The year 1871 marks the end of two tragic events in our history of France, the war with Prussia and its allies and the Paris Commune. On the occasion of the 150th anniversary, we propose to see how they were lived in Montfermeil and its region. We will do so with the help of two Montfermeillois, both actors and witnesses of this era.
The first, Ernest Peulot, draughtsman, engraver, painter, born in Montfermeil, was 18 years old in 1870 at the declaration of war. One who would later become, like his father, a renowned engraver-illustrator for the main weekly newspapers of the time, produced between July 1870 and September 1871 a series of drawings, a true graphic chronicle of events. In more than two hundred drawings he fixed multiple scenes, from the mobilization of July 1870 to the departure of the Germans in September 1871.
The second, Jean Baptiste Clément, chansonnier, journalist, syndicalist and communard, son of the miller of Montfermeil Jean-Baptiste Clément (his first name composed distinguished him from his son), lived only very episodically in Montfermeil but most often in Montmartre or in exile. Best known today as the author of a delicious love song «Le Temps des cerises» which later became the symbol of the «Commune de Paris», he was an ardent defender of secularism, A convinced republican who devoted himself entirely to the fight against poverty and the defence of the world of work. Through his songs and writings, we will unfold this short page of our history.
The exhibition is presented in the form of 48 plates in A3 format of a text designed by the Société Historique de Montfermeil, widely illustrated in particular by the drawings and writings of Montfermeil actors and witnesses.
The exhibition is open access and a commented presentation is scheduled for 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm. The tour of the exhibition is free of charge and registration is recommended due to sanitary constraints.
The exhibition will be extended on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays until October 16 and Sundays until September 26 from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
The Trades Museum will be open from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Interested visitors will have the opportunity to visit individually the rooms of the museum dedicated to agricultural activities, forest crafts and crafts of artisans.