Jacques Ancel

Jacques Ancel (22 July 1879 in Parmain, Val-d'Oise – 1943 Alloue Charente) was a French geographer and geopolitician. He was the author of several books, including ''Peoples and Nations of Balkans: political geography'' (1926) and ''Geopolitics'' (1936).

After studying history and geography and professing as a teacher, Ancel was drafted to fight in World War I. Wounded three times, he was detached to the Headquarters of the French Army's Oriental Corps (fighting in the Ottoman Empire and the Balkans). After the war, he helped mediate the tense relations between Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. In 1930, Ancel obtained his doctorate with the thesis ''La Macédoine, étude de colonisation contemporaine'' ("Macedonia, a study in contemporary colonization").

He taught at the University of Paris' Institute of Higher International Studies, and was a corresponding member of the Romanian Academy and of other scientific forums. He was a knight of the Légion d'honneur.

Ancel was imprisoned in Drancy and Royallieu-Compiègne internment camps during World War II due to his Jewish background. He died of complications from his poor treatment in 1943, and was officially declared ''Mort pour la France''. Provided by Wikipedia