by Mike Collins
Class of 1999
Georges Boulanger (Ernest Jean Marie) was watched by millions as he rose to the top and
fell further than anyone would’ve imagined. Born in 1837, he began as a French
soldier and quickly climbed to general of the French army, and soon he gained other
titles. He was loved by society, but shunned by many government officials.
Boulanger entered the army in 1856 and fought for his country in Italy, Algeria,
Indochina, and the Franco-Prussian war from 1870-1871. In 1871, Radicals began the Paris
Commune, to keep the National Assembly from setting up a monarch headquarters in Versaii.
Boulanger was wounded in the battle against the Radicals, trying to suppress them. This
ended his career as a French soldier, in May of 1880 he was appointed brigadier general
and director of infantry in 1882.
In 1881 he planned to command the army in Tunisia, which he did for a short time, until
a man named Pierre-Paul Cambon wouldn’t allow him to. Cambon was a French diplomat
who was the political resident in Tunisia at the time. The two men didn’t like each
other and since Cambon was resident in Tunisia, he made the final decision. Since he could
not command the army in Tunisia, he went back to Paris and joined Georges Clemenceau and
the Radical party.
In 1886 Boulanger was elected Minister of war under Charles-Louis de Saules de
Freycinet and gained much respect and popularity from the public. He reformed the army so
that both soldiers and officers benefited. The public looked on him to gain France’s
respect back after their defeat to the Germans in the Franco-Prussian war. They called him
their "Brav General" and voted for him for Prime Minister when Rene Goblet
retired from office in May 1887. Once again a man with more power disagreed with the fame
that Boulanger was receiving. Maurice Rovier, a government official disliked Boulanger and
had had aggression toward him for a long while; and Rovier refused to have Boulanger in
his government. So the general was sent to command the XIII corps.
While Boulanger was being pushed away by important politic officials, the public had
high hopes for their "Brav General." Something came about known as the
"Boulangist Movement," where Bonapartists supported him, and the Duchesse
D’Uzes urged the Royalists to side with Boulanger. The Duchessse, (Marie Anne
Clementine de Rochechouart-Mortemart), gave huge sums of money to Boulanger’s
political fund.
Of course with every supporter, there were just as many against him, and in 1888
Boulanger was punished for coming to Paris three times in disguise and without leave, and
for going to see Prince Napoleon at Prangins in Switzerland. Boulanger was taken out of
his commanding position and his name was taken off the army list. On the brighter side
however, he was elected for deputy of the Nord right away. In June 1888 he wanted to
revise the constitution, but was rejected again by the Chamber, so Boulanger resigned.
Prime Minister Charles Floquet got into an argument with him that led to a duel where
the general was injured severely. This was a huge humiliation to Boulanger, but his
followers never failed to support him. All through 1888 his ideas and attitudes ruled
French politics. An overwhelming majority wanted him as deputy of Paris in January 1889.
His supporters yelled for him to take over the government as dictator. He didn’t
accept this title, but instead went to the home of his mistress, Marguerite de Bonnemains.
Boulanger’s failure to take the responsibility that he was elected for infuriated
his followers and the new government. Pierre Tirard, along with Ernest Constans as
Minister of the interior decided to try to prosecute the general. To everyone’s
amazement Boulanger left Paris on April 1st to go to Brussels and then to
London, at the peak of his power. The Senate tried him for treason, and on August 14, 1889
he was sentenced to deportation. At the elections of 1889 and 1890, support for him was
fading fast. The public was no longer enthusiastic for whom they had previously called
"General Revenche." Boulanger fled to Belgium to be with Maguerite, and he
killed himself at her grave in the cemetery of Ixelles two months after her death.
The society was far too trusting of Boulanger. They stood behind him when he was
defending their country, which is legitimate enough. He was held responsible for revenge
of Germany, and the public looked up while government officials looked down on him.
Perhaps the officials were jealous of how much attention Boulanger got from the public;
and they were victorious when they watched him fall in the eyes of his fans. |