Henri Demaille

French merchant and anarchist member of Groupe Libertaire Havrais.

The son of a weaver and a coiler, Henri Demaille caught the eye of the police through his activity and his ability as a leader during the great strike of 111 days of the metalworkers of Le Havre (Seine-Inférieure, Seine-Maritime) during the summer of 1922.

Enrolled in the B carnet of the Seine-Inférieure on February 7, 1923, he was a member of the Élisée Reclus group and the Groupe libertaire havrais (GLH), a member of the Anarchist Union (AU). He had, moreover, constituted a real anarchist bookstore where he compiled journals and works at the disposal of all; he thus made it the anarchist pole of Le Havre.

In 1926-1927, he was particularly active during the campaign in favour of Sacco and Vanzetti.

In 1940 he hid his fellow fellow Georges Burgat*, insoumis. He was subsequently arrested by the Germans and deported to the Ebensee camp in Austria, where he died on 7 March 1945.

Henri Demaille had married Eugénie Pillie in Le Havre on April 14, 1920.