Philippe Viannay

Philippe Viannay was a French journalist.

School foundation

He founded the Centre de formation des journalistes, and, later, the sailing school Les Glénans.

French resistance

During World War II, he led a resistance movement named Défense de [la France]. They printed an underground journal which distributed up to 400,000 copies.

Personal

The Canadian journalist Caitlin Kelly—who studied with Viannay at the Centre in Paris on an eighth-month journalism fellowship—later described him as "the most inspiring man I've ever met."

During the first year of the German occupation, Viannay married the former Hélène Mordkovitch. Hélène Viannay co-administered Les Glénans with her husband, and following Viannay's death became president of the association of Ancient Résistants of Défense de la France.

Prix Philippe Viannay-Défense de la France

The French Fondation de la Résistance awards an annual prize for resistance-era histories, the Prix Philippe Viannay-Défense de la France.