Paul Déroulède

Paul Déroulède (September 2, 1846 - January 30, 1914) was a French author and politician, and a leading figure of the French right-wing.

Early life

He was born in Paris, and first appeared as a poet in the "Revue nationale", under the pseudonym of "Jean Rebel". In 1869 he produced, at the Théâtre Français, a one-act drama in verse entitled "Juan Strenner". On the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, he enlisted as a private, but was wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of Sedan. He was sent to Breslau (now Wroclaw), but managed to escape. He then served under Chanzy and Bourbaki, took part in the latter's disastrous retreat to Switzerland, and fought against the Commune in Paris. After reaching lieutenant, he was forced by an accident to retire from the army.

Early publications

In 1872, he published a collection of patriotic poems ("Chants du soldat"), which enjoyed unbounded popularity. This was followed in 1875 by another collection, "Nouveaux Chants du soldat". In 1877 he produced a drama in verse called "L'Hetman", which derived a passing success from the patriotic fervour of its sentiments. For the exhibition of 1878 he wrote a hymn, "Vive la France", which was set to music by Charles Gounod. In 1880 his drama in verse, "La Moabite", which had been accepted by the Théâtre Français, was censored on religious grounds.

Political life

In 1882 Déroulède, along with the historian Henri Martin and Felix Faure, founded the Ligue des patriotes, to further France's "revanche" against Germany. Déroulède initially served as the deputy to vice-president Faure, and the league quickly attained a membership of 182,000, a relatively large number for the period. Déroulède eventually became the president of the league, in March 1885. After the rise of General Boulanger, Déroulède attempted to use the Ligue des patriotes, until then a non-political organization, to assist his cause, but was deserted by many of the league's members and forced to resign his presidency. Nevertheless he used the section that remained faithful to him with such effect that the government found it necessary in 1889 to decree its suppression.

In the same year he was elected to the chamber as member for Angoulême. He was expelled from the chamber in 1890 for interrupting debates. He did not stand at the elections of 1893, but was re-elected in 1898, and distinguished himself by his violence as a nationalist and anti-Dreyfusard. After the funeral of President Félix Faure, on February 23, 1899, he endeavoured to persuade General Roget to lead his troops upon the Elysée. For this he was arrested, tried for treason and acquitted (May 31). On August 12 he was again arrested and accused, together with André Buffet, Jules Guérin and others, of conspiracy against the republic. After a long trial before the high court, he was sentenced, on January 25, 1900, to ten years' banishment from France, and retired to San Sebastian.

As a member of the chamber Paul Déroulède was an opponent of colonialism, believing that it distracted from more pressing foreign policy issues in Europe, especially German control of Alsace and Lorraine. As he put it; 'I have lost two sisters and you offer me twenty servants."

Déroulède was also an Anglophile, believing that an alliance or understanding with Britain was essential for defending France against Germany and enabling the recapture of Alsace-Lorraine. His opposition to colonialism can also be seen as being linked to a desire for France not to alienate the British Empire by entering into competition with it for foreign colonies.

In 1901, he was again brought prominently before the public by a quarrel with his Royalist allies, which resulted in an abortive attempt to arrange a duel with Buffet in Switzerland. In November 1905, however, the law of amnesty enabled him to return to France.

Other publications

Besides the works already mentioned, he published the following:
*"Le Sergent", in the "Théâtre de campagne" (1880)
*"De l'éducation nationale" (1882)
*"Monsieur le Uhlan et les trois couleurs" (1884)
*"Le Premier grenadier de France" (1886)
*"La Tour d'auvergne" (1886)
*"Le Livre de Ia ligue des patriotes" (1887)
*"Refrains militaires" (1888)
*"Histoire d'amour" (1890)
*a pamphlet entitled "Désarmement?" (1891)
*"Chants du paysan" (1894)
*"Poésies Militaires" (1896)
*"Messire du Guesclin, drame en vers" (1895)
*"La mort de Hoche." (1897)
*"La Plus belle fille du monde" (1898).

References

*1911
*Tombs, Robert and Isabelle. (2006). "That Sweet Enemy: The French and the British From the Sun King to the Present." London: William Heinemann ISBN 0434008672