Paul Venel

Early life and education Paul Célestin Marie Joseph Venel was born on 25 January 1864 in Hesse, the son of Dominique Auguste Venel and Mélanie Béna. His father Auguste was a local teacher who opted for France and moved to Seichamps, after the annexation of a part of his native province by Germany following the Franco-Prussian War.

Paul enrolled at the Saint-Cyr military academy on 30 October 1882. He graduated 144th of 406 students in the promotion (class) "Black Pavillions". According to Venel's wishes, the capital of the Colony of Niger was transferred from Niamey to Zinder in 1911 and served as capital of the colony until 1926.

During his eighteen months of presence, he completed the organization of the méhariste units, which reestablished order in the Azbin and protected the subordinate population from looters. His troops were shown to be capable of inflicting serious setbacks on two strong rezzous (raiding parties). First, they clashed with a large band from Borkou and Tripolitania north of Bilma. After that, with a large gathering from Tafilalt around 600 kilometers north of Timbuktu. Venel subdued the Tuareg nomads, abolished the slave trade, and oversaw the economic growth of sedentary populations, allowing for the extraction of salt from the Taoudenni and Kaouar mines.

Death The harsh Montenegrin climate, as well as the quarrels between the Allies (especially Italians and Serbs), was detrimental to Venel's health. On a one-month rest leave on 21 April 1919 in Vichy (extended by another month on 21 May), he was appointed deputy to 1st Maritime Prefect in Cherbourg on 18 June. The very day he took up his post, 28 June, he was hospitalized for pulmonary congestion. He resumed command on 28 July, but returned to the local maritime hospital on 8 August.