1921 in France
Encyclopedia
See also:
1920 in France
,
other events of 1921,
1922 in France
.
----
Events from the year 1921 in France
.
in the course of the year 1921, it is necessary to recall one or two of the outstanding facts of 1920 in France
.
The most important political event was the election on September 23 of Alexandre Millerand
as president of the republic. Georges Leygues
succeeded him as prime minister, and his appointment somewhat surprised the majority of the nation. Leygues had had a fairly distinguished political career, but in the general opinion he was hardly one of the leading personalities of the moment.
But those who were acquainted with the growing attitude of Millerand towards the constitution had a better comprehension of the situation. Millerand desired to see an increase in the power of the president of the republic, and many people agreed with him.
France had realized during the ministry of Millerand the benefit of having a capable leader who was free from the anxiety of being turned out of office at any moment. The frequent changes of ministry had shown that even in peace times an unstable government was in a difficult situation. In a time of unrest and insecurity like the present, the situation of the government might be wholly prejudicial to the interests of the country.
Millerand's acts during his ministry both in his domestic and his foreign policy had met with the unanimous approval of the nation, and his popularity reached its height in September 1920, when by 695 votes out of 892 he was elected president of the republic. Among the members of Parliament opposed to his appointment there were many keen partisans of the leader whose eminent qualities had been put to the test during a period of over eight months. They did not wish to see Millerand occupying a merely representative position, which is all the French constitution allows to the president. They wanted to see so able a man at the helm of the ship of state, with real and not apparent power. Hopes were therefore raised in some quarters that the constitution would be amended to give more scope to the president. But these hopes were dashed to the ground when, on January 12, Leygues retired from office.
The Chamber of Deputies, by dismissing the minister selected by Millerand, expressed its wish to give power to a strong man whose conduct was not to be modified by any influence. Lack of firmness was the principal fault with which Leygues was charged by the majority of the Parliament. As a matter of fact, the dismissal of the premier was expected as an imminent event when Parliament reopened on January 11.
On that day Raoul Péret
, who was reelected chairman of the Chamber, delivered a most interesting speech dealing with the difficulties of the moment. Leygues' request for the postponement of the intended interpellations of several deputies until after the inter-Allied conference due on the 19th was refused by the House by 447 votes out of 563. The cabinet was therefore compelled to retire. Next day the Senate met and reelected Léon Bourgeois
as its chairman.
Millerand confided to Péret, chairman of the Chamber, the task of constituting a new ministry. After having endeavoured to obtain the cooperation of various personalities specially designated by the voice of public opinion, Péret found he was unable to surmount the difficulties caused by private antagonisms. He was particularly unsuccessful in obtaining the support of Aristide Briand
and Raymond Poincaré
, whose views on certain points of foreign policy differed from his own.
Thereupon Briand was entrusted with the difficult task of forming a cabinet. Briand had already been premier three times. Born in 1862 at Nantes, he was first elected deputy in 1902 for the Department of Loire, which reelected him until 1914. He was minister of public instruction in 1906, minister of justice in 1908, and prime minister in 1909. He was again prime minister in 1913 and, during the war, from 1915 to 1917. In 1919 he was reelected deputy by the Department of Loire-Inférieure, the chief town of which is his native place.
Like most French politicians Briand had gradually changed his mind in the course of the last years before the war. From fervent socialism he turned towards moderate opinions; as they say in France, "he put water into his wine".
On January 16 Briand succeeded in constituting his cabinet as follows:
In accordance with the suggestion made by the British government that, owing to the French ministerial crisis, the inter-Allied conference should be postponed, the new government agreed that the conference should take place on January 24.
On January 17 nine under-secretaries of state were appointed as follows:
The new cabinet appeared before Parliament on January 20, the ministerial declaration being read by Briand in the Chamber and by Pierre Marraud
in the Senate. This long declaration, modelled on the usual patterns, expressed much that was encouraging, but was not as explicit as the remarkable speech which Briand delivered on the following day, and which dealt with the political programme of the new government. In regard to foreign policy, Briand expressed his firm intention to make Germany
pay, and he also promised to make every effort toward the revival of diplomatic relations with the Vatican
.
The Chamber expressed its confidence in the new cabinet by 462 votes out of 539.
On the 24th, the Paris conference opened at the Foreign Office, with Briand in the chair. Eight days had been sufficient for him to make himself familiar with the grave problems of the moment, and France realized and valued the marvellous effort of the new premier.
The leading personalities of the delegations at the conference were: for France, Briand, Louis Barthou
, and Philippe Berthelot
; for Britain, David Lloyd George
and Lord Curzon; for Italy, Count Carlo Sforza
, Count Lelio Bonin Longare, and Marquis Pietro Tomasi Della Torretta
; for Belgium, Henri Jaspar
and Georges Theunis
; and for Japan, Viscount Kikujiro Ishii
.
The conference lasted five days, and was marked by a complete agreement among the Allies. The terms of the conditions of disarmament and reparations fixed by unanimous accord were forwarded to Germany.
On the day before the conference ended (January 28) there took place the solemn burial of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe
. Barthou, the war minister, delivered a most moving oration, and Lloyd George who was present threw into the grave Britain's floral tribute.
Amongst the significant events which occurred in January, the dissolution of the General Confederation of Labour
(C.G.T.) is not the least important. The breaking-up of this organization was promulgated on the 13th by the Tribunal Correctionnel following on the revolutionary strikes which had occurred in April and May 1920. The majority of the nation approved of this course. Many workmen themselves had protested against certain strike-orders, given by their leaders, as was alleged, for merely political or revolutionary purposes; and no doubt the C.G.T. had lost the support of public opinion.
Before the close of January there was a distinct improvement in the value of the franc, which dropped from sixty to fifty-two for the pound sterling.
During the whole of February French opinion watched the attitude of Germany with no little expectancy.
On the 1st Millerand expressed his most ardent congratulations to Briand and his colleagues on the part they had taken in the Paris conference. The results of the conference were placed before the Chamber by Briand on February 3, and after discussing the question for seven days, the House expressed its confidence in the cabinet by 387 votes out of 522.
On February 19, three more generals were promoted "marshals of France", viz., General Émile Fayolle
, General Louis Franchet d'Esperey, and General Hubert Lyautey
. These, together with Marshal Joseph Joffre
, Marshal Ferdinand Foch
, and Marshal Philippe Pétain
, raised the number of French marshals to six.
During February Marshal Józef Piłsudski, the head of the Polish
state, paid a visit to France in the interests of Franco-Polish amity.
Franco-British friendship was also deepened as a result of Lloyd George's reply to the German delegation at the London conference. Indeed, never since the armistice had the Entente Cordiale
been so greatly appreciated in France. The results of the conference were approved by the Chamber on March 17, after a two days' debate, by 490 votes out of 559. French troops joined British and Belgian battalions in the further occupation of German territory. The Chamber had already authorized the minister of war, on March 4, to incorporate the conscripts born in 1901.
The government also cultivated Franco-American relations. On March 19 René Viviani
, a former prime minister, was sent to the United States
, where he was received in special audience by President Warren G. Harding
.
Meanwhile questions of finance were before both houses of Parliament. Early in April the Senate discussed expenditure on foreign affairs, finally agreeing to the proposals of the government. The Senate also agreed to the government's request for 120 million francs for the continuance of French propaganda in Syria
. The budget of 1921 was finally discussed by the Senate on April 16. One of the provisions of the Finance Law limited the number of ministries in future to twelve, and of under-secretaries of state to four.
On April 12, by a unanimous vote of the Chamber, the dignity of Marshal of France was granted to the late General Joseph Gallieni
, who defended Paris in 1914.
An event of national importance of a much earlier date was commemorated by Joan of Arc
's day (May 8) instituted as a national holiday by the law of July 1920. On April 16 Marraud, minister of the interior, sent to the prefects a circular regarding this celebration, requesting them to take the necessary steps in order to solemnize the day with great display. He pointed out that the memory of Jeanne d'Arc should not be the exclusive possession of any one religious body, but should be the common property of the whole nation. These sentiments, echoed by a cabinet minister, reflected the government's changed attitude towards the Catholic Church which culminated in the endeavour to reestablish diplomatic relations with the Vatican.
As regards the inter-Allied decisions, the Senate on April 21 ratified the laying of a 50% tax on German imports as decided at the last London conference. In the following week Briand started for London to attend the inter-Allied conference. From London, on May 2, he instructed the war minister by telephone to call back the 1919 class to the colours, in view of the possible decision of the Allies to occupy the Ruhr district, in accordance with the scheme drawn up by Marshal Foch. But as on May 10 Germany acceded to the Allied terms, this possibility did not arise. Nevertheless the 1919 class were not liberated until June 21.
It is worthy of note that May Day
passed off in France without any popular manifestations. All the more remarkable were the other celebrations during May. On the 4th and 5th France recalled the hundredth anniversary of the death of Napoleon; on the 8th Jeanne d'Arc's day was fitly observed; while on the 15th an important meeting of athletic societies was held at Lille which Millerand attended, thus giving his high approval to the general tendency towards the encouragement of sport in France.
The London conference was followed by a debate in Parliament on the government's foreign policy. For six days, from May 19 to 25, the government was subjected to attacks, which the prime minister met successfully, carrying with him the Chamber, which gave him a vote of confidence of 390 votes out of 552.
On May 27, the Chamber passed a resolution authorizing the free import of wheat, and on June 7 the peace treaty with Hungary was ratified.
During the last days of June parliamentary circles were somewhat excited by the bankruptcy of the "Banque Industrielle de Chine", and the government was once again strongly attacked by several deputies on account of its supposed relations with the bank.
On July 1, the Journal Officiel published the result of the census taken in March, according to which the total population was found to be 37,499,300, as against over 38,000,000 in 1911. The drop, of course, was chiefly due to the loss of 1,500,000 men in the war.
Owing to the great heat prevailing at the beginning of July, the government decided not to hold the annual review of troops which was due to take place on the race-course of Longchamp
, near Paris, on the morning of the National Day, July 14. But as usual the French government received on that day the congratulations of foreign governments. The United States happily timed for July 14 the arrival in Paris of their new ambassador, Myron T. Herrick
, a gentleman well-known among French people as a fervent admirer of their country. Briand met him at the Gare Saint-Lazare
, and the Parisians gave him a hearty reception all along his route. The esteem in which Herrick was held was shown a few months later by the general indignation expressed at the odious attempt to assassinate him which occurred on October 19 at the American embassy.
The end of July was marked by a great maritime display at Havre, which Millerand attended as well as the minister of marine. This meeting was organized by the "Maritime and Colonial League" with a view to help the recovery of the French navy and merchant fleet. A further step in the same direction was the creation in October of an Academy of Shipping constituted by leading personalities of the shipping world for the revival of the shipping trade and the improvement of freight conditions.
Early in August an event took place the significance of which need hardly be pointed out to those who remember the attitude of the French government towards the Catholic Church during the last ten years before the war. On the 6th of that month Mgr. Bonaventure Ceretti handed to Millerand, at the Château de Rambouillet
, his credentials as legate from the pope to the government of the French Republic. "This reception", said the legate, "which in other times would have been merely a happy incident of no great consequence, today constitutes an event of historic importance, and it is especially to you and to your distinguished predecessor that should be attributed the merit of having prepared the way for its realization."
Briand, on his own authority and without waiting for the formal approval of Parliament, sent Auguste Jonnart as extraordinary ambassador to the Vatican. This action was brought up in the Senate on December 8, and led to a fierce debate, the question being treated by the government as one of confidence. The Left strongly opposed the government, stating the dangers to which the "laicality" of the republic would be exposed by the appointment of a French ambassador to the Vatican. The chief spokesman of this view was Gaston Doumergue
, a senator of the Left, but he was successfully opposed by some Alsatian senators who said that this standpoint had been abandoned during the war, and a return to it was not in the best interests of the country. In the end the Senate on December 15 passed a vote of confidence in the government, approving of the revival of diplomatic relations between France and the Vatican, Briand thus securing one of the greatest triumphs of his political career.
A few days after the arrival of Mgr. Ceretti as ambassador from the pope, France gave a hearty reception to the members of the American Legion who had crossed the Atlantic to pay a visit to the battlefields where so many of their comrades were laid to rest.
On September 11 there was celebrated at Meaux the seventh anniversary of the victory of the Marne. Barthou, the minister of war, attended the ceremony together with Marshal Joffre and General Maunoury, one of those who had contributed to the victory which saved Paris.
Meanwhile, a general strike had broken out in the north of France, as a consequence of a strike of textile workers owing to a threat to reduce wages when the cost of living was still as high as ever. The dispute was finally settled by the intervention of the government.
On October 2 Georges Clemenceau
, the "Tiger", who had just returned from his tiger shooting in India, reentered the political arena for the first time since his resignation, by delivering a speech at Sainte-Hermines in La Vendée on the occasion of the unveiling of his own monument. Replying to the many reproaches levelled at him since his return to private life, he said that it was his successors who had not upheld the rights of France under the Treaty of Versailles. "Yesterday", he declared, "we were victorious. May we not be put today in such a position that we shall wonder whether we are still victorious!" These words referred to the charge brought against Clemenceau of having sacrificed the rights of France to what is called "the policy of alliances". The conflict of these two principles has placed all the French premiers since the armistice on the horns of a dilemma. They have had to choose repeatedly between insisting on the rights of France in their integrity, especially the claim to reparation in full from Germany, and consenting to concessions required by their allies. If they lean to the former alternative, they have to face a protest from the Left; if to the latter, they incur the censure of the Right and Centre. Briand in this respect has fared no better than his predecessors. On October 9 he delivered a speech at St. Nazaire which contained an eloquent statement of the results of the war and the aspirations of France, but gave no clear indication of the way to obtain the realization of these aspirations. The tone of the press showed that the country was somewhat disappointed.
Parliament reopened on October 18, and then began a keen fight against the government, carried on by the Right and Centre parties reinforced by the old followers of Clemenceau. Eighteen deputies had sent in notice of interpellation on the government's policy. Léon Daudet
, the Royalist deputy, led the attack, criticizing the government for having given up the customs-line of the Rhine which constituted the most important security for the payment of Germany's war debt. Maurice Barrès
levelled the same reproach at Briand. He insisted that France should have a "Rhine policy", and his speech met with the approval of the majority of the Chamber. On the 25th André Tardieu
, one of the negotiators of the Treaty of Versailles, in continuing the debate severely indicted the Left party, the "Bloc des gauches", the leading party before the war, which is now endeavouring to regain its lost supremacy from the "Bloc National", constituted by the last elections of 1919. Édouard Herriot
, the mayor of Lyon, one of the most prominent members of the "Bloc des gauches", vigorously refuted the charges of Tardieu. On October 26 the Chamber finally passed a vote of confidence in the government by 339 votes out of 517.
Early in October, the minister of justice issued instructions to all the presidents of tribunals of France that the seconds of a duel should be prosecuted as accomplices in the offense, thus making the legislation in regard to duelling much more stringent. In the course of the same month Marraud, minister of the interior, gave notice of the introduction of a bill for the greater decentralization of the administration of France.
France having decided to take part in the Washington conference, the opening of which had been fixed for November 12, Marshal Foch sailed for the United States on October 22 on board the new liner Paris, the largest French vessel afloat, which had been put into service by the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique on June 15 on the Havre-New York line; and on October 29, Briand left France for Washington, accompanied by Albert Sarraut
, minister for the colonies, René Viviani, ex-prime minister, Philippe Berthelot, general secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the other members of the delegation.
On the 21st, Briand delivered a sensational speech at Washington, in which he exposed the German danger. The delegates of the Allied countries approved of this statement, but the questions of naval disarmament and the Japanese alliance monopolized the attention of the conference to the exclusion of the vital questions of reparations and disarmament of Germany. As was expected, Briand had to face severe criticism when on December 8 he made a statement on the Washington conference before the Senate.
During the absence of the premier, Millerand attended at Montpellier, together with four ministers, the celebration of the seventh centenary of the Faculty of Medicine, which took place on November 6.
A few days later, a great debate on the budget took place in the Chamber. Paul Doumer
, minister for finance, announced a serious deficit. Several deputies took occasion to criticize the defective yield of the income tax. An ex-minister, Louis Deschamps, made an attack on the government monopolies, alleging that the state was a bad trader - an opinion general in France. The discussion of the budget lasted until December 15, when the Chamber, in a night sitting, finally voted the whole of the credits asked for by the government. A few days later, on the 24th, the question of the bankruptcy of the Banque Industrielle de Chine
, which had happened in the last days of June, was brought up again in the Chamber. The government met successfully a strong attack on its attitude towards this bank, but, as a consequence of this attack, Philippe Berthelot
, general secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose brother was the chairman of the bank, retired from office. On the 27th, after a long debate, the Chamber expressed its confidence in the government by 391 votes out of 604.
The year 1921 has been one of slow recovery for France. The output of mines and factories has been notably increased, but the trading conditions are still unsatisfactory. It is believed in many quarters that the law instituting the eight-hour day
is one of the chief reasons for the slowness in the revival of industry, and there is little doubt that the efforts which are being made by a few Socialists to extend this regulation to agriculture will be checked by Parliament. As regards the financial situation, it is noticeable that the government have decided not to issue any new loans, as these have the disadvantage of drawing private capital away from industry. The government hope to do more for reestablishing the public finances by encouraging the recovery of trade. But despite all this many Frenchmen believe that France needs reparations in order to restore her ruins, and that her revival depends on the payment of the German war debt. In the last days of 1921 the country was looking towards Cannes, where a new inter-Allied conference was due to take place.
1920 in France
1920 in France
See also:1919 in France,other events of 1920,1921 in France.----Events from the year 1920 in France.-Events:At the opening of the year 1920, France was in a stronger position than she had been in for several generations...
,
other events of 1921,
1922 in France
1922 in France
See also:1921 in France,other events of 1922,1923 in France.----Events from the year 1922 in France.-Events:The year 1922 was signalized at its opening by the conference of Cannes, between France, the United Kingdom, and Belgium, which met to consider the situation created by Germany's declaration...
.
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Events from the year 1921 in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Events
Before touching on the principal events which took place in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the course of the year 1921, it is necessary to recall one or two of the outstanding facts of 1920 in France
1920 in France
See also:1919 in France,other events of 1920,1921 in France.----Events from the year 1920 in France.-Events:At the opening of the year 1920, France was in a stronger position than she had been in for several generations...
.
The most important political event was the election on September 23 of Alexandre Millerand
Alexandre Millerand
Alexandre Millerand was a French socialist politician. He was President of France from 23 September 1920 to 11 June 1924 and Prime Minister of France 20 January to 23 September 1920...
as president of the republic. Georges Leygues
Georges Leygues
Georges Leygues was a French politician of the Third Republic. During his time as Minister of Marine he worked with the navy's chief of staff Henri Salaun in unsuccessful attempts to gain naval re-armament priority for government funding over army rearmament such as the Maginot Line.He was born...
succeeded him as prime minister, and his appointment somewhat surprised the majority of the nation. Leygues had had a fairly distinguished political career, but in the general opinion he was hardly one of the leading personalities of the moment.
But those who were acquainted with the growing attitude of Millerand towards the constitution had a better comprehension of the situation. Millerand desired to see an increase in the power of the president of the republic, and many people agreed with him.
France had realized during the ministry of Millerand the benefit of having a capable leader who was free from the anxiety of being turned out of office at any moment. The frequent changes of ministry had shown that even in peace times an unstable government was in a difficult situation. In a time of unrest and insecurity like the present, the situation of the government might be wholly prejudicial to the interests of the country.
Millerand's acts during his ministry both in his domestic and his foreign policy had met with the unanimous approval of the nation, and his popularity reached its height in September 1920, when by 695 votes out of 892 he was elected president of the republic. Among the members of Parliament opposed to his appointment there were many keen partisans of the leader whose eminent qualities had been put to the test during a period of over eight months. They did not wish to see Millerand occupying a merely representative position, which is all the French constitution allows to the president. They wanted to see so able a man at the helm of the ship of state, with real and not apparent power. Hopes were therefore raised in some quarters that the constitution would be amended to give more scope to the president. But these hopes were dashed to the ground when, on January 12, Leygues retired from office.
The Chamber of Deputies, by dismissing the minister selected by Millerand, expressed its wish to give power to a strong man whose conduct was not to be modified by any influence. Lack of firmness was the principal fault with which Leygues was charged by the majority of the Parliament. As a matter of fact, the dismissal of the premier was expected as an imminent event when Parliament reopened on January 11.
On that day Raoul Péret
Raoul Péret
Raoul Adolphe Péret was a French lawyer and politician.-Biography:Raoul Péret was born in Châtellerault , son of a magistrate. He followed his father into the law, becoming an advocate at the Court of Cassation in Paris. In 1893 he served as an aide to Justice Minister Eugène Guérin...
, who was reelected chairman of the Chamber, delivered a most interesting speech dealing with the difficulties of the moment. Leygues' request for the postponement of the intended interpellations of several deputies until after the inter-Allied conference due on the 19th was refused by the House by 447 votes out of 563. The cabinet was therefore compelled to retire. Next day the Senate met and reelected Léon Bourgeois
Léon Bourgeois
-Biography:He was born in Paris, and was trained in law. After holding a subordinate office in the department of public works, he became successively prefect of the Tarn and the Haute-Garonne , and then returned to Paris to enter the ministry of the interior...
as its chairman.
Millerand confided to Péret, chairman of the Chamber, the task of constituting a new ministry. After having endeavoured to obtain the cooperation of various personalities specially designated by the voice of public opinion, Péret found he was unable to surmount the difficulties caused by private antagonisms. He was particularly unsuccessful in obtaining the support of Aristide Briand
Aristide Briand
Aristide Briand was a French statesman who served eleven terms as Prime Minister of France during the French Third Republic and received the 1926 Nobel Peace Prize.- Early life :...
and Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré was a French statesman who served as Prime Minister of France on five separate occasions and as President of France from 1913 to 1920. Poincaré was a conservative leader primarily committed to political and social stability...
, whose views on certain points of foreign policy differed from his own.
Thereupon Briand was entrusted with the difficult task of forming a cabinet. Briand had already been premier three times. Born in 1862 at Nantes, he was first elected deputy in 1902 for the Department of Loire, which reelected him until 1914. He was minister of public instruction in 1906, minister of justice in 1908, and prime minister in 1909. He was again prime minister in 1913 and, during the war, from 1915 to 1917. In 1919 he was reelected deputy by the Department of Loire-Inférieure, the chief town of which is his native place.
Like most French politicians Briand had gradually changed his mind in the course of the last years before the war. From fervent socialism he turned towards moderate opinions; as they say in France, "he put water into his wine".
On January 16 Briand succeeded in constituting his cabinet as follows:
| Presidency of the Cabinet Council and Minister for Foreign Affairs | Aristide Briand Aristide Briand Aristide Briand was a French statesman who served eleven terms as Prime Minister of France during the French Third Republic and received the 1926 Nobel Peace Prize.- Early life :... |
| Minister of Justice | Laurent Bonnevay Laurent Bonnevay Laurent Bonnevay was a radical centrist French politician during the Third and Fourth Republics, first member of the Republican Federation and then of the Independent Radicals center-right group.... |
| Minister of Finance | Paul Doumer Paul Doumer Joseph Athanase Paul Doumer, commonly known as Paul Doumer was the President of France from 13 June 1931 until his assassination.-Biography:... |
| Minister of the Interior | Pierre Marraud Pierre Marraud Pierre Marraud was a French politician born in Port-Sainte-Marie, Lot-et-Garonne, 8 January 1861, died in Paris 13.*Préfet in 1900, Councillor of State, commissaire du gouvernement at the end of the First World War until becoming prefect of in 1918.*Senator for Lot-et-Garonne from 1920 to... |
| Minister of War | Louis Barthou Louis Barthou Jean Louis Barthou was a French politician of the Third Republic.-Early years:He was born in Oloron-Sainte-Marie, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and served as Deputy from that constituency. He was an authority on trade union history and law. Barthou was Prime Minister in 1913, and held ministerial office... |
| Minister of Marine | Gabriel Guist'hau Gabriel Guist'hau Gabriel Guist'hau, was a French politician .Guist'hau left Réunion for Nantes to study law there, and was elected the mayor of Nantes in 1908. He went on to become a deputy to the Assemblée nationale from 1910 to 1924... |
| Minister of Public Instruction | Léon Bérard Léon Bérard Léon Bérard was a French politician and lawyer.He was Minister of Public Instruction in 1919 and from 1921 to 1924, and Minister of Justice from 1931 to 1932 and was elected to the Académie française in 1934.Bérard was the Ambassador from Vichy France to the Holy See from 1940 to 1945.-Léon Bérard... |
| Minister for the Liberated Districts and Reparations | Louis Loucheur Louis Loucheur Louis Loucheur was a French politician in the Third Republic, at first a member of the conservative Republican Federation, then of the Democratic Republican Alliance and of the Independent Radicals.-Life:Coming from a background in the arms industry, Loucheur became Minister of Munitions in... |
| Minister of Agriculture | Edmond Lefebvre du Prey Edmond Lefebvre du Prey Edmond Lefebvre du Prey was a French politician of the Third Republic.... |
| Minister for the Colonies | Albert Sarraut Albert Sarraut Albert-Pierre Sarraut was a French Radical politician, twice Prime Minister during the Third Republic.Sarraut was born in Bordeaux, Gironde, France.He was Governor-General of French Indochina, from 1912 to 1919.... |
| Minister of Commerce | Lucien Dior |
| Minister of Labour | Daniel Vincent |
| Minister of Pensions | André Maginot André Maginot André Maginot was a French civil servant, soldier, and Member of Parliament. He is undoubtedly best known for his advocacy for the string of forts that would be known as the Maginot Line.- Early years, to World War I :... |
| Minister of Public Health | Georges Leredu Georges Leredu George Leredu , lawyer, was mayor of Franconville-la-Garenne from 1908 to 1919, deputy from 1914 to 1927 then senator until 1936. He was Minister for Health after having been a Secretary of State of the Liberated Regions during a few months from February 19, 1920.-External links: Georges Leredu... |
| Minister of Public Works | Yves Le Trocquer |
In accordance with the suggestion made by the British government that, owing to the French ministerial crisis, the inter-Allied conference should be postponed, the new government agreed that the conference should take place on January 24.
On January 17 nine under-secretaries of state were appointed as follows:
| Presidency of Cabinet Council | Théodore Tissier |
| Interior | Maurice Cobrat |
| Post and Telegraphs (Public Works) | Paul Laffont |
| Stocks (Finances) | André Paisant |
| Merchant Marine | Rio |
| Technical Instruction | Gaston Vidal |
| Liberated Districts | Lugol |
| Food (Agriculture) | Puis |
| Air Ministry | Laurent Eynac Laurent Eynac Laurent Eynac was a French politician who was appointed Minister of Transportation on 7 June 1935 until 24 January 1936.He was born in Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille, Haute-Loire.-References:... |
The new cabinet appeared before Parliament on January 20, the ministerial declaration being read by Briand in the Chamber and by Pierre Marraud
Pierre Marraud
Pierre Marraud was a French politician born in Port-Sainte-Marie, Lot-et-Garonne, 8 January 1861, died in Paris 13.*Préfet in 1900, Councillor of State, commissaire du gouvernement at the end of the First World War until becoming prefect of in 1918.*Senator for Lot-et-Garonne from 1920 to...
in the Senate. This long declaration, modelled on the usual patterns, expressed much that was encouraging, but was not as explicit as the remarkable speech which Briand delivered on the following day, and which dealt with the political programme of the new government. In regard to foreign policy, Briand expressed his firm intention to make Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
pay, and he also promised to make every effort toward the revival of diplomatic relations with the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
The Chamber expressed its confidence in the new cabinet by 462 votes out of 539.
On the 24th, the Paris conference opened at the Foreign Office, with Briand in the chair. Eight days had been sufficient for him to make himself familiar with the grave problems of the moment, and France realized and valued the marvellous effort of the new premier.
The leading personalities of the delegations at the conference were: for France, Briand, Louis Barthou
Louis Barthou
Jean Louis Barthou was a French politician of the Third Republic.-Early years:He was born in Oloron-Sainte-Marie, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and served as Deputy from that constituency. He was an authority on trade union history and law. Barthou was Prime Minister in 1913, and held ministerial office...
, and Philippe Berthelot
Philippe Berthelot
Philippe Berthelot was an important French diplomat, son of Marcellin Berthelot. He was a republican ....
; for Britain, David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
and Lord Curzon; for Italy, Count Carlo Sforza
Carlo Sforza
Conte Carlo Sforza was an Italian diplomat and anti-Fascist politician.-Biography:Sforza was born at Montignoso ....
, Count Lelio Bonin Longare, and Marquis Pietro Tomasi Della Torretta
Pietro Tomasi Della Torretta
Pietro Paolo Tomasi, marchese Della Torretta was an Italian politician and diplomat, and a member of the noble family of the Princes of Lampedusa....
; for Belgium, Henri Jaspar
Henri Jaspar
Henri Jaspar was a Belgian Catholic Party politician.Jaspar was born in Schaerbeek and trained as a lawyer. He represented Liège as a Catholic in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives from 1919 until 1936. He helped create the Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union in 1921, and served as the 27th...
and Georges Theunis
Georges Theunis
Georges Emile Léonard Theunis was the 24th Prime Minister of Belgium from 16 December 1921 to 13 May 1925 and again from 20 November 1934 to 25 March 1935. He was governor of the National Bank of Belgium from 1941 until 1944.He received a military training and was also trained as an engineer...
; and for Japan, Viscount Kikujiro Ishii
Kikujiro Ishii
Viscount , was a Japanese diplomat and cabinet minister in Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japan. He served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Empire of Japan between 1915 and 1916.- Biography :...
.
The conference lasted five days, and was marked by a complete agreement among the Allies. The terms of the conditions of disarmament and reparations fixed by unanimous accord were forwarded to Germany.
On the day before the conference ended (January 28) there took place the solemn burial of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe
-The design:The astylar design is by Jean Chalgrin , in the Neoclassical version of ancient Roman architecture . Major academic sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe: Jean-Pierre Cortot; François Rude; Antoine Étex; James Pradier and Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire...
. Barthou, the war minister, delivered a most moving oration, and Lloyd George who was present threw into the grave Britain's floral tribute.
Amongst the significant events which occurred in January, the dissolution of the General Confederation of Labour
Confédération générale du travail
The General Confederation of Labour is a national trade union center, the first of the five major French confederations of trade unions.It is the largest in terms of votes , and second largest in terms of membership numbers.Its membership decreased to 650,000 members in 1995-96 The General...
(C.G.T.) is not the least important. The breaking-up of this organization was promulgated on the 13th by the Tribunal Correctionnel following on the revolutionary strikes which had occurred in April and May 1920. The majority of the nation approved of this course. Many workmen themselves had protested against certain strike-orders, given by their leaders, as was alleged, for merely political or revolutionary purposes; and no doubt the C.G.T. had lost the support of public opinion.
Before the close of January there was a distinct improvement in the value of the franc, which dropped from sixty to fifty-two for the pound sterling.
During the whole of February French opinion watched the attitude of Germany with no little expectancy.
On the 1st Millerand expressed his most ardent congratulations to Briand and his colleagues on the part they had taken in the Paris conference. The results of the conference were placed before the Chamber by Briand on February 3, and after discussing the question for seven days, the House expressed its confidence in the cabinet by 387 votes out of 522.
On February 19, three more generals were promoted "marshals of France", viz., General Émile Fayolle
Marie Émile Fayolle
Marie Émile Fayolle was a Marshal of France.Fayolle studied at the École polytechnique, where he graduated with the class of 1873. During his career he served in the artillery. From 1897 to 1908 he taught artillery at the École supérieure de Guerre...
, General Louis Franchet d'Esperey, and General Hubert Lyautey
Hubert Lyautey
Louis Hubert Gonzalve Lyautey was a French Army general, the first Resident-General in Morocco from 1912 to 1925 and from 1921 Marshal of France.-Early life:...
. These, together with Marshal Joseph Joffre
Joseph Joffre
Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre OM was a French general during World War I. He is most known for regrouping the retreating allied armies to defeat the Germans at the strategically decisive First Battle of the Marne in 1914. His popularity led to his nickname Papa Joffre.-Biography:Joffre was born in...
, Marshal Ferdinand Foch
Ferdinand Foch
Ferdinand Foch , GCB, OM, DSO was a French soldier, war hero, military theorist, and writer credited with possessing "the most original and subtle mind in the French army" in the early 20th century. He served as general in the French army during World War I and was made Marshal of France in its...
, and Marshal Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
, raised the number of French marshals to six.
During February Marshal Józef Piłsudski, the head of the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
state, paid a visit to France in the interests of Franco-Polish amity.
Franco-British friendship was also deepened as a result of Lloyd George's reply to the German delegation at the London conference. Indeed, never since the armistice had the Entente Cordiale
Entente Cordiale
The Entente Cordiale was a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom and the French Republic. Beyond the immediate concerns of colonial expansion addressed by the agreement, the signing of the Entente Cordiale marked the end of almost a millennium of intermittent...
been so greatly appreciated in France. The results of the conference were approved by the Chamber on March 17, after a two days' debate, by 490 votes out of 559. French troops joined British and Belgian battalions in the further occupation of German territory. The Chamber had already authorized the minister of war, on March 4, to incorporate the conscripts born in 1901.
The government also cultivated Franco-American relations. On March 19 René Viviani
René Viviani
Jean Raphaël Adrien René Viviani was a French politician of the Third Republic, who served as Prime Minister for the first year of World War I. He was born in Sidi Bel Abbès, in French Algeria. In France he sought to protect the rights of socialists and trade union workers.-Biography:His...
, a former prime minister, was sent to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he was received in special audience by President Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
.
Meanwhile questions of finance were before both houses of Parliament. Early in April the Senate discussed expenditure on foreign affairs, finally agreeing to the proposals of the government. The Senate also agreed to the government's request for 120 million francs for the continuance of French propaganda in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The budget of 1921 was finally discussed by the Senate on April 16. One of the provisions of the Finance Law limited the number of ministries in future to twelve, and of under-secretaries of state to four.
On April 12, by a unanimous vote of the Chamber, the dignity of Marshal of France was granted to the late General Joseph Gallieni
Joseph Gallieni
Joseph Simon Gallieni was a French soldier, most active as a military commander and administrator in the French colonies and finished his career during the First World War. He was made Marshal of France posthumously in 1921...
, who defended Paris in 1914.
An event of national importance of a much earlier date was commemorated by Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
's day (May 8) instituted as a national holiday by the law of July 1920. On April 16 Marraud, minister of the interior, sent to the prefects a circular regarding this celebration, requesting them to take the necessary steps in order to solemnize the day with great display. He pointed out that the memory of Jeanne d'Arc should not be the exclusive possession of any one religious body, but should be the common property of the whole nation. These sentiments, echoed by a cabinet minister, reflected the government's changed attitude towards the Catholic Church which culminated in the endeavour to reestablish diplomatic relations with the Vatican.
As regards the inter-Allied decisions, the Senate on April 21 ratified the laying of a 50% tax on German imports as decided at the last London conference. In the following week Briand started for London to attend the inter-Allied conference. From London, on May 2, he instructed the war minister by telephone to call back the 1919 class to the colours, in view of the possible decision of the Allies to occupy the Ruhr district, in accordance with the scheme drawn up by Marshal Foch. But as on May 10 Germany acceded to the Allied terms, this possibility did not arise. Nevertheless the 1919 class were not liberated until June 21.
It is worthy of note that May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
passed off in France without any popular manifestations. All the more remarkable were the other celebrations during May. On the 4th and 5th France recalled the hundredth anniversary of the death of Napoleon; on the 8th Jeanne d'Arc's day was fitly observed; while on the 15th an important meeting of athletic societies was held at Lille which Millerand attended, thus giving his high approval to the general tendency towards the encouragement of sport in France.
The London conference was followed by a debate in Parliament on the government's foreign policy. For six days, from May 19 to 25, the government was subjected to attacks, which the prime minister met successfully, carrying with him the Chamber, which gave him a vote of confidence of 390 votes out of 552.
On May 27, the Chamber passed a resolution authorizing the free import of wheat, and on June 7 the peace treaty with Hungary was ratified.
During the last days of June parliamentary circles were somewhat excited by the bankruptcy of the "Banque Industrielle de Chine", and the government was once again strongly attacked by several deputies on account of its supposed relations with the bank.
On July 1, the Journal Officiel published the result of the census taken in March, according to which the total population was found to be 37,499,300, as against over 38,000,000 in 1911. The drop, of course, was chiefly due to the loss of 1,500,000 men in the war.
Owing to the great heat prevailing at the beginning of July, the government decided not to hold the annual review of troops which was due to take place on the race-course of Longchamp
Hippodrome de Longchamp
The Longchamp Racecourse is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes in the Bois de Boulogne at Paris, France. Built on the banks of the Seine River, it is used for flat racing and is noted for its variety of interlaced tracks and a famous hill that provides a real...
, near Paris, on the morning of the National Day, July 14. But as usual the French government received on that day the congratulations of foreign governments. The United States happily timed for July 14 the arrival in Paris of their new ambassador, Myron T. Herrick
Myron T. Herrick
Myron Timothy Herrick was a Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 42nd Governor of Ohio.-Biography:...
, a gentleman well-known among French people as a fervent admirer of their country. Briand met him at the Gare Saint-Lazare
Gare Saint-Lazare
Paris Saint-Lazare is one of the six large terminus train stations of Paris. It is the second busiest in Paris, behind the Gare du Nord, handling 274,000 passengers each day.-History:...
, and the Parisians gave him a hearty reception all along his route. The esteem in which Herrick was held was shown a few months later by the general indignation expressed at the odious attempt to assassinate him which occurred on October 19 at the American embassy.
The end of July was marked by a great maritime display at Havre, which Millerand attended as well as the minister of marine. This meeting was organized by the "Maritime and Colonial League" with a view to help the recovery of the French navy and merchant fleet. A further step in the same direction was the creation in October of an Academy of Shipping constituted by leading personalities of the shipping world for the revival of the shipping trade and the improvement of freight conditions.
Early in August an event took place the significance of which need hardly be pointed out to those who remember the attitude of the French government towards the Catholic Church during the last ten years before the war. On the 6th of that month Mgr. Bonaventure Ceretti handed to Millerand, at the Château de Rambouillet
Château de Rambouillet
The château de Rambouillet is a castle in the town of Rambouillet, Yvelines department, in the Île-de-France region in northern France, southwest of Paris...
, his credentials as legate from the pope to the government of the French Republic. "This reception", said the legate, "which in other times would have been merely a happy incident of no great consequence, today constitutes an event of historic importance, and it is especially to you and to your distinguished predecessor that should be attributed the merit of having prepared the way for its realization."
Briand, on his own authority and without waiting for the formal approval of Parliament, sent Auguste Jonnart as extraordinary ambassador to the Vatican. This action was brought up in the Senate on December 8, and led to a fierce debate, the question being treated by the government as one of confidence. The Left strongly opposed the government, stating the dangers to which the "laicality" of the republic would be exposed by the appointment of a French ambassador to the Vatican. The chief spokesman of this view was Gaston Doumergue
Gaston Doumergue
Pierre-Paul-Henri-Gaston Doumergue was a French politician of the Third Republic.Doumergue came from a Protestant family. Beginning as a Radical, he turned more towards the political right in his old age. He served as Prime Minister from 9 December 1913 to 2 June 1914...
, a senator of the Left, but he was successfully opposed by some Alsatian senators who said that this standpoint had been abandoned during the war, and a return to it was not in the best interests of the country. In the end the Senate on December 15 passed a vote of confidence in the government, approving of the revival of diplomatic relations between France and the Vatican, Briand thus securing one of the greatest triumphs of his political career.
A few days after the arrival of Mgr. Ceretti as ambassador from the pope, France gave a hearty reception to the members of the American Legion who had crossed the Atlantic to pay a visit to the battlefields where so many of their comrades were laid to rest.
On September 11 there was celebrated at Meaux the seventh anniversary of the victory of the Marne. Barthou, the minister of war, attended the ceremony together with Marshal Joffre and General Maunoury, one of those who had contributed to the victory which saved Paris.
Meanwhile, a general strike had broken out in the north of France, as a consequence of a strike of textile workers owing to a threat to reduce wages when the cost of living was still as high as ever. The dispute was finally settled by the intervention of the government.
On October 2 Georges Clemenceau
Georges Clemenceau
Georges Benjamin Clemenceau was a French statesman, physician and journalist. He served as the Prime Minister of France from 1906 to 1909, and again from 1917 to 1920. For nearly the final year of World War I he led France, and was one of the major voices behind the Treaty of Versailles at the...
, the "Tiger", who had just returned from his tiger shooting in India, reentered the political arena for the first time since his resignation, by delivering a speech at Sainte-Hermines in La Vendée on the occasion of the unveiling of his own monument. Replying to the many reproaches levelled at him since his return to private life, he said that it was his successors who had not upheld the rights of France under the Treaty of Versailles. "Yesterday", he declared, "we were victorious. May we not be put today in such a position that we shall wonder whether we are still victorious!" These words referred to the charge brought against Clemenceau of having sacrificed the rights of France to what is called "the policy of alliances". The conflict of these two principles has placed all the French premiers since the armistice on the horns of a dilemma. They have had to choose repeatedly between insisting on the rights of France in their integrity, especially the claim to reparation in full from Germany, and consenting to concessions required by their allies. If they lean to the former alternative, they have to face a protest from the Left; if to the latter, they incur the censure of the Right and Centre. Briand in this respect has fared no better than his predecessors. On October 9 he delivered a speech at St. Nazaire which contained an eloquent statement of the results of the war and the aspirations of France, but gave no clear indication of the way to obtain the realization of these aspirations. The tone of the press showed that the country was somewhat disappointed.
Parliament reopened on October 18, and then began a keen fight against the government, carried on by the Right and Centre parties reinforced by the old followers of Clemenceau. Eighteen deputies had sent in notice of interpellation on the government's policy. Léon Daudet
Léon Daudet
Léon Daudet was a French journalist, writer, an active monarchist, and a member of the Académie Goncourt.-Move to the right:...
, the Royalist deputy, led the attack, criticizing the government for having given up the customs-line of the Rhine which constituted the most important security for the payment of Germany's war debt. Maurice Barrès
Maurice Barrès
Maurice Barrès was a French novelist, journalist, and socialist politician and agitator known for his nationalist and antisemitic views....
levelled the same reproach at Briand. He insisted that France should have a "Rhine policy", and his speech met with the approval of the majority of the Chamber. On the 25th André Tardieu
André Tardieu
André Pierre Gabriel Amédée Tardieu was three times Prime Minister of France and a dominant figure of French political life in 1929-1932.-Biography:...
, one of the negotiators of the Treaty of Versailles, in continuing the debate severely indicted the Left party, the "Bloc des gauches", the leading party before the war, which is now endeavouring to regain its lost supremacy from the "Bloc National", constituted by the last elections of 1919. Édouard Herriot
Édouard Herriot
Édouard Marie Herriot was a French Radical politician of the Third Republic who served three times as Prime Minister and for many years as President of the Chamber of Deputies....
, the mayor of Lyon, one of the most prominent members of the "Bloc des gauches", vigorously refuted the charges of Tardieu. On October 26 the Chamber finally passed a vote of confidence in the government by 339 votes out of 517.
Early in October, the minister of justice issued instructions to all the presidents of tribunals of France that the seconds of a duel should be prosecuted as accomplices in the offense, thus making the legislation in regard to duelling much more stringent. In the course of the same month Marraud, minister of the interior, gave notice of the introduction of a bill for the greater decentralization of the administration of France.
France having decided to take part in the Washington conference, the opening of which had been fixed for November 12, Marshal Foch sailed for the United States on October 22 on board the new liner Paris, the largest French vessel afloat, which had been put into service by the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique on June 15 on the Havre-New York line; and on October 29, Briand left France for Washington, accompanied by Albert Sarraut
Albert Sarraut
Albert-Pierre Sarraut was a French Radical politician, twice Prime Minister during the Third Republic.Sarraut was born in Bordeaux, Gironde, France.He was Governor-General of French Indochina, from 1912 to 1919....
, minister for the colonies, René Viviani, ex-prime minister, Philippe Berthelot, general secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the other members of the delegation.
On the 21st, Briand delivered a sensational speech at Washington, in which he exposed the German danger. The delegates of the Allied countries approved of this statement, but the questions of naval disarmament and the Japanese alliance monopolized the attention of the conference to the exclusion of the vital questions of reparations and disarmament of Germany. As was expected, Briand had to face severe criticism when on December 8 he made a statement on the Washington conference before the Senate.
During the absence of the premier, Millerand attended at Montpellier, together with four ministers, the celebration of the seventh centenary of the Faculty of Medicine, which took place on November 6.
A few days later, a great debate on the budget took place in the Chamber. Paul Doumer
Paul Doumer
Joseph Athanase Paul Doumer, commonly known as Paul Doumer was the President of France from 13 June 1931 until his assassination.-Biography:...
, minister for finance, announced a serious deficit. Several deputies took occasion to criticize the defective yield of the income tax. An ex-minister, Louis Deschamps, made an attack on the government monopolies, alleging that the state was a bad trader - an opinion general in France. The discussion of the budget lasted until December 15, when the Chamber, in a night sitting, finally voted the whole of the credits asked for by the government. A few days later, on the 24th, the question of the bankruptcy of the Banque Industrielle de Chine
Banque Industrielle de Chine
The Banque Industrielle de Chine or Industrial Bank of China was chartered in 1913 and went bankrupt in 1922. Its Chinese office was in Shanghai and its European office in Paris. Its Chief Director was A.J...
, which had happened in the last days of June, was brought up again in the Chamber. The government met successfully a strong attack on its attitude towards this bank, but, as a consequence of this attack, Philippe Berthelot
Philippe Berthelot
Philippe Berthelot was an important French diplomat, son of Marcellin Berthelot. He was a republican ....
, general secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose brother was the chairman of the bank, retired from office. On the 27th, after a long debate, the Chamber expressed its confidence in the government by 391 votes out of 604.
The year 1921 has been one of slow recovery for France. The output of mines and factories has been notably increased, but the trading conditions are still unsatisfactory. It is believed in many quarters that the law instituting the eight-hour day
Eight-hour day
The eight-hour day movement or 40-hour week movement, also known as the short-time movement, had its origins in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where industrial production in large factories transformed working life and imposed long hours and poor working conditions. With working conditions...
is one of the chief reasons for the slowness in the revival of industry, and there is little doubt that the efforts which are being made by a few Socialists to extend this regulation to agriculture will be checked by Parliament. As regards the financial situation, it is noticeable that the government have decided not to issue any new loans, as these have the disadvantage of drawing private capital away from industry. The government hope to do more for reestablishing the public finances by encouraging the recovery of trade. But despite all this many Frenchmen believe that France needs reparations in order to restore her ruins, and that her revival depends on the payment of the German war debt. In the last days of 1921 the country was looking towards Cannes, where a new inter-Allied conference was due to take place.
- 9 March - Cilicia Peace TreatyCilicia Peace TreatyCilicia Peace Treaty was signed between France and the Turkish national movement to end the fighting in Cilicia war. The treaty did not achieve the intended goals. It was replaced with Treaty of Ankara...
is signed. - 20 October - Treaty of AnkaraTreaty of Ankara (1921)The Ankara Agreement was signed on October 20, 1921 between France and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey...
is signed. - First European public radio broadcasting begins from Eiffel tower.
Sport
- 26 June - Tour de France1921 Tour de FranceThe 1921 Tour de France was the 15th Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 24, 1921. The total distance was 5484 km and the average speed of the riders was 24.720 km/h. The race was won by Belgian Leon Scieur. The Belgians dominated the entire race, partly due to the absence of the...
begins. - 24 July - Tour de France won by Leon ScieurLéon ScieurLéon Scieur was a Belgian cyclist who won the 1921 Tour de France, along with stages 3 and 10. His first great victory was the 1920 Liège–Bastogne–Liège; he won a stage and finished fourth in the 1919 and 1920 Tours de France.-Origins:Léon Scieur was the son of a farmer in Florennes, near...
of BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
January to March
- 15 January - Colette CaillatColette CaillatProf. Dr. Colette Caillat was a French professor of Sanskrit and comparative grammar. She was also one of the world's leading Jain scholars.-Biography:...
, professor of SanskritSanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and comparative grammar (d.20072007 in FranceSee also:2006 in France,other events of 2007,2008 in France.----Events from the year 2007 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Nicolas Sarkozy* Prime Minister - François Fillon* Interior Minister - Michèle Alliot-Marie...
). - 26 January - Eddie BarclayEddie BarclayEddie Barclay was a French music producer whose singers included Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour. He founded Barclay Records.-Life:...
, music producer (d.20052005 in FranceSee also:2004 in France,other events of 2005,2006 in France.----Events from the year 2005 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Jean-Pierre Raffarin then Dominique de Villepin...
). - 12 February - Janine NiépceJanine NiépceJanine Niépce was a French photographer. A cousin of Nicéphore Niépce, the pioneer of photography, she was born into a family of winemakers in Burgundy....
, photographer (d.20072007 in FranceSee also:2006 in France,other events of 2007,2008 in France.----Events from the year 2007 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Nicolas Sarkozy* Prime Minister - François Fillon* Interior Minister - Michèle Alliot-Marie...
). - 13 February - Jeanne DemessieuxJeanne DemessieuxJeanne Marie-Madeleine Demessieux , was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.-Biography:...
, organistOrganistAn organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, pianistPianistA pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and teacher (d.19681968 in FranceSee also:1967 in France,other events of 1968,1969 in France.----Events from the year 1968 in France-Events:*27 January - French submarine sinks in the Mediterranean with 52 men on board....
). - 13 February - Louis FéraudLouis FeraudLouis Féraud was a French fashion designer and artist.In 1950, Louis Féraud created his first "Maison de Couture" in Cannes and by 1955 had established a couture house in Paris on the Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré....
, fashion designer and artist (d.19991999 in FranceSee also:1998 in France,other events of 1999,2000 in France.----Events from the year 1999 in France.-Events:*3 March - ratification of the Amsterdam Treaty by the French National Assembly....
). - 28 February - Pierre ClostermannPierre ClostermannPierre Clostermann was a French flying ace, author, engineer, politician and sporting fisherman. Over his flying career he was awarded the Grand-Croix of the French Légion d'Honneur, French Croix de Guerre, British DFC and bar, Distinguished Service Cross , Silver Star , and the Air Medal .-Early...
, flying ace, author, engineer and politician (d.20062006 in FranceSee also:2005 in France,other events of 2006,2007 in France.----Events from the year 2006 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Dominique de Villepin* Interior Minister - Nicolas Sarkozy* Finance Minister -...
). - 3 March - Paul GuimardPaul GuimardPaul Guimard was a French writer known for combining his passion for writing with his love of the sea. His most famous work was Les Choses de la Vie, which was adapted to film, with a complete change of its ending, by Claude Sautet, with Romy Schneider and Michel Piccoli.-Biography:Guimard was...
, writer (d.20042004 in FranceSee also:2003 in France,other events of 2004,2005 in France.----Events from the year 2004 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Jean-Pierre Raffarin* Interior Minister - Nicolas Sarkozy then Dominique de Villepin...
). - 25 March - Simone SignoretSimone SignoretSimone Signoret was a French cinema actress often hailed as one of France's greatest movie stars. She became the first French person to win an Academy Award, for her role in Room at the Top...
, actress (d.19851985 in FranceSee also:1984 in France,other events of 1985,1986 in France.----Events from the year 1985 in France.-Events:*10 March - Cantonales Elections held.*17 March - Cantonales Elections held....
). - 29 March - Jacqueline JoubertJacqueline JoubertJacqueline Joubert was a French television continuity announcer, producer and director....
, television presenter (d.20052005 in FranceSee also:2004 in France,other events of 2005,2006 in France.----Events from the year 2005 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Jean-Pierre Raffarin then Dominique de Villepin...
).
April to June
- 9 April - Jean-Marie BalestreJean-Marie BalestreJean-Marie Balestre was a French auto racing executive, who was president of FISA from 1978 to 1991 and of the FIA from 1985 to 1993.-Biography:Balestre was born at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône....
, sports executive (d.20082008 in FranceSee also:2007 in France,other events of 2008,2009 in France.----Events from the year 2008 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Nicolas Sarkozy* Prime Minister - François Fillon* Interior Minister - Michèle Alliot-Marie...
). - 18 April - Jean RichardJean RichardJean Richards was a French actor.born: Bessines, Deux-Sèvres, Franciadied: Paris, Francia-Filmography:*1947 : Six heures à perdre, directed by Alex Joffé Jean Lévitte...
, actor (d.20012001 in FranceSee also:2000 in France,other events of 2001,2002 in France.----Events from the year 2001 in France.-Events:*March - The Renault Vel Satis is launched at the Geneva Motor Show.*8 March - Cantonales Elections held....
). - 26 April - François PicardFrançois PicardFrançois Picard was a racing driver from France. He participated in one Formula One Grand Prix, on 19 October 1958. He scored no championship points. This race was his last, as he crashed his Cooper into Olivier Gendebien's Ferrari, which had spun in front of him, and Picard suffered serious...
, motor racing driver (d.19961996 in FranceSee also:1995 in France,other events of 1996,1997 in France.----Events from the year 1996 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Alain Juppé* Interior Minister - Jean-Louis Debré* Finance Minister - Jean Arthuis...
). - 7 May - Gaston RébuffatGaston RébuffatGaston Rébuffat was a well-known French alpinist and mountain guide. The climbing technique, to gaston, was named after him. He was a recipient of France's prestigious Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur in 1984....
, alpinistMountaineeringMountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
and mountain guideMountain guideMountain guides are specially trained and experienced mountaineers and professionals who are generally certified by an association. They are considered experts in mountaineering.-Skills:Their skills usually include climbing, skiing and hiking...
(d.19851985 in FranceSee also:1984 in France,other events of 1985,1986 in France.----Events from the year 1985 in France.-Events:*10 March - Cantonales Elections held.*17 March - Cantonales Elections held....
). - 19 May - Daniel GélinDaniel GélinDaniel Yves Alfred Gélin was a French actor, occasional director and screenwriter.-Early life:Gélin was born in Angers, Maine-et-Loire. When he was 10 his family moved to Saint-Malo where Daniel went to college until he was expelled for 'uncouthness'. His father then found him a job in a shop that...
, actor, director and screenwriter (d.20022002 in FranceSee also:2001 in France,other events of 2002,2003 in France.----Events from the year 2002 in France.-Events:*1 January - the Euro replaces the French franc as France's currency....
). - 5 June - Gérard de SèdeGérard de SèdeGéraud Marie de Sède de Liéoux was born in Paris to parents who supported the right-wing politics of Action Française....
, author (d.20042004 in FranceSee also:2003 in France,other events of 2004,2005 in France.----Events from the year 2004 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Jean-Pierre Raffarin* Interior Minister - Nicolas Sarkozy then Dominique de Villepin...
). - 7 June - Alexandre de MarenchesAlexandre de MarenchesCount Alexandre de Marenches was a French military officer.During the Second World War, Count de Marenches was aide de camp to General Juin...
, military officer (d.19951995 in FranceSee also:1994 in France,other events of 1995,1996 in France.----Events from the year 1995 in France.-Events:*21 February - Ibrahim Ali, a 17-year-old Comorian living in France, is murdered by 3 far right National Front activists....
). - 10 June - Jean RobicJean RobicJean Robic was a French road racing cyclist, who won the 1947 Tour de France. Robic was a professional cyclist from 1943 to 1961. His diminutive stature and appearance was encapsulated in the nickname the hobgoblin of the Brittany moor...
, road racing cyclist, won 1947 Tour de France1947 Tour de FranceThe 1947 Tour de France was the 34th Tour de France, taking place from 25 June to 20 July 1947. The total race distance was 21 stages over 4,640 km, ridden at an average speed of 31.412 km/h...
(d.19801980 in FranceSee also:1979 in France,other events of 1980,1981 in France.----Events from the year 1980 in France.-Sport:*26 June - Tour de France begins.*21 July - Tour de France ends, won by Joop Zoetemelk of the Netherlands.-January to March:...
). - 21 June - Jean de BroglieJean de BrogliePrince Jean Marie François Ferdinand de Broglie was a French politician.Born in Paris, he was one of the negotiators of the Évian Accords....
, politician, assassinated (d.19761976 in FranceSee also:1975 in France,other events of 1976,1977 in France.----Events from the year 1976 in France.-Events:*21 January - The first commercial Concorde flight takes off.*7 March - Cantonales Elections held....
). - 26 June - Violette SzaboViolette SzaboViolette Reine Elizabeth Bushell Szabo, GC, was a Second World War French-British secret agent.-Early life and marriage:...
, World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Allied secret agent (d.19451945 in FranceSee also:1944 in France,other events of 1945,1946 in France.----Events from the year 1945 in France.-Events:*6 February - Writer Robert Brasillach executed for collaboration with the Germans....
). - 29 June - Frédéric DardFrédéric DardFrédéric Dard was a French writer and author of the San-Antonio series..-Biography:...
, writer (d.20002000 in FranceSee also:1999 in France,other events of 2000,2001 in France.----Events from the year 2000 in France.The year 2000 is in particular remembered in France by a media campaign on the conditions of detention of prisoners. A parliamentary board of inquiry was created. The conclusions of the report were...
).
July to September
- 4 July - Gérard DebreuGerard DebreuGérard Debreu was a French economist and mathematician, who also came to have United States citizenship. Best known as a professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley, where he began work in 1962, he won the 1983 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics.-Biography:His father was the...
, economist and mathematician, won 1983 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics (d.20042004 in FranceSee also:2003 in France,other events of 2004,2005 in France.----Events from the year 2004 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Jean-Pierre Raffarin* Interior Minister - Nicolas Sarkozy then Dominique de Villepin...
). - 16 July - Guy LarocheGuy LarocheGuy Laroche was a French fashion designer and founder of the eponymous company.Laroche began his career in millinery and, from 1949, Laroche worked for Jean Desses and eventually became his assistant. In 1955, he visited the US to investigate new ready-to-wear manufacturing methods...
, fashion designer (d.19891989 in FranceSee also:1988 in France,other events of 1989,1990 in France.----Events from the year 1989 in France.-Events:*January - Two women, Nathalie Menigon and Joelle Aubron , are found guilty of murdering Renault owner Georges Besse, who was shot dead in Paris November 1986...
). - 23 July — Alan HeusaffAlan HeusaffAlan Heusaff, also Alan Heussaff was a Breton nationalist, linguist, dictionary compiler, prolific journalist and lifetime campaigner for solidarity between the Celtic peoples...
, BretonBrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
nationalist and linguist (d.19991999 in FranceSee also:1998 in France,other events of 1999,2000 in France.----Events from the year 1999 in France.-Events:*3 March - ratification of the Amsterdam Treaty by the French National Assembly....
). - 25 July - Lionel TerrayLionel TerrayLionel Terray was a French climber who made many first ascents, including Makalu in the Himalaya and Cerro Fitzroy in the Patagonian Andes ....
, climber (d.19651965 in FranceSee also:1964 in France,other events of 1965,1966 in France.----Events from the year 1965 in France.-Events:*5 January - Launch of the Renault 16, the world's first production hatchback car.*14 March - Municipal elections held....
). - 4 August - Jean Pierre CapronJean Pierre CapronJean Pierre Capron was a French painter known for creating muted landscapes with a haunted, lonely feeling, yet with a hint of life in the midst of the emptiness.-Early life and education:...
, painter (d.19971997 in FranceSee also:1996 in France,other events of 1997,1998 in France.----Events from the year 1997 in France.-Events:*27 January - It is revealed that French museums had nearly 2,000 pieces of art that had been stolen by Nazis....
). - 9 September - Paul Arnaud de FoïardPaul Arnaud de FoïardPaul Marie Félix Jacques René Arnaud de Foïard was a French Army general, he took part in World War II, First Indochina War and Algerian War.-Biography:...
, General (d.20052005 in FranceSee also:2004 in France,other events of 2005,2006 in France.----Events from the year 2005 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Jean-Pierre Raffarin then Dominique de Villepin...
). - 11 September - Michel JobertMichel JobertMichel Jobert was a French politician. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under Georges Pompidou, and as Minister of External Commerce under François Mitterrand....
, politician (d.20022002 in FranceSee also:2001 in France,other events of 2002,2003 in France.----Events from the year 2002 in France.-Events:*1 January - the Euro replaces the French franc as France's currency....
). - 17 September - Gisèle PascalGisèle PascalGisèle Pascal was a French actress and a former lover of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco.She was born Gisèle Marie Madeleine Tallone at Cannes in France...
, actress (d.20072007 in FranceSee also:2006 in France,other events of 2007,2008 in France.----Events from the year 2007 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Nicolas Sarkozy* Prime Minister - François Fillon* Interior Minister - Michèle Alliot-Marie...
). - 27 September - Jean-Pierre SudreJean-Pierre SudreJean-Pierre Sudre was born September 27, 1921, in Paris, France. A commercial photographer in Paris, he later moved to the south of France, where he devoted his life to workshops of "fine art" photography. He is known for his experimentation with chemicals as well as for his still lifes....
, photographer (d.19971997 in FranceSee also:1996 in France,other events of 1997,1998 in France.----Events from the year 1997 in France.-Events:*27 January - It is revealed that French museums had nearly 2,000 pieces of art that had been stolen by Nazis....
).
October to December
- 9 October - Michel BoisrondMichel BoisrondMichel Jacques Boisrond was a French film director and writer...
, film director and writer (d.20022002 in FranceSee also:2001 in France,other events of 2002,2003 in France.----Events from the year 2002 in France.-Events:*1 January - the Euro replaces the French franc as France's currency....
). - 13 October - Yves MontandYves Montand-Early life:Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in...
, actor and singer (d.19911991 in FranceSee also:1990 in France,other events of 1991,1992 in France.----Events from the year 1991 in France.-Events:*16 March - Citroën launches it compact ZX range of hatchbacks and estates...
). - 22 October - Georges BrassensGeorges BrassensGeorges Brassens , 22 October 1921 – 29 October 1981), was a French singer-songwriter and poet.Brassens was born in Sète, a town in southern France near Montpellier...
, singer and songwriter (d.19811981 in FranceSee also:1980 in France,other events of 1981,1982 in France.----Events from the year 1981 in France.-Events:*24 April - French presidential election: A first-round runoff results between Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and François Mitterrand....
). - 5 December - Louis de FromentLouis de FromentLouis de Froment was a French conductor.De Froment was born into a French noble family, and started his musical studies at the city conservatory. He later attended the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique of Paris and was a pupil of Louis Fourestier, Eugène Bigot and André Cluytens...
, conductor (d.19941994 in FranceSee also:1993 in France,other events of 1994,1995 in France.----Events from the year 1994 in France.-Events:*20 March - Cantonales Elections held.*24 March - Cantonales Elections held....
). - 15 December — Jacques LecoqJacques LecoqJacques Pierre Lecoq born in Paris, was a French actor, mime and acting instructor.He is most famous for his methods on physical theatre, movement and mime that he taught at the school he founded in Paris, L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq from 1956 until his death in...
, actor, mime and acting instructor (d.19991999 in FranceSee also:1998 in France,other events of 1999,2000 in France.----Events from the year 1999 in France.-Events:*3 March - ratification of the Amsterdam Treaty by the French National Assembly....
).
Full date unknown
- René Paul Raymond CapuronRené Paul Raymond CapuronRené Paul Raymond Capuron was a French botanist. Capuron was responsible for an extensive amount of work on the tree flora of Madagascar.- Works :Highlights of his work include:* M...
, botanist (d.19711971 in FranceSee also:1970 in France,other events of 1971,1972 in France.----Events from the year 1971 in France.-Events:*14 March - Municipal elections held.*21 March - Municipal elections held....
). - Jean-Philippe CharbonnierJean-Philippe CharbonnierJean-Philippe Charbonnier was a French photographer.His father was a painter, his mother a writer. Jean-philippe was born in an elegant and well educated family. In 1939, when he was studying German, he received a camera. Because of this he will soon stop his studies...
, photographer (d.20042004 in FranceSee also:2003 in France,other events of 2004,2005 in France.----Events from the year 2004 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Jean-Pierre Raffarin* Interior Minister - Nicolas Sarkozy then Dominique de Villepin...
). - Yves CiampiYves CiampiYves Ciampi was a French director, born 1921, died 1982. He was married to Japanese actress Kishi Keiko from 1957 to 1975.-Filmography:*1950 : Suzanne et les brigands*1950 : Un certain monsieur*1951 : Un grand patron...
, film director (d.19821982 in FranceSee also:1981 in France,other events of 1982,1983 in France.----Events from the year 1982 in France.-Events:*14 March – Cantonales Elections held.*21 March – Cantonales Elections held.*4 July – 8th G7 summit begins in Versailles....
). - Jean DuvignaudJean DuvignaudJean Duvignaud was a French novelist and sociologist.Duvignaud was a secondary school teacher at Abbeville then at Étampes where he taught Georges Perec. After submitting his doctoral thesis he taught at the University of Tours...
, novelist and sociologist (d.20072007 in FranceSee also:2006 in France,other events of 2007,2008 in France.----Events from the year 2007 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Nicolas Sarkozy* Prime Minister - François Fillon* Interior Minister - Michèle Alliot-Marie...
). - Pierre FraneyPierre FraneyPierre Franey was a French chef, best known for his televised cooking shows and his "60 Minute Gourmet" column in The New York Times.Franey grew up in northern Burgundy, France...
, chef and food writer (d.19961996 in FranceSee also:1995 in France,other events of 1996,1997 in France.----Events from the year 1996 in France.-Incumbents:* President - Jacques Chirac* Prime Minister - Alain Juppé* Interior Minister - Jean-Louis Debré* Finance Minister - Jean Arthuis...
). - Claude PielClaude PielClaude Piel was a notable French aircraft designer and the son of an aeronautical carpenter.-Biography:...
, aircraft designer (d.19821982 in FranceSee also:1981 in France,other events of 1982,1983 in France.----Events from the year 1982 in France.-Events:*14 March – Cantonales Elections held.*21 March – Cantonales Elections held.*4 July – 8th G7 summit begins in Versailles....
). - Michel QuoistMichel QuoistMichel Quoist, born in Le Havre on 18 June 1921 and died in Le Havre on December 18, 1997, was a priest and a French writer.His father had died early. Therefore Michel began to work at the age of 14. He sought meaning of life. In 1947 he became a priest...
, priest and writer (d.19971997 in FranceSee also:1996 in France,other events of 1997,1998 in France.----Events from the year 1997 in France.-Events:*27 January - It is revealed that French museums had nearly 2,000 pieces of art that had been stolen by Nazis....
).
Deaths
- 13 May - Jean AicardJean AicardJean François Victor Aicard was a French poet, dramatist and novelist.-Biography:He was born in Toulon. His father, Jean Aicard, was a journalist of some distinction, and the son early began his career in 1867 with Les Jeunes Croyances, followed in 1870 by a one-act play produced at the Marseille...
, poet, dramatist and novelist (b.18481848 in FranceSee also:1847 in France,other events of 1848,1849 in France.----Events from the year 1848 in France.-Events:*22 February - In Paris, revolt erupts against the king Louis Philippe...
). - 5 June - Georges FeydeauGeorges FeydeauGeorges Feydeau was a French playwright of the era known as the Belle Époque. He is remembered for his many lively farces.-Biography:Georges Feydeau was born in Paris, the son of novelist Ernest-Aimé Feydeau and Léocadie Bogaslawa Zalewska. At the age of twenty, Feydeau wrote his first comic...
, playwright (b.18621862 in FranceSee also:1861 in France,other events of 1862,1863 in France.----Events from the year 1862 in France.-Events:*6 January - French, Spanish and British forces arrive in Veracruz, Mexico, beginning the French intervention in Mexico....
). - 19 August - Georges DarienGeorges DarienGeorges Darien , , was a French writer associated with anarchism and an outspoken advocate of Georgism.- Life :...
, writer (b.18621862 in FranceSee also:1861 in France,other events of 1862,1863 in France.----Events from the year 1862 in France.-Events:*6 January - French, Spanish and British forces arrive in Veracruz, Mexico, beginning the French intervention in Mexico....
). - 13 September - Alfred GrandidierAlfred GrandidierAlfred Grandidier was a French naturalist and explorer.From a very wealthy family, he and his brother, Ernest Grandidier , undertook a voyage around the world...
, naturalist and explorer (b.18361836 in FranceSee also:1835 in France,other events of 1836,1837 in France.----Events from the year 1836 in France.-Births:*14 January - Henri Fantin-Latour, painter and lithographer .*21 February - Léo Delibes, composer ....
). - 22 September - Auguste-René-Marie DubourgAuguste-René-Marie DubourgAuguste-René-Marie Dubourg was a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Rennes from 1906 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1916.-Biography:...
, Archbishop of Rennes and CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
(b.18421842 in FranceSee also:1841 in France,other events of 1842,1843 in France.----Events from the year 1842 in France.-Events:*8 May - Versailles train crash at Meudon, results in the deaths of at least 55 passengers.*9 July - Legislative election held....
). - 16 December - Camille Saint-SaënsCamille Saint-SaënsCharles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French Late-Romantic composer, organist, conductor, and pianist. He is known especially for The Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, Samson and Delilah, Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, and his Symphony...
, composer, organist, conductor (b.18351835 in FranceSee also:1834 in France,other events of 1835,1836 in France.----Events from the year 1835 in France.-Events:*The French word for their language changes to français, from françois....
).