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Statuemania

“So, you read the title of this blog and automatically assumed I was going to share my opinion with you concerning recent events around our country. You were interested to know what I thought about the desire and the movements to destroy or relocate certain statues, paintings, or other memorials that certain people might find offensive.

No, I wanted to talk with you today about the deliberate destruction of approximately 1,750 bronze statues throughout France during the German Occupation of World War II. Not since the French Revolution had so many statues been destroyed (albeit for different reasons).”

These were the first two paragraphs to my blog, Statuemania, we published on 2 September 2017 ⏤ almost three years ago. Frankly, I had forgotten about the reason why I first wrote the blog or the first paragraph; which now takes me back to the events that inspired me to write the original blog.

Pedestal without a statue, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Paris. Photo by Coyau (May 2011). PD-GNU Free Documentation License v.1.2. Wikimedia Commons.
Pedestal without a statue, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Paris. Photo by Coyau (May 2011). PD-GNU Free Documentation License v.1.2. Wikimedia Commons.

I guess my reason to re-post the blog is pretty much the same reason I gave three years ago. While I don’t necessarily oppose certain statues, busts, or flags being taken down or done away with (e.g., statues or busts of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, the flag he represented, and the Washington Redskins name), I do think we go overboard sometimes. Shouldn’t we step back and determine if we can turn something negative into a positive? I’m speaking about the lost opportunities to help educate, raise awareness, and try to make sure certain events or thought processes never happen again. I think it’s a better and more positive approach than pure destruction. Hate confronting hate doesn’t solve problems. Read More Statuemania

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“The Red Virgin”

Those of you who have been long-time readers of my blogs know that I like to highlight women who were significant to the historical periods I write about (e.g., Medieval Paris, French Revolution, and now, World War II and the Occupation of Paris). So many of these women are overlooked for their roles and accomplishments.

Today, you will be introduced to a woman who was considered a revolutionary as well as an anarchist. Over her lifetime, Louise Michel was given many nicknames: La Louve rouge (the red she-wolf), the “French grande dame of anarchy,” and la Bonne Louise (the good Louise). But it was “The Red Virgin” label which most people knew her by. Michel was a sought-after speaker, a playwright, an author, and a well-known advocate for women’s rights including education and property rights.


Did you Know?

Did you know that Queen Elizabeth II’s profile faces right on every coin she’s featured on? The tradition is to reverse the profile with each succeeding reigning monarch. So, going back to Queen Victoria, her profile faces left while her son, Edward VII (r. 1901-1910), faces right. His son, George V (r. 1910-1936), looks to the left, but his successor, George VI (r. 1936-1952) also faces to the left. Did George VI (Queen Elizabeth II’s father) break tradition? Not really. It was Edward VIII who chose to break tradition and during his short reign (eleven months; he abdicated in December 1936), the coins were minted with his profile facing left. After the abdication, George VI took the view that his brother’s profile should have been to the right and as such, opted to continue the tradition by facing left. His daughter carried on the tradition and her profile is to the right.

British coin with Queen Victoria (Great-great-great grandmother of Elizabeth II) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with Queen Victoria (Great-great-great grandmother of Elizabeth II) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
1908 British coin with King Edward VII (son of Queen Victoria) facing right. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
1908 British coin with King Edward VII (son of Queen Victoria) facing right. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King George V (son of King Edward VII) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King George V (son of King Edward VII) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King Edward VIII (eldest son of King George V) facing left. Edward abdicated the throne eleven months after being crowned king. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King Edward VIII (eldest son of King George V) facing left. Edward abdicated the throne eleven months after being crowned king. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King George VI (younger son of King George V) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King George VI (younger son of King George V) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Coin with Queen Elizabeth II (daughter of King George VI) facing right. Photo by Rabax63 (2017). PD-CCA-Share Alike 4.0 International. Wikimedia Commons.
Coin with Queen Elizabeth II (daughter of King George VI) facing right. Photo by Rabax63 (2017). PD-CCA-Share Alike 4.0 International. Wikimedia Commons.

Let’s Meet Louise Michel

Louise Michel (1830-1905) was the illegitimate daughter of a maid. Coincidentally, she was born in the year when the citizens rose to depose the last Bourbon king, Charles X. Raised by her grandparents, Louise received an excellent education and ultimately became a teacher. In 1865, she opened a progressive school in Paris and began to associate with radical members of society including Théophile Ferré. By this time, Napoléon III and his Second Empire ruled the country and as the years went on, general dissatisfaction with the emperor grew.

Louise Michel, Communard and Anarchist. Photo by anonymous (c. 1879). PD-70+. Wikimedia Commons.
Louise Michel, Communard and Anarchist. Photo by anonymous (c. 1879). PD-70+. Wikimedia Commons.

Read More “The Red Virgin”