The war with Prussia, started by Napoleon III ("Louis
Bonaparte") in July 1870, turned out disastrously for the
French and by September Paris itself was under siege.
In January, 1871, when the siege had lasted for four months,
Louis-Adolphe Thiers, soon to be Chief Executive (later
President) of the Third Republic, sought an armistice. The
Prussians included the occupation of Paris in the peace terms.
Despite the hardships of the siege many Parisians were
bitterly resentful and were particularly angry that the
Prussians should be allowed a brief ceremonial occupation of
their city.
By that time many tens of thousands of Parisians were armed
members of a citizens' militia known as the "National Guard",
which had been greatly expanded to help defend the city.
Battalions in the poorer districts elected their own officers and
possessed many of the cannons which had been founded in
Paris and paid for by public subscription. The city and its
National Guard had withstood the Prussian troops for six
months. The population of Paris was defiant in the face of
occupation — they limited the Prussian presence to a small
area of the city and policed the boundary.
Other army units joined in the rebellion which spread so
rapidly that Thiers ordered an immediate evacuation of Paris
by as many of the regular forces as would obey ; He himself
fled, ahead of them, to Versailles. The Central Committee of
the National Guard was now the only effective government in
Paris: it almost immediately abdicated its authority and
arranged elections for a Commune, to be held on March 26.
The term "Paris Commune" originally referred to the
government of Paris during the French Revolution. However,
the term more commonly refers to the socialist government
that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 (more formally from
March 26) to May 28, 1871.
The Commune was assaulted from April 2 by the government
forces of the Versailles Army, and the city was constantly
bombarded.
Having supported the Commune in any way was declared a
crime, of which thousands could be, and were, accused. Some
of the Communards were shot against what is now known as
the Communards' Wall in the Père Lachaise cemetery while
thousands of others were marched to Versailles for trials. Few
Communards escaped, mainly through the Prussian lines to
the north. For many days endless columns of men, women
and children made a painful way under military escort to
temporary prison quarters in Versailles. Later they were tried;
a few were executed; many were condemned to hard labour;
many more were deported for long terms or for life to virtually
uninhabited French islands in the Pacific. The number of
killed during La Semaine Sanglante can never be established
for certain but the best estimates are 30,000 dead, many more
wounded, and perhaps as many as 50,000 later executed or
imprisoned; 7,000 were exiled to New Caledonia. For the
imprisoned there was a general amnesty in 1889.
Paris remained under martial law for five years.
Two songs from La Commune (click Play to listen them):
Le Temps des Cerises (Cherry time) by Yves Montand.
La Semaine Sanglante (Bloody week).
Please, don't copy this text and photos without my permission.
Bonaparte") in July 1870, turned out disastrously for the
French and by September Paris itself was under siege.
In January, 1871, when the siege had lasted for four months,
Louis-Adolphe Thiers, soon to be Chief Executive (later
President) of the Third Republic, sought an armistice. The
Prussians included the occupation of Paris in the peace terms.
Despite the hardships of the siege many Parisians were
bitterly resentful and were particularly angry that the
Prussians should be allowed a brief ceremonial occupation of
their city.
By that time many tens of thousands of Parisians were armed
members of a citizens' militia known as the "National Guard",
which had been greatly expanded to help defend the city.
Battalions in the poorer districts elected their own officers and
possessed many of the cannons which had been founded in
Paris and paid for by public subscription. The city and its
National Guard had withstood the Prussian troops for six
months. The population of Paris was defiant in the face of
occupation — they limited the Prussian presence to a small
area of the city and policed the boundary.
Other army units joined in the rebellion which spread so
rapidly that Thiers ordered an immediate evacuation of Paris
by as many of the regular forces as would obey ; He himself
fled, ahead of them, to Versailles. The Central Committee of
the National Guard was now the only effective government in
Paris: it almost immediately abdicated its authority and
arranged elections for a Commune, to be held on March 26.
The term "Paris Commune" originally referred to the
government of Paris during the French Revolution. However,
the term more commonly refers to the socialist government
that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 (more formally from
March 26) to May 28, 1871.
The Commune was assaulted from April 2 by the government
forces of the Versailles Army, and the city was constantly
bombarded.
Having supported the Commune in any way was declared a
crime, of which thousands could be, and were, accused. Some
of the Communards were shot against what is now known as
the Communards' Wall in the Père Lachaise cemetery while
thousands of others were marched to Versailles for trials. Few
Communards escaped, mainly through the Prussian lines to
the north. For many days endless columns of men, women
and children made a painful way under military escort to
temporary prison quarters in Versailles. Later they were tried;
a few were executed; many were condemned to hard labour;
many more were deported for long terms or for life to virtually
uninhabited French islands in the Pacific. The number of
killed during La Semaine Sanglante can never be established
for certain but the best estimates are 30,000 dead, many more
wounded, and perhaps as many as 50,000 later executed or
imprisoned; 7,000 were exiled to New Caledonia. For the
imprisoned there was a general amnesty in 1889.
Paris remained under martial law for five years.
Two songs from La Commune (click Play to listen them):
Le Temps des Cerises (Cherry time) by Yves Montand.
La Semaine Sanglante (Bloody week).
Please, don't copy this text and photos without my permission.
The Wall of Federate at Pere Lachaise graveyard (Paris) symbolizes the fight
for freedom. There, May 28, 1871, 147 federated, combatants of the Commune
were shot and thrown in a pit open to the foot of the wall.
for freedom. There, May 28, 1871, 147 federated, combatants of the Commune
were shot and thrown in a pit open to the foot of the wall.
