through support of his wife’s activities.
- Family: Married to Simone Veil (née Jacob) from 1950 until his death; father of three children: Vincent, Christine, and Jean‑Claude.
- Recognition: Received honors typical for senior French civil servants, including the National Order of Merit (Ordre national du Mérite).
Related Topics
- Simone Veil – French politician, Holocaust survivor, and former President of the European Parliament.
- French civil service – The administrative framework of France’s public sector.
- École nationale d'administration (ENA) – Elite French graduate school for public administrators.
- French Ministry of Finance – Government department responsible for economic and financial policy.
- French honors system – System of orders, decorations, and medals recognizing service.