Albert Lebrun was born in Mercy-le-Haut, France, in 1871. A brilliant student he finished first in his class at the Ecole Polytechnique (1890) and the Ecole Superieure des Mines (1892).

Lebrun joined the Left Republican Party and was elected to parliament in 1900. He was Minister for the Colonies (1911-14), and for Liberated Regions (1917-19).

In 1920 Lebrun became a senator and in 1932 was elected president. He was re-elected in 1939 and during the German Western Offensive moved to Bordeaux with his prime minister, Paul Reynaud. He disapproved of Henri-Philippe Petain and the Vichy government and on 13th July, 1940, he resigned and retired to Vizille.

When Adolf Hitler heard that Lebrun was in contact with the Allies he had him arrested on 23rd August 1943. After being imprisoned by the Gestapo in Lyons he was deported to Austria. However, in poor health, Lebrun was allowed to go home in October 1943, and kept under surveillance. Albert Lebrun died in 1950.