10th Century Origins
The Saint-Pol family received land and titles from the King of France.
"The story of our family actually begins in the 10th century when a certain gentleman was granted land and titles for services rendered to the King of France."
Title: Comte de Saint-Pol, Duke de Luxembourg
Family Seat: Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise in northern France (Pas de Calais region)
15th Century: The Most Famous Ancestor
The most famous ancestor was a Comte de Saint-Pol married to the sister-in-law of King Louis XI.
He served as "connétable de France" (Constable of France).
Family Residence: Hôtel Saint-Pol at the Louvre
Tragic End: Executed at the Bastille on false treason charges; later exonerated.
"He was executed at the Bastille without being given the chance to prove his innocence. It was only many years later that he was proven innocent"
Late 1800s: Iréné and Christine in China
Iréné Saint-Pol
Iréné Saint-Pol traveled to China as an engineer.
"The younger Saint-Pol became an engineer and chose to seek his fortune far away, in China."
His fiancée Christine followed him across the world.
"The legend goes that Christine got tired of waiting and set out to find him. She did."
Building an Empire
Iréné built part of the Great China Railroad connecting Shanghai to Peking.
He became wealthy through hotels and real estate.
The family settled in Hankow and Shanghai.
Iréné's Death
Iréné died suddenly, leaving Christine to run the vast business holdings alone with three young children.
"Now, Iréné himself dies suddenly, leaving Christine with three young children and vast business holdings to run in China."
Georges Saint-Pol (Anne's Father)
Early Life
Georges Saint-Pol was born in China.
Education
Georges was educated at a Jesuit boarding school in Peking, then at the Sorbonne and Cambridge University.
Marriage (~1930)
Georges married Renée while studying in France.
Career: French Diplomat and UN Official
| Year | Role |
|---|---|
| 1935 | Family relocated to Shanghai - Georges appointed administrator of French government interests in China |
| 1937-1945 | WWII - Family under Japanese house arrest in Shanghai. By war's end, Georges weighed only 90 lbs. |
| 1945-1946 | Return to France via USA - Georges reported to a government that had given him up for dead |
| 1946-1951 | Reassigned to USA on loan to newly formed United Nations - family lived in Washington D.C. |
| 1951 | Rome - Head of Legal Department at U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (F.A.O.) |
| 1968 | Retired to Nice, France |
He co-authored the charter for the World Food Program.
"As he was fond of saying, it was about time he lived in his own country."
Renée Saint-Pol (Anne's Mother)
Renée was celebrated by Anne in her published article "Mother" as the ideal "Ballet Mother."
"Mother is the right kind"
She supported Anne's dance training across multiple countries while maintaining appropriate boundaries - never becoming the overbearing "stage mother."
Christine Saint-Pol (Anne's Grandmother)
Christine, Anne's grandmother, left China with the family after WWII and lived with them until her death in 1949. She is buried in Washington D.C.
Michel Saint-Pol (Anne's Brother)
Birth
April 10, 1933 - Born in Paris
Michel was 10 years older than Anne.
"my brother, ten years my senior, was deliriously happy and instantly became my nanny, playmate and protector all rolled into one."
Career: Journalist
Michel's calling was journalism. After the Algerian war, Agence France Presse (AFP) hired him based on papers he had written and radio broadcasts during the war.
He was sent to Washington as White House correspondent, covering both the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.
Michel was later transferred back to Paris as Director of International News for AFP - a position which, in France, is by presidential appointment.
Death
Michel retired at age 65 to the French countryside. He died there in 2006.
Legacy
Michel left three sons: Christopher, Ludovic, and Fabrice Saint-Pol, as well as three grandsons to carry on the Saint-Pol name.
Family Tree
SAINT-POL LINEAGE
10th Century: Original Comte de Saint-Pol
(Granted titles by King of France)
│
...
│
15th Century: Comte de Saint-Pol ─── Sister-in-law of King Louis XI
(Connétable de France)
│
...
│
Late 1800s: Iréné Saint-Pol ─┬─ Christine
(Engineer, China) │
│
┌────────────────┼────────────────┐
│ │ │
Henriette Hilda Georges Saint-Pol ─┬─ Renée
(1900s-1968+) │
│
┌────────────────────────────────┴────────────────┐
│ │
Michel Saint-Pol Anne France Saint-Pol
(1933-2006) (1942-2025)
AFP Director │
│ │
┌───────────────┼───────────────┐ ─────┴───── Nicholas Polajenko
│ │ │ │ (1930-2015)
Christopher Ludovic Fabrice │
Saint-Pol Saint-Pol Saint-Pol Alexei Polajenko
│
Renee Polajenko
(+ other grandchildren)
See also: Anne Polajenko | Nicholas Polajenko