The Croix de guerre 1914–1918, awarded in 1915, recognized the initial frontline contributions of Germaine Malaterre-Sellier, who served as the principal nurse of the Association des Dames de France. Her career integrated clinical nursing, suffrage activism, and international diplomacy, establishing her role within both the French medical establishment and the early twentieth-century political arena.
Wartime Service and Recognition
Born in the 9th arrondissement of Paris in 1889, Malaterre-Sellier entered the field of nursing during a period of shifting public health paradigms. Her service with the Red Cross during the First World War placed her in intensive care environments, earning her the Croix de guerre 1914–1918. Her experience during this conflict informed her later transition into public policy and social advocacy.
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Following the war, she expanded her influence through the Union Française pour le Suffrage des Femmes, serving as both Secretary-General and Vice-President. She brought her background in public health to the League of Nations, where she became the first French woman appointed as a technical adviser in 1932. By 1937, her international portfolio included conducting a formal survey across foreign territories on behalf of the League.
Legislative Influence and Resistance
Malaterre-Sellier contributed to domestic social reform by drafting the official report for a parliamentary committee on social affairs, focusing on child welfare. Her administrative leadership continued as president of organizations between 1939 and 1940. During the Second World War, she transitioned from institutional public service to active participation in the French Resistance. She remained an Officer of the Legion of Honour until her death in Paris on 29 May 1967.
Fast facts
- Born: 1889, 9th arrondissement of Paris
- Died: 29 May 1967, Paris
- Citizenship: France
- Primary Occupations: Nurse, French resistance fighter
- Award: Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (1915)
- Award: Officer of the Legion of Honour
- Major Affiliation: French Union for Women's Suffrage
- League of Nations role: Technical adviser (1932)
Questions readers ask
What medical organizations did she work for?
She served as the principal nurse of the Association des Dames de France under the Red Cross.
Did she hold official positions in women's rights groups?
Yes, she served as Secretary-General and Vice-President of the Union Française pour le Suffrage des Femmes and as Vice-President of the Union féminine pour la Société des Nations.
Achievements
- Officer of the Legion of Honour
