Farewell speech by A. Grosseau for the retirement of Paul Magès (1974)

In this document

This typewritten speech, dated 26 September 1974, comes from the Citroën Design Office and is addressed directly to Monsieur Magès on the occasion of his retirement p. 1.

Career summary

The text recalls that Magès "joined Citroën in 1925" and that he "practically spent half a century" at the company p. 1 — which is precisely 49 years, as he joined Citroën in August 1925 at 17 and a half years old to retire in September 1974 (autobiographical notes ; photographs of the retirement). His career there is described as "essentially that of a design man," although he also "exercised an activity in different Departments of the Factory" p. 1.

The anecdote of Monsieur Boulanger

The speaker evokes a striking memory: at the beginning of his career, Monsieur Boulanger had tasked Magès with work on "new subjects or free themes relating to the automobile," specifying that if "10%" of this work succeeded, he would have "served the 'fatherland' well" p. 1.

Technical assessment

The speech asserts that Magès "brought hydraulics to fruition at Citroën," allowing the brand's automobiles to be given "qualities that no other manufacturer has been able to provide and which remain unequalled to this day" p. 1. It emphasizes that he "started, with few resources, as a good pioneer" and "pursued difficult developments with perseverance" p. 1.

The text closes on a warm and teasing note, saluting a man who was "not always 'easy'" and wishing him "a happy retirement" as well as "not too many leaks" on his future Citroëns p. 1.

Context

This document is part of the well-known history of the hydropneumatic suspension, developed by Paul Magès and deployed notably on the DS presented in 1955. Pierre Boulanger, then technical director of Citroën, remained famous for having encouraged the free research of his engineers — the "10%" anecdote reported here is a typical illustration of this culture of innovation specific to the brand during the interwar and postwar periods.

This retirement also marks a biographical turning point: Magès then retired to Ramatuelle, in the Var, where he became involved in municipal life.

Archivist's perspective

This farewell speech constitutes a valuable retrospective testimony, produced by Magès's own colleagues at the moment his career ended. It synthesizes, from within the company, the recognition given to his work on hydraulics p. 1.

The red line drawn in the margin, at the passage evoking the team's attachment to Magès, suggests that a particular passage had likely caught the attention of a later reader — perhaps Magès himself when keeping this document.

This piece usefully complements Magès's technical archives by offering a human and institutional look at the man behind the invention, to be compared with other documents relating to his work on hydropneumatic suspension.