Insurrectionary communes in France in 1870–1871
[1][2] The military forces of the insurgents were decisively defeated by the Versailles government during the 1871 campaign in the interior, which represented the final major episode of the civil war in France.
[4] It was succeeded by Marseille Commune, established on October 31, 1870, and was presided over by Adolphe Joseph Carcassonne,[5][6] before control was once again regained by Prefect Alphonse Gent.
[8] In October 1870, a worker named Constant Le Doré proposed that the city establish a commune, emulating the models of Paris, Lyon, and Marseille.
[20][4] In the district of La Guillotière, an area that was a stronghold for the movement, the red flag continued to be flown over the local government building.
On April 30, 1871, following calls from Gaston Caulet du Tayac, a delegate of the Paris Commune, members of the National Guard prevented the holding of regular municipal elections, and the population erected barricades.
[20][4] On August 7, 1870, an insurrection was initiated by Gaston Crémieux, Émile Bouchet, Maurice Rouvier, and Gustave Naquet, resulting in the seizure of the prefecture and, the following day, the city hall.
[22] Crémieux was confronted with the challenge of navigating internal dissensions, his concern for maintaining order and public services, and the desertion of numerous officials.
Following the restoration of governmental authority through force, the clubs were closed, the National Guard was disarmed and dissolved, and censorship was reinstated.
[6] In the aftermath of the Uprising of March 18, 1871, members of the "Revolution Club" appealed to Émile Digeon, urging him to spearhead a popular insurrection.
[27] On March 25, 1871, at the Capitole, the actor Saint-Gaudens, a captain in the National Guard, vociferously proclaimed the "Declaration of the Revolutionary Commune of Toulouse," authored by Armand Duportal.
[28] The Commune of Besançon never materialized beyond the planning stage, having been genuinely conceived and prepared by revolutionary supporters with assistance from the future Jura Federation.
[29] Despite an insurrectionary atmosphere and armed supporters organized from Switzerland, as reported by many local notables, correspondence from James Guillaume and Mikhail Bakunin reveals plans to launch the uprising between late May and early June 1871.
