PAUL

See also:

• PAUL DEROULEDE (1846— )

DEROULEDE (1846— )  , French author and politician, was born in Paris on the 2nd of September 1846 . He made his first appearance as a poet in the pages of the Revue nationale, under the pseudonym of Jean Rebel, and in 1869 produced at the Theatre Frangais a one-act drama in verse entitled Juan Strenner . On the outbreak of the Franco-German War he enlisted as a private, was wounded and taken prisoner at Sedan, and sent to Breslau, but effected his 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 attaining the rank of lieutenant, he was forced by an accident to retire from the army . He published in 187 2 a number 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 Gounod . In 188o his drama in verse, La Moabite, which had been accepted by the Theatre Frangais, was forbidden by the censor on religious grounds . In 1882 M . Deroulede founded the gigue des patriotes, with the object of furthering France's " revanche " against Germany .

He was one of the first

advocates of a Franco-Russian alliance, and as early as 1883 undertook a journey to Russia for the furtherance of that object . On the rise of General Boulanger, M . Deroulede attempted to use the Ligue des patriotes, hitherto a non-political organization, to assist his cause, but was deserted by a great part of the league 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 Angouleme . He was expelled from the chamber in 1890 for his disorderly interruptions during debate . He did not stand at the elections of 1803, but was re-elected in 189S, and distinguished himself by his violence as a nationalist and anti-Dreyfusard . After the funeral of President Faure, on the 23rd of February 1899, he endeavoured to persuade General Roget to lead his troops upon the Elysee . For this he was arrested, but on being tried for treason was acquitted (May 31) . On the 12th of August he was again arrested and accused, together with Andre Buffet, Jules Guerin and others, of conspiracy against the republic . After a long trial before the high court, he was sentenced, on the 4th of January 1900, to ten years' banishment from France, and retired to San Sebastian . 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 M .

Buffet in Switzerland . In

November 1905, however, the law of amnesty enabled him to return to France . Besides the works already mentioned, he published Le Sergent, in the Theatre de campagne (188o); De l'education nationale (1882); Monsieur le Uhlan et les trois couleurs (1884) ; Le Premier grenadier de France; La Tour d' A uvergne (1886) ; Le Livre de la ligue des patriotes (1887); Refrains militaires (1888) ; Histoire d'anzour (189o); a pamphlet entitled Desarmement ? (189x); Chants du paysan (1894); Poesies Militaires (1896) and Messire du Guesclin, drame en vers (1895); La mort de Hoche . Cinq actes en prose (1897); La Plus belle ftlle du monde, conic dialogue en vers libres (1898) .