20.2.09

A few traces... addendum

This is just a short complement to my post about “A few traces...” from last week.

David told me that the biggest traces of bombing can be found on a bank building fairly close to the Opéra Garnier (crossing Rue du 4 Septembre – Rue de Choiseul), so I went there to take some photos. He was right. This bombing took obviously place, again during WWI, January 30, 1918, and created serious damage and casualties around the city.
Someone – anonymous – asked about the remnants of the executions of communards at the Père Lachaise cemetery (see previous post) in 1871. There is an inscription on one of the walls of the cemetery (“Mur des Fédérés”) where the execution of 147 communards took place, but the wall has been rebuilt. Some of the bullet holes can however be found elsewhere; a monument has been created outside the northern wall of the cemetery (Square Samuel Champlain) where some of the original stones were a few decades later used to create a memorial (by Paul Moreau-Vauthier). I’m sorry for the abandoned look of this memorial which, in addition, I had to picture from a distance – the access to the square was closed for refreshment works (hopefully including the cleaning up of the memorial).
Well... I think I must also report that the spring has started to show some signs in "my" park! (Maybe two weeks later than last year.)

I wish you a nice weekend!

40 comments:

Cezar and Léia said...

Wonderful post dear friend!
Forgive us if Cezar or even myself have not been commenting here normaly.Things are very complicated here for us but we are keeping our mind and our hearts positive.Don`t worry about us please.Everything will be okay, I have my faith.Anyway I would like you to know that Cezar and I have followed your blog and enjoy your nice posts!I do hope to be "back on line" as soon as possible! I miss my blog as well, indeed! :-) One more time...love your Paris! Congratulations!
Your friend from Brazil , Léia :-)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for finding the traces of the execution of the Communards. The memorial is quite moving, isn't it?

Michelle said...

I love the memorial. It is quite amazing. I am very ready for the spring. Looks like you all a little ahead of us. Have a wonderful weekend.

Anonymous said...

j'aime beaucoup la dernière. Tu pourrais en faire une œuvre personnelle en travaillant sur ces personnages qui émergent à peine de la pierre

Thérèse said...

The memorial is surprising, so many things I have never heard of... you are completing my collection of knowledge...
Have a nice weekend Peter!

feasting-on-pixels (terrie) said...

I saw this just once and was not able to get an image as it was a near dark...
Merci mille fois, Peter, for capturing this wonderful piece of history to share with us all.

Rakesh Vanamali said...

I liked the pictures of the wall Peter! Well composed!

Do have a wonderful weekend!

hpy said...

Le mur est impressionnant. J'espère vraiment qu'il sera mieux mis en évidence, avec quelques travaux de nettoyage autour. Bon we.

lyliane six said...

Paris n'avait pas été trop touché pendant la guerre, pas comme Dunkerque et les villes de mon Nord, mais il y a encore certaines traces, qu'il ne faut pas oublier, il faut restaurer ce mur!
Bon week end.

alice said...

Ces visages de pierre presque effacés mais malgré tout si présents sont très touchants. J'espère que cet endroit retrouvera bientôt un peu d'intérêt aux yeux des responsables.
Bon weekend à toi, Peter.

Olivier said...

je suis d'accord avec Alice, je trouve cette sculpture dans le mur tres emouvante. Il faudrait qu'elle reste comme cela, mais le temps risque de l'effacer encore plus

claude said...

Que c'est intéressant peter et il est vrai que ce mur qui se dégrade mais laisse encore bien entrevoir l'histoire.
Je suis partagée quant à savoir s'il faut de restaurer ou le laisser tel qu'il est. Il aurait peut-être fallu le protéger par du verre. Restauré, je pense qu'il n'aura pas la même valeur humaine.

Adam said...

I work right next to the bank building at the beginning and I've never seen those traces! It just shows how solid the buildings were back then!

I'm not sure I especially like the Communards memorial wall. It seems over romantisised, with a topless Marianne at the forefront again!

Marguerite said...

Le cimetière du Père Lachaise est si grand, je ne suis jamais allée jusqu'à ce mur du coté de la tombe d'Edith Piaf ; j'irai peut-être ce WE puisque je serai à Belleville chez Etienne et sa copine.
Les traces d'obus les plus impressionnantes sont sur le Chemin des Dames. On sent encore les âmes errantes des martyres planer dans certaines forêts.

SusuPetal said...

That wall was stunning, but as stunning are the signs of spring.

Have a nice weekend, Peter.

Catherine said...

En effet le mur mérite cet agrandissement. Les visages que l'on devine sont comme des fantomes nous rappelant leur existence. Je me souviens avoir vu ce mur, peut-être n'ai-je pas prété suffisamment attention pour noter les visages. Merci de les avoir mis à l'honneur.

Ces temps-ci, les blogs présentent de plus en plus la nature qui renaît. C'est bon pour le moral.
Bon week-end, Peter.

Catherine said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Heather said...

An interesting post! I am also a bit jealous of your green grass and flowers. We're still getting snow and cold temperatures here.

Neva said...

The signs of spring ....ahhh..how sweet it is.....we are waiting for more snow tonight.....
..your post is wonderful...the green on the stones...maybe they will refresh that?

Jo's-D-Eyes said...

and again an great part of Paris's : "Père Lachaise cemetery" interesting to read the history of executions, Not really a peasure but eeh you have to tell the history though... I like the type of big stones, would like to have a house of those walls...

Happy weekend wishes Peter,
From JoAnn/Holland

marie6 said...

that is a bit eerie isn't it, seeing bullet holes where people have been killed, but still it's history!

Cutie said...

The wall is interesting as there are some faces can be seen on it. Anyway, love spring a lot. Too bad it doesn't happen in my country.

Ming the Merciless said...

Wow, is Paris soooo green already?

It's still cold and gray here.

Azer Mantessa said...

the wall
it's breathtaking

PeterParis said...

Cezar & Léia:
So happy to hear from you! Worried a lot! Trust things will soon go the way you wish and that we can start watching your Luxemburg site again!

NC:
Yes, I guess that this info also had to be added!

Michelle:
I guess that the "spring wish" is now widely shared!

PeterParis said...

Lasiate:
Peut-être un jour ! J’étais sur la pointe des pieds avec les bras dans l’air afin de prendre cette photo – de loin. J’ai du faire une dizaine avant d’avoir une relativement nette !

Thérèse:
You learn ... and I learn! :-)

Terrie:
First, I think you have to know that it's there in order to find it! :-)

PeterParis said...

Rakesh:
Thanks and nice weekend to you as well!

hpy:
Une certaine patine peut être OK, mais là c'est un peu trop je trouve! ... et oui, bon we!

Lyliane:
Oui, Paris a eu la chance d'être relativement peu touché, surtout pendant WWII!

PeterParis said...

Alice:
On verra ce que les travaux actuels vont donner! Bon we à toi également!

Olivier:
Je pense que certains travaux de nettoyage sont nécessaires, sinon la dégradation risque d'aller encore plus vite! Mais, oui, ces traces du temps qui passe sont belles d'une certaine façon!

Claude:
Je pense que déjà au départ, les visages qu'on voit, étaient éffacés de cette manière. A mon avis, il faut probablement juste nettoyer un peu, un peu et avec douceur!

PeterParis said...

Adam:
I feel that the memorial has a lot of force! I like it and you have to know that it dates from rather early 20th century!

Marguerite:
Le Chemin des Dames... c'est effrayant! Bonne promenade dimanche!

SusuPetal:
I know that you are impatient and that you are a few weeks behind us! Sorry!

PeterParis said...

Catherine:
Il faut regarder de près pour voir les visages ... et pour le moment on ne peut pas se rapprocher! Non we à toi aussi!

Heather:
A little patience! It will come!

Neva:
Yes, I believe some cleaning would be needed!

PeterParis said...

One of the above comments was deleted on the request of the author!

JoAnn:
Don't touch the stones! :-)
I wish you also a nice weekend!

Marie6:
Yes, this is history, whether you like it or not!

PeterParis said...

Cutie:
Don't worry, the spring is on its way!

Ming:
Yes, these photos don't lie! :-)

Azer:
Indeed!

Anonymous said...

cela ne fait rien :)

PeterParis said...

Anna, une jeune photographe polonaise, fait référence à mon commentaire sur son blog!

Unknown said...

I'm glad you have shown us some more traces. These are fantastic shots!
Also glad you are already feeling spring! You had a hard winter out there...

Ruth said...

The woman leaning back on the wall is stunning! Imagine creating that feeling in stone.

So glad to see the rising color in your little park. We are still covered with snow, but the sun is shining today after a storm yesterday, so that is progress maybe.

Tell me if you watch The English Patient and what you think.

Alain said...

Certains pays conservent soigneusement les traces des guerres passées. Cela semble plus éducatif qu'un "monument aux morts".

PeterParis said...

JM:
I may have to revert. I guess there are more traces!

Ruth:
Yes, it's nice work by the sculptor! For the Englsih Patient, I have not yet reviewed it. It was now a couple of years ago!

Alain:
Sans doute!

Virginia said...

The wall is stunning. It took me a few minutes to actually see the faces and the hands. I would love to see it in person. The moss is so beautiful on it. Reminds me of the the moss we saw on the headstones in the Montmartre Cemetary.Very interesting post today Peter.
V

PeterParis said...

Virginia:
Maybe we (you) must do Père Lachaise next time! :-)