Camille Gutt
Camille Gutt (14 November 1884 – 7 June 1971), born Camille Guttenstein, was a Belgian economist, politician, and industrialist who served as the first managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 1946 to 1951. He was the architect of a monetary reform plan that facilitated the recovery of the economy of Belgium after the Second World War.
Camille Gutt
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- Name
- Camille Gutt
- Born
- 14 November 1884
- Birthplace
- Brussels, Belgium
- Died
- 7 June 1971
- Birth Name
- Camille Guttenstein
- Occupation
- * Lawyer
- Nationality
- Belgium.
- Education
- Free University of Brussels.
- Languages
- French.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Camille Gutt (14 November 1884 – 7 June 1971), born Camille Guttenstein, was a Belgian economist, politician, and industrialist who served as the first managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 1946 to 1951. He was the architect of a monetary reform plan that facilitated the recovery of the economy of Belgium after the Second World War.
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
wikidata · Q1029185 · wikipedia · Camille Gutt
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Camille Gutt • Office — Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund • Term Start — 6 May 1946 • Term End — 5 May 1951 • Predecessor — Office established • Successor — Ivar Rooth • Born — 14 November 1884 • Birthplace — Brussels, Belgium • Died — 7 June 1971 • Place of death — Brussels, Belgium • Birth Name — Camille Guttenstein • Alma Mater — Free University of Brussels • Occupation — * Lawyer • economist
Early life
Early life
Born in Brussels, he was a son of Max Guttenstein and Marie-Paule Schweitzer. Max Guttenstein had moved to Belgium from Austria-Hungary in 1877 and became a Belgian citizen in 1886. Camille Gutt attended high school at the Royal Athenaeum in Ixelles. Gutt obtained a PhD in legal studies, and a master's degree in political and social sciences at the Free University of Brussels. During his study, he met Claire Frick, whom he married in 1906. The marriage gave birth to three sons: Jean-Max (1914–1941), François (1916–1944) and Etienne (1922–2011). Gutt was Protestant, although from Jewish origin.
Career
Career
Camille Gutt worked in various industries, such as in the Société Générale de Belgique and Groupe Empain as well as politics. During World War I, Gutt worked for Georges Theunis and again from 1920 until 1924 as his Chief of Cabinet. Later, Gutt also worked for Emile Francqui. Camille Gutt was Minister of Finance of Belgium in 1934–1935 and 1939–1940, Minister of Finance, Economics and Traffic in 1940–1942, Minister of Finance and economics in 1942–1943, and Minister of Finance in 1943–1944 in the Belgian government in exile in London. Gutt was responsible for saving the Belgian franc before and after World War II. Before the war, he saved the Belgian currency by secretly transferring the gold reserves of the Belgian National Bank out of Nazi reach. After the war, he stabilized the Belgian franc and forestalled inflation, with what still is known as the Gutt operation. Camille Gutt also played a major role in forging the Benelux, and by this contributed to the formation of the European Union. He was the inaugural Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund from 1946 to 1951, after which he was a partner at the Banque Lambert until his retirement in 1964.
Identity
Identity
Camille Gutt is recorded with the occupation politician. Recorded as economist, banker, politician, writer and lawyer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1884
Camille Gutt born at Brussels metropolitan area.
1971
Camille Gutt died at Brussels metropolitan area.
Selected publications
•. •.
Primary material
Documents and archives
scholarly publication
- Camille Gutt, First Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (1946–51), Camille Gutt and Postwar International Finance, 2015
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2015
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1029185: Camille Gutt
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Camille Gutt”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Honours
• Belgium: Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold. • Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Orange-Nassau. • Luxemburg: Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Oak Crown. • Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Merit. • France: Grand Officer in the Legion of Honour.
References
Citations
References
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scholarly publication
Camille Gutt, First Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (1946–51), Camille Gutt and Postwar International Finance, 2015Crossref registry
Institutional witnessauthority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
People, houses and institutions
Knowledge graph
People, houses and institutions
Teachers, collaborators, publishers and institutions recorded against this person, each on a stated basis.
Studied at
1- Free University of BrusselsOrganisation
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Camille Gutt was recorded at birth as Camille Adolphe Guttenstein. His recorded language was French. His recorded confession was Judaism. One child is recorded: Etienne Gutt. He was employed by United Nations. Recorded positions include Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Minister of Defence of Belgium and Minister of Mobility.
Identity and origins
Career and activity
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
38,960 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
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