2024-01-05 16:16:19
Jean-Marie Rausch, at Metz town hall, November 22, 2007. JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN / AFP
Jean-Marie Rausch, mayor of Metz for more than three decades and former minister, died Friday January 5 at the age of 94, we learned from the Moselle municipality.
“Mayor for thirty-seven years, Jean-Marie Rausch embodied the city of Metz and revealed himself as a rigorous manager and an exceptional visionary”declared the current mayor of Metz, François Grosdidier, on his Facebook account, after learning “with deep sadness and deep emotion” the death of his predecessor on Friday morning.
Born in 1929 in Sarreguemines (Moselle), Mr. Rausch was elected mayor (various right) of Metz in 1971, a position he held until 2008, the year when the socialist Dominique Gros succeeded him – a first for the left .
He was also senator of Moselle between 1974 and 2001, with a break between 1988 and 1992, during which he held positions as “minister of openness” under the presidency of François Mitterand. He was Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister Delegate for Posts and Telecommunications and Minister Delegate for Commerce and Crafts in the successive governments of Michel Rocard, Edith Cresson and Pierre Bérégovoy.
Initiator of the Center Pompidou-Metz project
The mayor of Nancy, the socialist Mathieu Klein, welcomed in a press release “the memory of Jean-Marie Rausch, who left his mark on Metz and Lorraine throughout his public commitment”calling it“elected pioneer in the promotion of urban ecology” and of “open political leader, who worked for the destiny of France alongside François Mitterrand”.
Mr. Rausch also initiated the creation of the Center Pompidou-Metz, which he hoped would “radically changes the image of Metz in France and Europe”. “We owe to him what Metz is today: open-air museum, garden city, European city, metropolis which has revived its higher education”commented Mr. Grosdidier.
Read our archive (2010): Article reserved for our subscribers Center Pompidou-Metz: innovative and desired
Former Minister of Culture Jean-Jacques Aillagon “hailed the beautiful memory of Jean-Marie Rausch” oncalling it “great mayor [et de] visionary.” ” Together we (…) We boldly created the Center Pompidou”. In 2011, Mr. Rausch published a book of Memoirs, You just have to want ; the cover showed him in front of the cultural establishment.
His wife, Bernadette, died six weeks ago.
The flags of the town hall and local town halls are at half-mast and a book of condolences will be opened at the town hall.
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