For those of you who follow kings, queens, and nobility, it can be quite a chore trying to figure out the genealogy of each family and then tracking how the marriages and children forge political links between countries. One example would be Britain and Russia. King George V (1865−1936) and Tsar Nicholas II (1868−1918) were first cousins and looking at the image of the two standing side-by-side, you would swear they were twins. Empress Maria Theresa (1717−1780) decided to end hostilities with France and so she offered up her ninth child (Marie Antoinette) in marriage to the French dauphin, the future King Louis XVI. (That decision didn’t end well for her daughter, did it?) Tracking British and French monarchies is relatively easy compared to the royal families of the Scandinavian countries and Germany.
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (left) and King George V of England (right). Photo by Ernst Sandau (c. 1913). Uploaded by Mrlopez2681. PD-Published before 1 January 1929. Wikimedia Commons.
As Hitler began his conquest of Europe in May 1940, it was clear to most that his armies would be successful, occupation was inevitable, and Germany would soon become the master of Europe. Every country Hitler targeted was confronted with the dilemma of determining whether its government should stay or leave in exile. France chose to create a new government, Vichy, and collaborate with the Germans. For Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, there was no choice in her mind. She immediately relocated her government to England and fought Hitler from abroad (click here to read the blog, Audrey Hepburn & Queen Wilhelmina). Belgium’s King Leopold III (1901−1983) stayed and tried to maintain neutrality but was captured and held in Germany until his liberation. (The Belgian government refused to stay and moved to England.) Norway was not able to maintain its neutrality and King Haakon VII (1872−1957) and his government escaped to London leaving the country to the infamous collaborator and traitor, Vidkun Quisling (1887−1945). Finland’s royal family fled to England and the country came under the thumb of the Soviet Union and then Germany. (Click here to read Valkoinen Kuolemaand here to readTwo Footballers and a War.) Read More The de Facto Traitor
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. 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.
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.
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).
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
“Another outstanding, well-researched, and presented book by Stew Ross. It gives a detailed guided walking tour full of facts about the activities of the Gestapo during their occupation of Paris during World War II. I highly recommend this book to everyone who has an interest in what life was like during the Nazi occupation in France.”
Richard H.F. Neave, President Royal British Legion Paris branch, member Paris-based Libre Résistance SOE “F” Section and author of SOE: A Life in the Shadows
“Informative and entertaining, Stew Ross’ newest work evokes a difficult and frightening time in the history of the City of Light. The detailed descriptions of sites such as the Vél’ d’hiv’ or Gestapo headquarters reminds us of the choices people made during those years.”
Cynthia Bisson, PhD, Professor of History, Belmont University, French Resistant Expert
