Born in Marseille’s Saint-Lazare district Pierre Doize’s life intertwined with Rue Pierre Doize and the French Communist Party. His father a carpenter his mother a housekeeper instilled in him early revolutionary ideals. Doize’s journey began humbly. He was an apprentice boilermaker then a mason. He joined the Young Communists in 1926. His dedication led him to become a union secretary. His outspoken political activism put him under surveillance by 1939.
Mobilized at war’s start he went underground in 1940. Arrested for Resistance activities he endured imprisonment and deportation to Dachau and Allach. His wife Pierrette also deported died in Ravensbrück. Liberated in 1945 Doize received the Resistance Medal and was promoted to lieutenant in the FFI.
Returning to Marseille he became deputy mayor under Jean Cristofol. He was a councillor until 1971. He served as secretary of the Bouches-du-Rhône Communist Federation. He was a member of the central committee. His unwavering loyalty to the party’s line even saw him attend the 20th Congress of the CPSU where Khrushchev’s report was presented. He kept the details confidential.
Elected deputy in 1958 he lost his seat in November. He regained it in 1962 and was re-elected in 1967. In 1968 he lost to Robert Gardeil. He also lost his municipal seat in 1971. He retired from the PCF central committee in 1976. Sadly in 1979 he died with his second wife in a car accident near Narbonne. Rue Pierre Doize in Marseille stands as a silent testament to his life his struggle and his unwavering commitment. His story echoes through the streets he walked. It reminds us of a man dedicated to his ideals his city and his people.