Henri Germain

Henri Germain (February 19, 1824 – February 2, 1905) was a French banker and politician who founded Crédit Lyonnais.[1]

Early life

Henri Germain was born on 19 February 1824 in Lyon.[2] His father, Henri Germain, was a silk businessman, and his mother was Claudine Lupin.[2] He received a law degree.[2] He was a follower of Saint-Simonianism, and François Barthélemy Arlès-Dufour (1797-1872) became his mentor.[2]

Career

Germain founded Crédit Lyonnais on 6 July 1863.[3][4] It became the first bank in France to offer savings accounts with interest.[3] The first shareholders were Saint-Simon followers like Paulin Talabot (1799–1885), Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin (1796–1864), Arlès-Dufour, and Michel Chevalier (1806-1879).[3] Two years later, in 1865, he founded the Société Foncière Lyonnaise, a real estate company. In 1892, he spearheaded the construction of the Boulevard Carnot, then known as the Boulevard de la Foncière-Lyonnaise.

Germain was a member of the General Council of Ain from 1871 to 1883. He then served as a member of the National Assembly from 1868 to 1893.

Personal life and death

Germain was married to Blanche Germain. They resided at Villa Orangini in Cimiez, Nice.[5] Their son, André Germain (1881-1971), was a writer.

Germain died on 2 February 1905.[2]

Bibliography

• La Situation financière de la France en 1886
• L’État politique de la France en 1886