Journalist and novelist who ran Le Cri du Peuple and sided with the Commune’s minority
Born in 1832 to a schoolteacher’s family in Le Puy-en-Velay, he was a journalist jailed several times for his articles under the Second Empire, and in January 1871 one of the four authors of the Red Poster denouncing the “betrayal” of the Government of National Defence. He founded Le Cri du Peuple in February and was elected to the Commune for the 15th arrondissement on 26 March, defending press freedom and joining the minority against the Committee of Public Safety. After Bloody Week he fled to London, was condemned to death in absentia in 1872, and returned under the 1880 amnesty to revive Le Cri du Peuple. He portrayed the Commune in L’Insurgé, the last volume of his autobiographical Jacques Vingtras trilogy.
Activities and affiliations
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1861–1885
Ideology and propaganda
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1871
Legislature and state representation
Career Timeline
- 1871.02Founded Le Cri du Peuple with Pierre Denis.
- 1871.03.26Elected to the Commune for the 15th arrondissement.
- 1872.07.14Condemned to death in absentia by a court-martial while in exile.
- 1880.07.13Returned to Paris under the amnesty.
Related historical events
- 1852.12.02–1870.09.04The Second Empire and the Revival of the Labour MovementJournalistTook part in Blanqui's La Villette attack of 14 August 1870.
- 1870–1871The Paris CommuneCommune member, publisher of Le Cri du PeupleElected for the 15th arrondissement, he joined the minority against the Committee of Public Safety and was condemned to death in absentia in London exile.