Lazareff had everything of the great newspaper boss, hot-tempered and feared, and people spoke of his rages as much as of his newspaper. He spent the war in New York, at the American microphones aimed at occupied Europe, then at the Liberation took over Défense de la France, the clandestine daily of the Resistance, and renamed it France-Soir: it would be the popular press of the post-war boom. His wife, Hélène, had for her part created Elle magazine: two empires in a single couple. Neither of the two titles is named where they lie.
The story
His rages made his reputation as much as his newspaper did. Hot-tempered, impulsive, uncompromising, Pierre Lazareff was the archetype of the French press baron — and one of the most feared figures in the trade.
Born on 16 April 1907 and educated at the lycée Condorcet, he left France for New York in 1940, joined the Office of War Information and directed from London the radio broadcasts aimed at occupied Europe. Back home at the Liberation, he took over Défense de la France, a clandestine Resistance paper, and renamed it France-Soir: the daily became the most widely read in the country and the symbol of the popular press of the Trente Glorieuses, France's thirty post-war years of growth.
His wife Hélène Gordon-Lazareff founded, for her part, the magazine ELLE in 1945: two press empires in one marriage.
Pierre Lazareff died on 21 April 1972, five days after his sixty-fifth birthday. Four names can be read on the stone in Division 7: his own, Hélène's, Nina's — the girl he took in as a child in 1932 and later adopted — and Jean's, who died in 2012 at the age of a hundred and one. Neither Paris-Soir nor France-Soir is named there.
The grave
A grave with four inscriptions, two of which each stand for a press title: “Pierre LAZAREFF, 16 avril 1907 – 21 avril 1972” — France-Soir — and “Hélène GORDON-LAZAREFF, 21 septembre 1909 – 16 février 1988” — ELLE, which she founded in 1945. There follow “Nina LAZAREFF, 24 décembre 1929 – 30 avril 1999” and “Jean LAZAREFF, 1911-2012”, who died at a hundred and one. Neither newspaper is named on the stone.
On site, do not miss
Two names each stand for a press title: Pierre Lazareff for France-Soir, Hélène Gordon-Lazareff for ELLE. Neither newspaper is carved.
Visitors' questions
Where is Pierre Lazareff's grave?
In Division 7, avenue Rachel, eighth row. Four names appear on the stone: his own, that of Hélène Gordon-Lazareff, founder of ELLE, that of Nina (1929-1999) and that of Jean, who died in 2012 at a hundred.
Hélène LazareffWhere does France-Soir come from?
From a clandestine Resistance paper, Défense de la France, which Pierre Lazareff took over at the Liberation and renamed on 7 November 1944. The title became the most read in France and the very emblem of the popular press of the post-war boom; its boss was the archetype, hot-tempered and impulsive.
RachelWho was Hélène Gordon-Lazareff?
His wife — and the founder, in 1945, of the French edition of ELLE. She died in 1988 and lies with him: two press empires in a single grave, that of a couple who shaped what France read.
Camille PissarroWhat did he do during the Occupation?
He left France for New York in 1940, joined the American Office of War Information and directed from London the radio broadcasts aimed at occupied Europe. It was on his return that he built France-Soir and became one of the most powerful — and most feared — figures in the French press.
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