Tag: Napoléon III

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The Missing Emperor

The longer one spends in Paris (or any city for that matter), certain questions ultimately arise over innocuous issues. Sandy and I are interested in the history of the City of Light and over time we notice little things that lead to more questions. For example, after multiple trips to Paris to research our first two books (Where Did They Put the Guillotine? Volumes 1 & 2 ), it occurred to me that there were no major statues commemorating the French Revolution or the revolutionaries (other than Danton’s statue or several located in the exterior alcoves of city hall). I found old postcards showing photos of statues dedicated to the revolution, but they are all gone now. Why? I found the answer while researching the current books on the German occupation of Paris (Where Did They Put the Gestapo Headquarters? ). During the occupation, the French melted down most of the bronze statues to provide ingots that were used to repay German reparations and cover the cost of the occupation forces. (Click here to read the blog, Statuemania.)

Jean-Paul Marat’s bronze statue dismantled and waiting to be melted down
Jean-Paul Marat’s bronze statue dismantled and waiting to be melted down. Photo by Pierre Jahan (c. 1941). https://gittemangallery.com

Today’s topic deals with a similar type of issue but I’m not sure I have found the answer to my question. During the mid-19th-century, Paris was “reborn” when it was transformed into a modern city by Emperor Napoléon III and his préfet, Baron Georges Haussmann. Over a period of 17-years, day and night demolition and construction created the city we all love today. The wide avenues, homogenous architecture known as Haussmann buildings, and beautiful parks are all sights we can identify with and enjoy. However, there are many other infrastructure improvements, some visible and some not, that Napoléon III was responsible for initiating.

Napoléon III marble bust
Marble bust of Napoléon III. Sculpture by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (c. 1873). Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Considering the immense contributions by the emperor, I wonder why there are no memorials, statues, or commemorative plaques to Napoléon III. The city’s transformation did not come cheap. There were considerable costs with ramifications that can still be felt more than 170-years later. Have the French not forgiven Napoléon III for these negative costs or maybe perhaps, that he lost a war to the Prussians?

(This blog is based on my two-hour lecture, The Destruction and Renovation of Nineteenth Century Paris.)

Did you Know?

Did you know that Notre Dame is beginning to give up some of its secrets? During the recent efforts to save the cathedral after the devastating fire in April 2019, two lead sarcophaguses were discovered buried beneath the nave. One contains the remains of a high priest, Antoine de la Porte, who died on Christmas Eve 1710 at the age of eighty-three. The occupant of the second sarcophagus was likely a young, wealthy, and privileged noble from the 14th-century. (He was in his 30s and based on the pelvic bones, considered to be an expert horseman.)

Their remains were located about one meter (3.3 feet) below the cathedral floor. However, there were other items found at a lesser depth. These buried treasures included statues, sculptures, and fragments of the cathedral’s original 13th-century rood screen.

Notre-Dame excavation site with two lead sarcophaguses.
The French culture minister visits the Notre-Dame excavation site where two lead sarcophaguses were discovered. Photo by Julien de Rosa (c. 2022). Julien de Rosa/AFP/Getty Images.

As I’ve said before, one of the world’s greatest museums lies twelve feet below the surface of Paris but the French do not take too kindly to people digging up their city. Archeological finds are normally found only when basements are renovated or associated with construction on métro stations. (Please note that the remains of the two men are not considered “archeological objects” and will be returned to the Paris cultural ministry for proper burial.) France’s national archeological institute, Inrap, is responsible for the dig at Notre Dame and the objects found there.

For additional reading, please refer to my past blogs, Stop the Presses: Skeletons and Not Buildings (click here) and Paris Digs (click here).

14th-century sarcophagus Notre-Dame Paris.
The 14th-century sarcophagus. Photo by Julien de Rosa (c. 2022). Julien de Rosa/AFP/Getty Images.

Medieval Paris 

Founded in the 3rd-century by the Parisii tribe, Paris was originally settled by the Romans in 52 B.C. on what we call today, the Left Bank (the Right Bank was marshland). The city was then known as Lutetia. Other than an old arena, several remnants of the city’s Roman aqueduct system, and some odds and ends, there is no evidence of the Roman settlement. The two best sites in Paris to experience medieval life is to visit the Musée national du Moyen Âge Paris, or Musée de Cluny and the Crypte archéologique de l’île de la Cité, or the Archeological Crypt. (The Panthéon sits on the site of the ancient Roman forum.) Read More The Missing Emperor

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Cour des Miracles

Here’s a story I ran across while researching one of the walks for our next book, Where Did They Put the Gestapo Headquarters? Roundups & Executions. It’s one of those long-lost facts about Paris that has slipped into the historical fogbank. I don’t know how many past or present French teachers read my blogs, but I think I will go out on a limb here. I’ll bet most French teachers aren’t aware of the major slum once located in the middle of historic Paris (2e) called la cour des miracles. If they could squeeze their students into Dr. Who’s time travelling space ship, dial back to 16th- or 17th-century Paris, and set course for a large area now bounded by four contemporary streets, the time travelers would find themselves in the middle of a dangerous community of thieves, beggars, prostitutes, and murderers. Before you leave, I would recommend you arrive during the day.

Depiction of the Court of Miracles at night. Illustration by anonymous (date unknown). Assassin’s Creed Video.
Depiction of the Court of Miracles at night. Illustration by anonymous (date unknown). Assassin’s Creed Video.

Did You Know?

Did you know that there is an organization called the Caterpillar Club? No, it’s not a country club for the executives of Caterpillar, Inc. It’s an association of people who have successfully deployed a parachute to bail out of a disabled aircraft. The informal club is maintained by Airborne Systems (click here), a manufacturer of parachutes. If an applicant’s experience is authenticated, they are issued a certificate and silver pin. The nationality, ownership of aircraft, or other factors are immaterial⏤only the fact that the person’s life was saved by using a parachute is what matters. (Oh, one other factor does matter: the aircraft had to have been disabled naturally, including being shot down.)

Official Caterpillar Club certificate issued to T/Sgt George P. Smith. Photo by Greg Smith (c. 2021). Courtesy of Greg Smith.
Official Caterpillar Club certificate issued to T/Sgt George P. Smith. Photo by Greg Smith (c. 2021). Courtesy of Greg Smith.

The founder of the club in 1922, Leslie Irvin, named it after silk threads that were used to make the original parachutes. The silver pins are in the shape of the silkworm, or caterpillar. The club’s motto is “Life depends on a silken thread.” By the end of World War II, about 34,000 people were members. Some of the aviator members include Gen. Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and John Glenn. The first female member was Irene McFarland in 1925.

Official Caterpillar Club silver pin awarded to T/Sgt George P. Smith. Photo by Greg Smith (c. 2021). Courtesy of Greg Smith.
Official Caterpillar Club silver pin awarded to T/Sgt George P. Smith. Photo by Greg Smith (c. 2021). Courtesy of Greg Smith.

Many thanks to Greg Smith for supplying the images of his father’s certificate, membership card, and silver pin. T/Sgt George P. Smith (1920−1983) was the left waist gunner on a B-17 shot down in May 1943 over France. (click here to read the blog Rendezvous with the Gestapo)

Paris Building Periods

During the late 12th- and early 13th-centuries, King Philippe II Auguste constructed the first city wall surrounding Paris (both right and left banks) for the purpose of repelling attacks on the city. As the city expanded, King Charles V built a new wall on the right bank in 1566. By 1670, Louis XIV declared the city safe enough from outside attacks that he ordered the demolition of the walls. With or without a wall, 17th-century Paris was still a medieval town and dangerous. The streets were narrow and dark, the city was very noisy and congested, it smelled, and walking the streets, especially at night, put you in harm’s way. The houses were primarily constructed of wood, multi-storied but small, and sewage was disposed of by throwing it out into the middle of the street. Streets didn’t have names and there were no maps, so it was easy to get lost⏤everyone pretty much stayed in their own neighborhoods. There were no sidewalks or curbs so being run over by horses pulling a carriage was a potential hazard. Another reason not to venture far from home was the fear of being assaulted, robbed, or murdered by roving criminals. Yet, attacks by feral animals (e.g., wild boars) that roamed the streets were responsible for a majority of deaths. Read More Cour des Miracles