Anne de Gaulle

Who was Anne de Gaulle?

Anne de Gaulle was the youngest daughter of General Charles de Gaulle and his wife, Yvonne. She was born in Trier, Germany, where her father was stationed.

Yvonne de Gaulle was struck by an automobile shortly before Anne's birth. She was born with Down syndrome and lived with her family until her death. De Gaulle's relatives all testified that the General, who was normally undemonstrative in his affections for his family, was more open and extroverted with Anne. He would entertain her with songs, dances, and pantomimes.

In October 1945, Yvonne de Gaulle bought the Château de Vert-Cœur at Milon-la-Chapelle, where they installed a private hospital for handicapped young girls: the Fondation Anne de Gaulle.

Anne died of pneumonia on 6 February 1948, aged 20, at Colombey-les-Deux-Églises. Upon her death, her father said: "Now, she's like the others."

On 22 August 1962, Charles de Gaulle was the victim of an attempted assassination at Petit-Clamart. He later said that the potentially fatal bullet had been stopped by the frame of the photograph of Anne that he always carried with him, placed this particular day on the rear shelf of his car.