Commemoration, dreary plain?
Far from there!
Two hundred years after his death on the island of Saint Helena on May 5, 1821, Napoleon is preparing to fight a new battle.
At least, this one will not make deaths: it is the advantage of the confrontations on the memorial field.
But unlike the fans who replay the imperial epic during costumed reenactments, the bicentennial opponents will not pretend.
In the camp of the "Napoleonists", the harrows are already being erected.
“We will know how to defend ourselves!
There is no question of letting this anniversary be stolen, the last chance to commemorate the most illustrious character in our history for a very long time, ”thunders Thierry Lentz, director of the Napoleon Foundation.
The historian has his master weapon all ready: the release on March 10 of “Pour Napoléon” (Editions Perrin), a book which will be added to the dozens of works he has already written on the Consulate and the Empire.
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Opposite, the enemies of the emperor will be legion, as determined as the European allies of Waterloo: feminist anti-militarists, anti-racists, decolonialists… All on the lookout to shed a very dark light on a controversial reign.
A very controversial star of history
Why such a pitched battle in perspective?
Napoleon had a lot to do with it.
No historical figure has caused so much ink to flow: nearly 85,000 books, more than the days since his death.
On this ground, it remains unbeatable.
"What a novel is my life," he confided in the evening of his existence.
But a noir novel too, stained with blood.
“More than a million deaths in France alone is indeed a lot.
From this man who started from almost nothing to become at less than 40 years the master of Europe, we first remember the extraordinary destiny ”, notes the ex-boss of Liberation, Laurent Joffrin, a passionate who devoted several years to him. works.
“But his record is very mixed, and the character ambiguous.
Historians have not finished debating it.
"
Side face, the author of the Civil Code and the Penal Code, "an immense legislator to which contemporary France owes a lot", recognizes Jean-Louis Debré, anything but a fan of the emperor.
“His dreams of greatness have led to many misfortunes.
And he is the one who put an end to the Republic with his coup d'état in November 1799. ”In fact, the former president of the Constitutional Council is far from being the only one to dispute his record.
"France is the only country in the world to have re-established slavery"
How many contemptors, between those who castigate the national tyrant, champion of the police order and demolisher of the Republic, those who curse the butcher of Europe, or those who curse the macho who tied France in a patriarchal corset .
Do not throw any more?
So precisely, and it is certainly there that the tensions of the bicentenary will be tied: on May 20, 1802, a decree of the First Consul reestablishes slavery abolished in 1794 by the Revolution.
“This is Napoleon's great betrayal,” explains Laurent Joffrin.
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“It is not a stain, nor a fault, it is a crime, and even a double crime, denounces Louis Georges Tin, honorary president of Cran (Representative Council of the black associations of France).
France is the only country in the world to have re-established slavery.
I do not understand why we continue to celebrate his memory as if nothing had happened.
To teach Napoleon, okay, but to commemorate him is to apologize for crime, ”says the academic.
On May 20, 1802, a decree from Napoleon, then First Consul, reestablished slavery, which had been abolished in 1794 by the Revolution.
/ Private collection Isadora / Leemage via AFP
“It is not a stain, nor a fault, it is a crime, and even a double crime, denounces Louis Georges Tin, honorary president of Cran (Representative Council of the black associations of France).
France is the only country in the world to have re-established slavery.
I do not understand why we continue to celebrate his memory as if nothing had happened.
To teach Napoleon, okay, but to commemorate him is to apologize for crime, ”says the academic.
"Do not count on me to celebrate it on May 5," adds the deputy (close to the PS) of Martinique, Serge Letchimy.
He not only restored slavery, he ordered atrocious expeditions to Guadeloupe and Santo Domingo.
What he did remains an injury, an attack on our dignity, ”continues the parliamentarian.
“He was racist, sexist, despotic, militarist, colonizer, but all this is generally put under the carpet, lashes the political scientist François Vergès.
There is such nostalgia around the past greatness of France that we pass it all on.
It is time to put an end to this blindness!
As if the French continued to warm themselves in the deceptive Austerlitz sun?
The defense is speaking: “People know very well that he restored slavery but we cannot reduce it to that.
No other character has marked history like him.
Are we the only ones not to be proud?
“Indignant Thierry Lentz, who advances the polls placing him at the head of the favorite personalities of the French, in front of De Gaulle and Louis XIV.
Demining operation for the La Villette exhibition
In short, Napoleon is inescapable, despite the passions triggered at his mere mention.
Hence the proliferation of books, conferences and other exhibitions linked to the bicentenary.
Among the latter, a blockbuster, scheduled at the Grande Halle de la Villette from April 14.
Five million euros for a "biopic" which aims to do as well as the 1.4 million visitors (absolute record in Paris) of Tutankhamun in 2019.
Not saved in Covid time.
Other traps lie in wait for the flagship exhibition of 200 years.
Among the pro-Napoleon, the rumor circulated for a time - since denied - that the Minister of Culture had tried to prevent the event.
“Bachelot had to demine, reports a macronist.
The staff of the Grande Halle, particularly from overseas, would have threatened to exercise their right of withdrawal, ”he slips.
The Foundation for the memory of slavery, created in 2019, was called to the rescue, to "give guarantees to those who view the exhibition with a negative eye", slips a person close to the file.
“We have heard about these concerns.
A team of historians is currently finalizing a text, which will be made available to the RMN (
Meeting of National Museums, organizer of the event
), ”confirms Jean-Marc Ayrault, President of the Foundation.
“It would be unthinkable to ignore this dark part.
We will be very vigilant ”, continues the former Socialist Prime Minister.
Beware of "the hysterization of debates"
After the debunking of statues last May-June, the year of Napoleon will not fail to unleash strong reactions and even demonstrations in so-called indigenous, racialist and decolonialist circles.
"There is always the risk that an ultra will come with its spray of red paint", slips an organizer of the exhibition.
According to our information, security will be reinforced.
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Ditto for the Fondation Napoléon, at the forefront of commemorations.
The 5th arrondissement police station has taken the lead to thwart possible malicious acts.
The activist Franco Lollia, who will appear in May at the Paris Criminal Court for having vandalized a statue of Colbert in Paris last June, prefers to remain silent about possible future actions.
“We are too closely watched.
But the question will be seriously studied ”, assures the spokesperson of the anti-negrophobia brigades.
Arthur Chevallier, one of the curators of the exhibition, admits "walking on eggshells" and fears a "hysterization of the debates".
“The time is not very healthy, less conducive to the progress of knowledge than to very ideological debates.
Napoleon is not a unifier, it is a fact, but his popularity with the general public is undeniable.
It is not a question of admiring him blindly, but of objectively recounting his sixteen years of reign.
The history of France is neither virtuous nor frightful, it is complex ”, continues the young historian.
Same story with "the ancestor" - it is he who says it - specialists of Napoleon: Jean Tulard, 87 years old, regrets the "anachronisms".
“You have to put yourself in the context of the times.
Slavery, that abomination, was generalized.
Napoleon was clearly not a saint, but the look that some give him is unfair ", sighs the famous historian who fears a" paralysis of ceremonies ".
“The worst thing would be if there was nothing.
Let’s not become an amnesiac nation ”
This is the whole question: should we - and if so, how - to commemorate the bicentenary?
“No, responds categorically the rebellious deputy (Seine-Saint-Denis) Alexis Corbière, also professor of history.
“That intellectual debate be encouraged on this occasion, yes.
But the Republic does not have to celebrate its gravedigger.
"
However, there are many who call not to miss this embarrassing anniversary.
“The worst thing would be if there was nothing.
By dint of wanting to erase the stains of history, there will come a time when we will no longer know why the bridge is called Austerlitz and Avenue Jena.
Let's not become a nation with amnesia ”, warns Jean Tulard.
Like him, his successor at the Sorbonne, Jacques-Olivier Boudon, creaks at the memory of the “memory failure” of December 2005, during the bicentenary of the battle of Austerlitz, the zenith of the Napoleonic epic.
“The order had obviously come from the Elysee Palace to cancel the celebrations.
Jacques Chirac hated the emperor, he wanted to avoid controversy, and everyone took refuge.
"
What will Emmanuel Macron do on May 5?
At the time, a pamphlet had contributed to torpedoing the celebrations: "The Crime of Napoleon", by the philosopher Claude Ribbe.
Fifteen years after his pavement in the pond, he does not deny anything, but encourages to move on.
“A small fringe is trying to instrumentalize the issue of slavery with a political agenda in mind: to pit the French against each other.
The Republic does not have to be hostage to it.
She can take on anything.
Commemorate Napoleon without being hagiographic, without reducing him to his crimes either, ”professes the writer, appointed this summer as Memory Advisor to the Minister of Overseas France, Sébastien Lecornu.
What will Emmanuel Macron do, who has already confessed a fondness for the little corporal, and shows Donald Trump his tomb at the Invalides in 2017?
Will he be returning for the ceremony scheduled for May 5?
Will he deliver a speech, as Georges Pompidou did in 1969 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birth?
“We understand the embarrassment.
One year before the presidential election, there are risks in celebrating such a little consensual character, ”underlines Jacques-Olivier Boudon.
"Something from Bonaparte"
For now, the Elysee leaves doubt, but a close friend of the Head of State assures us that he "will not shy away".
"This can be an opportunity for clarification, provided you say everything", wants to believe Jean-Marc Ayrault.
On the right, the former president of the Assembly, Jean-Louis Debré, would prefer more "caution".
“Don't overdo it, that would be seen as a provocation.
Above all, the country needs unity.
"
But a good surprise on the agenda could make everyone agree: May 10 for the memory of slavery.
“This bringing together of the calendar is a great opportunity to reconcile memories,” applauds Stéphane Bern, host of “Secrets d'histoire”.
“I don't see him stepping over the event.
Not the kind.
Moreover, he himself has something of Bonaparte, ”smiles the friend of the Macron.
Unless, of course, a phantom enemy deals a fatal blow to the bicentennial.
After all, impossible is not Covid.
The exhibitions not to be missed this year
A multitude of exhibitions and other conferences, all over France, are listed on fondationnapoleon.org.
Here is a selection.
The Eagle hovers over La Villette.
The dazzling life of Napoleon (who died at 51) will unfold at the Grande Halle de la Villette, with a lot of furniture, busts, weapons and war treasures… The must?
An animation of the monumental painting of David on the coronation.
“Napoleon Exhibition”, from April 14 to September 19 at La Villette (Paris XIX).
Reservations: expo-napoleon.fr.
Mortal, Napoleon!
An exhibition well in its place: near the tomb of the Emperor!
You will know everything about his death: illness, death, consequences, return of the ashes…
“Napoleon is no longer”, from March 31 to September 19 at the Musée de l'Armée (Paris VIIe).
Reservations: musee-armee.fr.
Draw me an empire.
The national archives offer a very original exhibition based on the treasures of the imperial secretariat: around a hundred drawings and plans used by Napoleon I to decide on various town planning, military, industrial projects ...
Hôtel de Soubise (Paris IIIe), March 10 to June 28.
Information on 01.40.27.60.96.