Charles-Émile Freppel

He was ordained priest in 1849 and for a short time taught history at the seminary of Strasbourg, where he had previously received his clerical training.

[1] During the Franco-German war, Freppel organized a body of priests to minister to the French prisoners in Germany, and penned an eloquent protest to the emperor William I. against the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine.

Being the only priest in the Chamber of Deputies since the death of Dupanloup, he became the chief parliamentary champion of the Church, and, though no orator, was a frequent speaker.

[1] On all ecclesiastical affairs Freppel voted with the Royalist and Catholic party, yet on questions in which French colonial prestige was involved, such as the expedition to Tunis, Tong-King, Madagascar (1881, 1883–85), he supported the government of the day.

[2] Freppel's historical and theological works form 30 vols, the best known of which are: There are interesting lives by E Cornut (Paris, 1893) and F Charpentier (Angers, 1904).