Fusillade de Fourmies
The Fusillade de Fourmies (German shooting of Fourmies , also massacre de Fourmies ) occurred on May 1, 1891 . The military fired at a peaceful May demonstration in the industrial town of Fourmies in northern France , killing nine people and injuring at least 35.
background
The small town of Fourmies in the Nord department was a center of the textile industry in northern France at the end of the 19th century. At the time of the event it had around 15,000 inhabitants, most of whom were workers and their family members. In the north of France the Guesdeist socialists were strongly anchored and tried to organize the working class. The Marxist and later founder of the French Labor Party Paul Lafargue , who was one of the leaders of the Guesdist Socialists , called for a general strike to underline the demand for an eight-hour day and an increase in wages . In Paris, about 200 kilometers away, strikes and other actions had taken place on several occasions in previous years, especially on May Day in memory of the Haymarket riots .
To document their resistance to the demands, the factory owners had posters put up on the walls, denying any concession. Under their pressure, the mayor of Fourmies asked the sub-prefect of Avesnes-sur-Helpe to send two infantry companies of the 145th regiment to prevent possible unrest in May.
The first may
From the beginning the rally should take place in a festive and peaceful atmosphere. At 10 o'clock the workers should hand over their demands to the mayor, in the afternoon there should be a party and in the evening there should be a dance, as in the program next to the request The greatest calm should be observed - no tumult, no personal protest! is noted.
The first clash with the mounted gendarmerie took place at 9:00 a.m. and four demonstrators were arrested. The sub-prefecture then sent reinforcements in the form of two companies of the 145th regiment from the barracks in Maubeuge . At that time the 84th Regiment from Avesnes was already there. The crowd chanted “ It's the 8 hours that we need! "Followed by" It is our brothers that we need! ".
At 6:15 p.m., between 150 and 200 demonstrators reached the church square, where the mayor's office was located, and were faced with 300 soldiers equipped with the new Lebel rifle , which contained nine novel 8 mm cartridges . These bullets could penetrate three human bodies at a range of less than 100 m without losing their effectiveness. The crowd pushed forward and the first stones flew. Commandant Chapur fired into the air in order to break free. The situation did not change. So he called bayonets! Forward! Close to the demonstrators, 30 soldiers had to take a few steps back to obey the order. The workers interpreted this as a first victory, and the flag-bearer Kléber Giloteaux advanced. At almost 6:25 p.m., Commander Chapus screamed fire! Fire! Rapid fire! Aim at the standard bearer! Forty-five seconds later, nine dead and at least 35 injured were lying on the floor.
Consequences
The fusillade de Fourmies was widely received in France and a large number of magazines she took a lead story on the front page. Most of the time, the tragic aspect was recursed. Some magazines such as Le Voleur illustré referred to Abée Margerin, who had thrown himself between the gunfire and the demonstrators.
“Well, the soldiers shoot - without having been provoked by the crowd, without the mandatory three warnings. The slaughter would have lasted even longer if the Catholic priest Margerin hadn't rushed out of his house and shouted “Enough sacrifice!” Nine children were struck down on the square, a man of 30 years, two 20-year-olds, 2 children of 11 to 12 years and four young girls between 17 and 20. "
Le Voleur illustré
Politicians like Jean Jaurès and Georges Clemenceau commented on the case and condemned it. Other people, such as the anti-Semite Édouard Drumont , used the incident for their interests. Drumont blamed the sub-prefect Isaac, a Jew, for this. The socialist Ernest Roche used the event as a subject for a story.
Although the law enforcement officials were criticized, it was the organizers of the strike, Hippolythe Culine and Paul Lafargue , who were charged and convicted of provocations leading to murder. Culine was sentenced to six years in prison and Lafargue to one year. Lafargue was released early from custody because of his election as MP in November 1891. The event helped popularize the socialist movement in France and became an occasion for the establishment of the French section of the International Workers' Association .
The chanson Les Martyrs de Fourmies addresses the event.
Web links
- Le premier Mai à Fourmies ( Memento of 7 July 2013 in the Internet Archive ) with photos and documents in the Internet Archive (French)
- Alain Delfosse: La fusillade de Fourmies. In: alain.delfosse.pagesperso-orange.fr. Retrieved October 6, 2015 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Address of patron 29 avril 1891 ( Memento of the original from May 1, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed September 11, 2008
- ↑ Original: Le plus grand calme est recommandé, pas de tumulte, pas de récriminations personnelles.
- ↑ Original: C'est les huit heures qu'il nous faut! and C'est nos frères qu'il nous faut!
- ↑ Original: Baïonnette! En avant!
- ↑ Original: Feu! fire! fire fast! Visez le porte-drapeau!
- ↑ article by Alain Delfoss , accessed 14 September 2008
- ↑ Original: Alors, les soldats, sans avoir été provoqués par la foule, sans avoir fait les trois sommations réglementaires, tirèrent. La boucherie aurait duré encore longtemps si le curé catholique Margerin, n'était pas sorti de la maison et n'avait pas crié: "Assez de victimes". Neuf enfants étaient couchés sur la place, un homme de 30 ans, 2 jeunes gens de 20 ans, 2 enfants de 11 et 12 ans et quatre jeunes filles de 17 à 20 ans.
