Baron Empain, survivor of brutal 1978 kidnapping, dies at 80

World 12:55 22.06.2018
Leading Franco-Belgian industrialist Baron Edouard-Jean Empain, whose brutal kidnapping in France in 1978 made headlines, has died at the age of 80, a relative said.
 
Empain, who headed the Empain-Schneider group in the 1970s, died Wednesday in hospital in Pontoise, northwest of Paris, Diane Empain said on Facebook, confirming Belgian media reports.
 
"I would like to thank the intensive care unit and all the hospital staff of this unit," she said on her Facebook page.
 
An Empain-Schneider CEO from 1971-81, Empain was the grandson of Edouard Empain, ennobled by Belgium's King Leopold II, who built an industrial empire in the late 19th century. The company constructed the Congolese rail network and the Paris Metro.
 
The group was worth billions by the late 1970s, employing 150,000 people and comprising 300 firms.
 
Empain became famous after his abduction in broad daylight in front of his Paris apartment on January 23, 1978. He was held hostage for 63 days, during which time he chained up in a hideaway in a Paris suburb and starved, beaten and tortured.
 
The case grabbed public attention particularly after the kidnappers sent one of his fingers along with a ransom demand for a colossal 80 million francs.
 
A botched rendezvous to hand over the money turned into a two-day chase, with one of the kidnappers shot dead while another and two police officers were wounded.
 
The arrested kidnapper, Alain Caillol, then asked his accomplices to release Empain, who was later found wandering around Paris. He had lost 20 kilogrammes (44 pounds) in weight.
 
'Man of exceptional courage'
 
Following his ordeal, Empain quickly withdrew from business, bitter that his kidnapping had not evoked sympathy on grounds that he had "disturbed" the establishment in France.
 
"I had plenty of friends who were willing to pay (the ransom), but since I did not have to come back, I did not have to pay," he said in 2014 in an interview with Belgian newspaper L'Echo.
 
He told the paper that at the time Belgium's King Baudouin was ready to pay for his release because of "what the Belgian crown owed the Empain family".
 
The king informed his company but it did not respond, according to Empain.
 
In 2012, Caillol told of the kidnapping in the book "Lumiere" and said the abductors had "reverse Stockholm syndrome" towards their victim.
 
"I wanted to tell Mr Empain of the respect we had for him," Caillol told AFP.
 
"It's been bothering me for a long time, I did not want to die or him to die without telling him the truth," he said.
 
"I recently saw Mr Empain, it went well. He addressed me first, I couldn't do it.
 
"We talked about things .. we shook hands," Caillol said.
 
During the kidnapping, the abductors discovered he was "a man of exceptional courage", according to Caillol.
 
"There was an inverted Stockholm syndrome, he dominated us morally, everyone saw in him the dream of what he wanted to be: handsome, rich, powerful, intelligent ..."
 
Empain's funeral will be held on June 29 at the church of Saint Georges de Bouffemont, just north of Paris, and will be buried in the local cemetery, Diane Empain said.
Hikmat Hajiyev: "Azerbaijan is a natural link connecting Central Asia and Europe" - VIDEO

News line

Hikmat Hajiyev: "Azerbaijan is a natural link connecting Central Asia and Europe" - VIDEO
15:13 29.03.2024
Azerbaijan weather forecast for March 30
Azerbaijan weather forecast for March 30
15:00 29.03.2024
Tajikistan detains 9 people over Russian concert shooting
Tajikistan detains 9 people over Russian concert shooting
14:46 29.03.2024
Washington Is Forming A New Alliance - OPINION
14:32 29.03.2024
Individuals identified as drug users will not be admitted for service in Azerbaijani tax authorities
14:14 29.03.2024
Philippines' Catholic devotees nailed to crosses to re-enact crucifixion
Philippines' Catholic devotees nailed to crosses to re-enact crucifixion
14:00 29.03.2024
Umud Mirzayev: EU's South Caucasus Visit Aims to Maintain Regional Influence
13:45 29.03.2024
Public Television of Armenia Reveals Villages to be Returned to Azerbaijan
13:39 29.03.2024
Death toll of Israeli strike in Syria rises to 42, war monitor says - UPDATED
13:25 29.03.2024
Azerbaijan toughens penalties for non-compliance with rules of state of emergency regime
Azerbaijan toughens penalties for non-compliance with rules of state of emergency regime
13:12 29.03.2024
How will the EU's visit to the South Caucasus affect the peace process? - Former ambassador talks to Ednews
13:00 29.03.2024
Azerbaijan tightens sanctions for breaching special operation zone rules on religious extremism
12:45 29.03.2024
Azerbaijan toughens penalties for non-compliance with rules of social emergency environment regime
12:33 29.03.2024
About $7 bln of foreign direct investment was invested in Azerbaijan last year
12:00 29.03.2024
Number of people injured in Crocus City Hall terrorist attack reaches 382
11:48 29.03.2024
Media: Netanyahu rejected the Mossad Chief's proposal for a possible agreement in Gaza
11:37 29.03.2024
Azerbaijani Parliament's meeting kicks off
11:26 29.03.2024
An American couple founded a website, which identifies brands that support Israel
An American couple founded a website, which identifies brands that support Israel
11:07 29.03.2024
US scientists name infection more dangerous for brain than coronavirus
US scientists name infection more dangerous for brain than coronavirus
11:00 29.03.2024
Parviz Shahbazov: Foundations of 4 new renewable energy plants will be laid this year
Parviz Shahbazov: Foundations of 4 new renewable energy plants will be laid this year
10:50 29.03.2024
Japan eyes self-driving expressway lane network
10:40 29.03.2024
Oil prices end 1Q24 with strong growth
10:30 29.03.2024
SECRETS of the European Union's visit to the South Caucasus - Fikret Sadigov EXPLAINS
10:25 29.03.2024
Ammunition found in Khankandi
Ammunition found in Khankandi
10:10 29.03.2024
Iran’s top diplomat: Military presence of third countries in Caspian Sea goes against interests of region
Iran’s top diplomat: Military presence of third countries in Caspian Sea goes against interests of region
10:00 29.03.2024
Armenia officially announces freezing its participation in CSTO
09:50 29.03.2024
US hopes to return to purchase of 72 fighter jets per year amid budget cuts
09:38 29.03.2024
Another 138 IDPs leave for Fuzuli
09:28 29.03.2024
Netanyahu: "We have strategic assets of Hamas"
09:17 29.03.2024
Date of next meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Parliament Speakers announced
09:00 29.03.2024
Russia prepares for new offensive in May-June l – says Zelensky
23:52 28.03.2024
Russian investigators have evidence of Ukraine link to Crocus terrorists
22:24 28.03.2024
Committee members of the EU Council will visit the South Caucasus region
19:48 28.03.2024
Bayern to pay Thomas Tuchel 12M euro compensation
Bayern to pay Thomas Tuchel 12M euro compensation
19:00 28.03.2024
Crocus City Hall terrorists took drugs before attack - law enforcement agencies
Crocus City Hall terrorists took drugs before attack - law enforcement agencies
18:33 28.03.2024
Azerbaijan, UN Development Program mull future co-op
18:00 28.03.2024
An Independent Trade Union Established within International Eurasia Press Fund - First in NGO sector - PHOTOS
17:39 28.03.2024
Italian PM condemns Macron for idea of sending troops to Ukraine
Italian PM condemns Macron for idea of sending troops to Ukraine
17:23 28.03.2024
Azerbaijan lends clarity to color requirement for taxis
17:02 28.03.2024
Isaac Herzog: Israel has no greater friend than US, and US has no greater friend than Israel
Isaac Herzog: Israel has no greater friend than US, and US has no greater friend than Israel
16:45 28.03.2024
Hamısı