⚠️ Sorry folks, this podcast exists in French only 🇫🇷

I am a podcast enthusiast. I listen to dozens every week.

Among them, the excellent series by Philippe Colin about historical figures.


Listen : Léon Blum, une vie héroïque

Why this Podcasts series?

Maybe like me, the name Léon Blum doesn’t mean much to you. This is exactly why I found this series enlightening.

Through his story, we better understand the French domestic issues between the two wars, political games … I started listening skeptically but finished thrilled 🤩.

  • 1936: Under his government, the first paid holidays were established in France through the law of June 20, 1936.

About the contributors

I love Philippe Colin’s podcasts because he always brings together many contributors to cover his subjects and this series is no exception.
Quick overview, feel free to take a look to form your own opinion:

  • Pierre Birnbaum, historian, emeritus professor at the University Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, Léon Blum’s biographer, author of “Leon Blum, un portrait” (Seuil, 2016)
  • Ilan Greilsammer, historian, professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, author of “Blum” (Flammarion, 1998)
  • Pascal Ory, historian, cultural history specialist, member of the French Academy, he directed the reissue of “Du mariage” by Léon Blum (Bouquins, 2021)
  • Frédéric Salat-Baroux, senior civil servant, lawyer, author of “Blum le magnifique” (L’Observatoire, 2021)
  • Dominique Missika, historian, editor, author of “Thérèse, le grand amour caché de Léon Blum” (Alma éditeur, 2016) and “Je vous promets de revenir, le dernier combat de Léon Blum” (Robert Laffont, 2009, reprinted 2012 and 2020)
  • Olivier Dard, historian, professor at the Sorbonne (Sorbonne University, Paris IV), specialist in political history and the 1930s. Author of “Les Années 30” (Livre de poche, 1999)
  • Olivier Loubes, historian, history professor in preparatory classes. Author of “Jean Zay, l’inconnu de la République” (Armand Colin, 2012)
  • Milo Lévy-Bruhl, doctoral student in political philosophy at EHESS working on French socialism and the Jewish question. He wrote a new unpublished presentation of “À l’échelle humaine” (Le Bord de l’eau, 2021)
  • Laurent Joly, historian, research director at CNRS, specialist in antisemitism during the Vichy regime. Co-author with Tal Bruttmann of “La France antijuive de 1936 - L’Agression de Léon Blum à la Chambre des députés” (CNRS éditions, 2016)
  • Nicolas Roussellier, historian, author of “La force de gouverner : Le pouvoir exécutif en France, XIXe-XXIe siècles” (Gallimard, 2015)
  • Bénédicte Vergez Chaignon, French historian, specialist in World War II and the Occupation, author of “Pétain” (Perrin, 2014)
  • Renaud Meltz, historian, professor of contemporary history at the University of Haute Alsace, Pierre Laval’s biographer, author of “Pierre Laval, un mystère français” (Perrin, 2018)
  • Delphine Romani, director of the Léon Blum House (Jouy-en-Josas, Yvelines) (no resources)