| 1918 |
November 11 |
The Supreme Allied Commander, Marshal Ferdinand Foch dictates the terms
of Armistice to German plenipotentiaries at Rethondes in the Forest of
Compeigne - The Germans sign the Armistice at 5:10 am - A cease-fire ending
the First World War takes effect at 11 am
|
|
November 18 |
French troops led by General Petain enter Metz, Lorraine
|
|
November 23 |
Last German troops withdrawn from Alsace and Lorraine
|
|
December 8 |
President Poincare, Premier Clemenceau, Marshal Joffre and Generals Petain,
Haig and Pershing visit Metz to mark the return of Lorraine to France - The
President of the Republic hands Petain the baton marking his elevation to
Marshal of France
|
|
December 9 |
Poincare, Clemenceau and the military chiefs visit Strasbourg to mark the return
of Alsace to France
|
|
December 14 |
President Wilson arrives in Paris to attend the Peace Conference
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Georges Duhamel for Civilization
|
| 1919 |
January 18 |
Opening session of the Paris Peace Conference held at the Quai d'Orsay
|
|
March 31 |
Clemenceau gives up French claims to German territory west of the Rhine in
exchange for British and American guarantees despite the objections of Foch
|
|
June 28 |
The Treaty of Versailles signed in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles
formally ending World War I
|
|
July |
The British Parliament approves a treaty guaranteeing the Rhine border on condition
that the United States also ratify it.
|
|
July 14 |
Marshal Foch leads the grand victory parade down the Champs-Elysees accompanied
by Marshal Joffre
|
|
July 18 |
The Tour de France resumes for the first time since 1913 - Founder Henri Desgrange
decides that the overall leader after each stage shall wear a yellow jersey - Eugene
Christophe becomes the first rider to don the Yellow in Grenoble
|
|
November 19 |
Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare & Company, an English bookstore and
lending library, on Rue Dupuytren (moved to Rue de l'Odeon two years
later) - Beach's store becomes a gathering spot for the American literati
residing in Paris between the wars
|
|
|
The Chamber of Deputies approves a bill granting suffrage to women by a vote of 329 to 95 but the Senate refuses to debate the matter
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Marcel Proust for A l'Ombre des Jeunes Filles en Fleurs (To the Shadow of Young Girls in Flowers)
|
|
|
Other notable publications of the year: Les Croix de Bois (The Crosses of Wood) by Roland Dorgeles, La Symphonie Pastorale by André Gide and Colas Breugnon by Romain Rolland
|
| 1920 |
January 18 |
Premier Georges Clemenceau resigns after losing the contest to succeed outgoing
President Raymond Poincare to Paul Deschanel - Clemenceau's opponents
argued that he was too pro-American and should have gotten a better reparations
deal at Versailles
|
|
January 20 |
Alexandre Millerand becomes Premier
|
|
February 15 |
General Estienne delivers a lecture in which he predicts that an independent
mechanized armored force would become the basis of future military success
|
|
February 18 |
Paul Deschanel succeeds Raymond Poincare as President of the Republic -
Poincare refused to run for re-election to protest of the Treaty of Versailles
which he regards as too lenient in its treatment of Germany but retained his seat
in the Senate
|
|
May 30 |
Joan of Arc canonized by Pope Benedict XV
|
|
September 21 |
President Paul Deschanel forced to resign due to the onset of mental illness
|
|
September 23 |
Alexandre Millerand elected President of the Republic - Georges Leygues
becomes Premier
|
|
November 11 |
An Unknown Soldier of the World War is laid to rest in a tomb beneath the Arc
de Triomphe
|
|
December 29 |
The 18th Congress of the Socialist Party at Tours ends in division - A majority
of the delegates vote to accept the 21 demands of Lenin's Third International
and form the French Communist Party - The minority led by Leon Blum
remains loyal to the Second Socialist International and form the Section
Francaise de l'Internationale Ouviers (French Section of the Worker's
International) forerunner of the present day Socialist Party
|
|
|
Senate President Leon Bourgeois awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in founding the League of Nations - Bourgeois' 1910 essay Pour la Societe des Nations was the inspiration for President Wilson's proposals at the Versailles Conference.
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to E. Perochon for Nene
|
|
|
Andre Breton publishes Les Champs Magnetiques (Magnetic Fields)
|
|
|
Mistinguett records Mon homme
|
| 1921 |
January 12 |
The Government of Premier Georges Leygues resigns
|
|
January 16 |
Aristide Briand becomes Premier for a fourth time and forms his seventh cabinet
|
|
February 19 |
Marshal Foch signs a secret alliance with Poland
|
|
April 18 |
The Reparations Commission established by the Treaty of Versailles awards France
52% of German reparations set at 132 billion gold marks
|
|
|
Anatole France award the Nobel Prize for Literature, "in recognition of his brilliant literary achievements, characterized as they are by a nobility of style, a profound human sympathy, grace and a true Gallic temperment."
|
|
|
American columnist Elsa Maxwell and British fashion designer Edward Molyneaux open Les Acacias, a Paris nightclub
|
|
|
Albert Calmette and Jean Guerin of the Pasteur Institute of Lille perfect a vaccine for tuberculosis
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for literature awarded to René Maran for Batouala
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: Les Maries de la Tour Eiffel by Jean Cocteau, Si le Grain ne Meurt by André Gide and Ouvert la Nuit by Paul Morand
|
|
|
Maurice Chevalier records Dans la vie, faut pas s'en faire
|
| 1922 |
January 10 |
Opening night of the Paris nightclub Le Boeuf sur le toit - Jean Cocteau hosts the
gala - Le Boeuf becomes a gathering place for the avant garde and jazz
enthusiasts
|
|
January 12 |
The Government of Premier Aristade Briand resigns
|
|
January 15 |
Former President Raymond Poincare becomes Premier for a second time
|
|
February 2 |
James Joyce's Ulysses Published by Shakespeare & Company - Joyce's work not
published in America until 12 years later.
|
|
August 26 |
The cruiser France, flagship of the Mediterranean fleet, sinks in the Bay of
Quiberon after striking an uncharted rock
|
|
November 18 |
Death of Marcel Proust in Paris
|
|
|
Marseilles hosts L'Exposition Nationale et Coloniale de Marseilles
|
|
|
American William Bird establishes Three Mountains Press at 29 Quai d'Anjou, Paris and hires Ezra Pound as Editor
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Henry Beraud for Le Vitriol de la Lune
|
|
|
Other notable book of the year: Les Thibaults by Roger Martin du Gard
|
|
|
Parfumier Francois Coty buy Le Figaro, a conservative morning paper, and begins funding extreme right-wing causes
|
| 1923 |
January 11 |
French troops occupy the Ruhr after aligned Germany defaults on reparations payments -
Berlin orders a campaign of passive resistance, a general strike by workers,
owners to close factories and mines in the region - French and Belgian workers
sent to reopen Ruhr industries - France extracts $91 million and Belgium $17
million in net reparations from the occupation
|
|
May 27 |
André Lagache and René Leonard drive to victory in the first 24 hours of Le Mans
endurance race for automobiles. Their No.9 Chenard & Walker car completes the race
at an average speed of 92 km/hr
|
|
September 26 |
The German Government calls for an end to passive resistance in the Ruhr and agrees
to discuss resumption of reparations payments
|
|
|
Term of compulsory military service reduced from 3 years to 1˝ years
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to L. Fabre for Rabevelau le mal des Ardents
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: Le Ble en Herbe by Colette and Genetrix by Francois Mauriac
|
|
|
Yves Montand records La Butte Rouge
|
| 1924 |
January 25 |
Opening day of the 1st Winter Olympics at Chamonix on the slopes of Mont Blanc
- 258 athletes from 16 countries participate in the games
|
|
March 29 |
Premier Poincare forms a new cabinet and pushes a 20% across the board increase
in taxes through the National Assembly
|
|
May 4 |
Opening day of the 8th Olympiad of the modern era - Over 4,000 athletes from 44
countries gather in Paris
|
|
May 11 |
Le Cartel des Gauches (Leftist coalition) dominated by the Radical-Socialist Party of
Edouard Herriot wins the general election on a platform opposed to Poincare's
occupation of the Ruhr and across the board tax increases
|
|
June 1 |
The Government of Premier Raymond Poincare resigns
|
|
June 8 |
Frederic Francois-Marchal appointed to lead a two day caretaker government
|
|
June 13 |
Gaston Doumergues elected President of the Republic
|
|
June 14 |
Edouard Herriot appointed Premier - A Radical-Socialist cabinet is formed after the
Socialists SFIO agree to support but not participate in the government - The
Communists join the conservatives in opposition
|
|
July 7 |
Ezra Pound sponsors a concert titled American Music (a declaration of independence)
and performed by Olga Rudge and George Antheil at La Salle Pleyel, Paris
|
|
|
Gross National Product reaches pre-World War level
|
|
|
The Dawes Plan reduces German reparations payments
|
|
|
National Defense bonds worth 4 billion francs disappear from the Treasury - the theft remains unsolved
|
|
|
Pierre Taittinger, a conservative Paris deputy, found the Jeunesses Patriotes (Patriotic Youth) a para-military group recruited from university students
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Thierry Sandre for La Chevrefeuille, Le Purgatoire, Chapitre XIII
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: Manifestes du Surrealisme by André Breton and Le Soulier de Satin by Paul Chauldel
|
| 1925 |
April |
L'Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes (The
International Exposition of Decorative Arts and Modern Industry) opens in Paris
|
|
April 6 |
The Bank of France informs the Government that it is about to reach the debt limit of
41 billion francs
|
|
April 9 |
The Chamber of Deputies approves legislation introduced by Finance Minister
Anatole de Monzie to raise the debt ceiling to 45 billion francs and impose a 10% forced loan of capital
|
|
April 10 |
The Senate defeats de Monzie's financial bill by a vote of 156 to 132 - Herriot's
Cartel des Gauches government resigns
|
|
April 17 |
Paul Painleve appointed Premier - Painleve forms a Radical-Socialist cabinet
|
|
June |
Ezra Pound's opera The Testament opens at La Salle Pleyel, Paris.
|
|
October 2 |
La Revue Negre opens at the Theatre des Champs Elysees - Josephine Baker
introduces a new dance, the Charleston, to Paris.
|
|
October 10 |
The New Yorker publishes the first Letter from Paris authored by Janet Flanner
under the nom de plume, Genet - 700 Letters appear in the magazine over the
next half century
|
|
October 16 |
Locarno Pact signed by France, Britain, Germany and Italy guarantees the
Versailles borders, demilitarization of the Rhineland and admits Germany to
membership in the League of Nations
|
|
November 22 |
The Government of Premier Painleve resigns following the defeat of its
proposed fourteen year 1% tax on capital by 3 votes in the Chamber of
Deputies
|
|
November 28 |
Aristide Briand appointed Premier for a fifth time
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Maurice Genevoix for Raboliot
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: L'Or by Blaise Cendars and Les Faux Monnayeurs by André Gide
|
|
|
Maurice Chevalier records Valentine
|
| 1926 |
February 25 |
Henri Desire Landau guillotined at Versailles for the murder of 12 women
|
|
March 14 |
The luxury liner Ile de France launched at Ateliers et Chantiers de France, Dunkirk
|
|
March 26 |
La Galerie Surrealiste opens on the Rue Jacques-Callot, Paris with an exhibition
titled Tableaux de Man Ray et objets des iles (The Paintings of Man Ray and objects
from the isles).
|
|
June 19 |
Premier of George Antheil's Ballet Mechanique at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees -
Antheil's work is scored for 16 synchronized player pianos, 6 airplane propellers,
xylophones, car horns, gongs and other devices meant to convey the noise of
modernity - The performance causes an uproar, in the words of one critic, "It's good
but awful."
|
|
July 17 |
Aristide Briand's tenth cabinet resigns after the Bank of France refuses to raise the
debt ceiling to permit repayment of short term government loans - The franc falls to
50 to 1 against the dollar
|
|
July 19 |
Edouard Herriot appointed Premier
|
|
July 21 |
The Chamber of Deputies topples Herriot's cabinet by a vote of 290 to 273 - The Mur
d'argent ("Wall of Silver") supporting the Bank of France in its refusal to raise the
debt ceiling holds firm
|
|
July 23 |
Raymond Poincare appointed Premier for a third time
|
|
July 27 |
The Chamber of Deputies approves Poincare's cabinet which includes Herriot by a
vote of 358 to 131
|
|
December 14 |
Josephine Baker opens her own club, Chez Josephine on Rue Fontaine, Paris
|
|
December 26 |
The Vatican places L'Action Francaise and several works by Charles Maurras
on the Index of Prohibited Books
|
|
|
Aristide Briand shares the Nobel Peace Prize with German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann for their work in securing approval of the Locarno Pact.
|
|
|
Jean-Baptiste Perrin awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics "for his work on the discontinuous structure of matter."
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to H. Deberly for Le Supplice de Phedre
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: Sous le Soliel de Satan by Georges Bernanos, La Mort Difficile by Rene Crevel and Capitale de la Douleur, L'Amour, La Poesie by Paul Eluard
|
|
|
Ernest Mercier founds Redressement Francais (French Resurgence) which campaigns to replace parliamentary government with one run by trained technocrats
|
|
|
Mistinguett records Ca, c'est Paris
|
| 1927 |
May 21 |
Charles Lindbergh lands the Spirit of Saint Louis at Le Bourget airport at 5:21 p.m. to
complete the first non-stop airplane flight between New York and Paris - A crowd
of 100,000 Parisians mob the 25 year old pilot at the end of his 33 ˝ hr journey
|
|
July |
America's seven year hold on the Davis Cup broken when France beats the United
States 3 sets to 2
|
|
August 23 |
Execution of Anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti sets off a wave of Communist backed
anti-American riots
|
|
|
Henri Bergson awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, "in recognition of his rich and vitalizing ideas and the brilliant skill with which they have been presented.
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Bedel for Jerome 60 - Latitude Nord
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: La Trahison des Clercs by Julien Beudel, Quai des Brumes by Pierre Mac Orlan and Therese Desqueyroux by Francois Mauriac
|
|
|
Final volume of Marcel Proust's masterpiece A la recherche du temps perdu
(Searching for Lost Time) published five years after the author's death
|
|
|
Yvette Guilbert records Madame Arthur
|
| 1928 |
|
The Poincare government devalues the franc by 80% against the dollar
|
|
May |
Parties of the Right and Center win a majority in elections for a new Chamber of
Deputies - The Radical-Socialist Party losses attributed to their support of Poincare
|
|
July |
France retains the Davis Cup title defeating the United States 4 sets to 1
|
|
September 15 |
The Poincare government creates an Air Ministry - Victor Laurent-Eynac
appointed first French Air Minister
|
|
November |
The Radical-Socialists withdraw from the cabinet - Poincare carries on with an
entirely conservative government
|
|
|
Charles Nicolle awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in recognition of his work on the transmission of typhus.
|
| 1929 |
March 20 |
Marshal Ferdinand Foch dies in Paris at age 78
|
|
July |
France wins the Davis Cup for a third consecutive year defeating the United States 3 sets to 2
|
|
July 26 |
Premier Raymond Poincare resigns citing ill health
|
|
July 29 |
Aristide Briand becomes Premier for the sixth time and forms his eleventh cabinet
|
|
October 22 |
The Government of Premier Aristide Briand resigns
|
|
November 3 |
Andre Tardieu becomes Premier
|
|
November 24 |
Georges Clemenceau dies in Paris at age 88
|
|
|
The Young Plan further reduces German reparations payments
|
|
|
Louis-Victor de Broglie awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics "for his discovery of the wave nature of electrons."
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to M. Arland for L'Ordre
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: Les Enfants Terrible by Jean Cocteau, Colline by Jean Giono and Marius by Marcel Pagnol
|
| 1930 |
|
Colonel de La Rocque becomes leader of les Croix-de-Feu (The Crosses of Fire), a
veterans organization that he transforms into a paramilitary one.
|
|
|
Editions Artheme Bayard begins publication of Je suis partout (I am everywhere) an
anti-Semitic, pro-fascist daily newspaper. The paper's writers include Robert Brassilach,
Drieu La Rochelle and Bertrand Jouvenel.
|
|
January 4 |
Construction of the Maginot Line authorized by the National Assembly
|
|
January 9 |
Clothes washing machines go on sale in Paris for the first time
|
|
January 11 |
Maurice Ravel directs one of his own works, Bolero, at the Lamoureux concert
hall in Paris
|
|
January 15 |
Surrealists Georges Bataille, Michel Leiris and Raymond Queneau publish Un
Cadavre (A Cadaver), a pamphlet denouncing the movement's leader André
Breton
|
|
January 17 |
Camille Chautemps becomes leader of the Radical Socialists in the Chamber of
Deputies
|
|
January 21 |
Premier of Aubade, choreographed by Georges Balenchine and based on the
words and music of Francis Poulenc at the theatre des Champs Elysee
|
|
January 26 |
The Socialists (SFIO) refuse to participate in formation of a cabinet
|
|
January 27 |
Henry Chretien patent's the Cinemascope film process
|
|
February 17 |
Closing performance of Jean Cocteau's La Voix humaine (the human voice) at the
Comedie Francaise - Tardieu government ends
|
|
February 21 |
Camille Chautemps appointed Premier
|
|
February 25 |
Chautemps resigns as Premier
|
|
March 2 |
Andre Tardieu becomes Premier
|
|
March 17 |
President Doumergue opens the Villejuif Cancer Institute established by Gustave
Roussy
|
|
April 16 |
Chamber of Deputies passes 1930-31 budget increased spending on infrastructure,
social welfare and benefits for the civil service - Creation of the PMU (Pari-Mutual
Urbain)
|
|
May |
The first prix Populaire awarded to Eugene Dabit for his book Hotel du Nord
|
|
May 9 |
France, Italy, Belgium and Great Britain ratify the Young Plan.
France announces its withdrawal from the Rhineland.
|
|
May 12 |
Aviators Mermoz, Gimie and Dabry complete the first airmail flight across the South
Atlantic in a Late 28 flying boat
|
|
May 13 |
Arturo Toscanini makes a triumphal Paris debut directing the New York
Philharmonic's performance of Beethoven's Heroic Symphony and Mendlessohn's
Song for a Summer's Night
|
|
May 23 |
Premier of Frehel at l'Olympia theater
|
|
May 28 |
Private showing of Jean Vigo's film A propos de Nice at the theatre du Vieux-
Colombier
|
|
June 28 |
The National Assembly passes the Bonnevay Law to finance low cost housing
|
|
June 30 |
Last French occupation troops withdrawn from the Rhineland
|
|
July |
First issue of Le Surrealisme au service de la Revolution (Surrealism in the service of the
Revolution) published. The literary review is edited by Andre Breton in collaboration
with Louis Aragon, Salvador Dali, Luis Bunuel, Max Ernst and Yves Tanquy among
others.
|
|
July 12 |
Ray Ventura records the first album of jazz vocals sung in French
|
|
July 27 |
The team of Cochet, Borota and Brugnon win the Davis Cup - The fourth consecutive
victory in Tennis' premier competition. - Andre Leducq wins the Tour de France - A
new format of national teams replaces the old manufacturers' teams in the cycling
competition
|
|
August 1 |
Strikes in the textile and steel mills of the Nord region - rioting between strikers
and non-striking workers and the police
|
|
September 2 |
Aviators Costes and Bellonte complete the first non-stop flight from Paris to
New York in their Breguet <> in 37 hours 18 minutes
|
|
September 26 |
Opening of Paris qui remue at the Casino de Paris. The new review stars
Josephine Baker singing j'ai deux amours
|
|
October 29 |
Madame Leburn, wife of the President, christens the luxury liner Normandie at
Penhoet Shipyards, Saint Nazaire
|
|
November 5 |
President Doumergue lays the cornerstone for the Musee Permanent des
Colonies scheduled to open for the 1931 Colonial Exposition
|
|
November 12 |
Aviatrix Maryse Hilsz takes off from Paris in her Moth-Morane for Saigon
|
|
November 14 |
Opposition deputies question the Government regarding Le garde des Sceaux
Raoul Peret's links to Albert Oustric who ran the failed Banque Adam
|
|
November 17 |
Raoul Peret resigns as Le garde des Sceaux and is replaced by Henry Cheron
|
|
November 21 |
The Chamber of Deputies appoints a committee to investigate political
complicity in the recent securities scandals
|
|
December 3 |
Right wing extremists including member of the Ligue des patriotes and the Ligue
anti-juives ransack Studio 28 to protest the showing of Salvador Dali and Luis
Buenel's film L'Age d'or.
|
|
December 4 |
Tardieu cabinet resigns after falling into the minority following a debate on the
general political situation in the country
|
|
December 11 |
Paris Prefect of Police Louis Chiappe bans the showing of L'Age d'or and
Eisenstein's film La ligne generale
|
|
December 13 |
Senator Theodore Steeg forms a cabinet composed primarily of Radical-
Socialists but with participation of the Radical Left, Republican Left and
Republican-Socialists. Edouard Daladier appointed Minister for Public Works,
Camille Chautemps Minister for Public Instruction and Albert Saurrat Navy
Minister
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to H. Fauconnier for Malaisie
|
| 1931 |
January 17 |
Aviator Maurice Nouges makes the first airmail flight from Paris to Indochina
|
|
January 22 |
After a brief debate the Steeg cabinet is overthrown by a vote of 293 to 283
|
|
January 27 |
Pierre Laval forms his first cabinet - Aristide Briand becomes Foreign Affairs
Minister and Pierre Etienne Flandin Finance Minister
|
|
February 10 |
Laval cites, "the need to confide to a high military authority the mission of
coordinating all measures for the defense of French territory against air attacks,
to betaken by different ministries" in appointing Marshal Petain to the post of
Inspector General for Air Defenses. General Weygand replaces him as Inspector
General of the Army and is himself replaced by General Gamelin as Army Chief
of Staff
|
|
February 12 |
Official statistics show 32292 unemployed workers receiving relief payments
|
|
February 24 |
The Chamber of Deputies approves a Socialist measure appropriating
100 million francs for the relief of the unemployed by a vote of 285 to 268
|
|
February |
Communist Jacques Doriot elected mayor of Saint Dennis following his
predecessor's recall.
|
|
April 2 |
death of Andre Michelin
|
|
April 3 |
The Senate convenes as High Court to judge the politicians implicated in the Oustric
Affair, former garde des Sceaux Raoul Peret, Senator René Besnard, former under
Secretary of State Gaston Vidal and Albert Favre.
|
|
April 4 |
Start of la Croisiere Jaune (Yellow Cruise) an automobile expedition organized by
André Citroen. Fourteen Citroen CV4's equipped with caterpillar treads begin the
12000 km journey along the ancient Silk Route from Beruit to the China Sea.
|
|
April 14 |
First public demonstration of television in France produced by René Barthelemy, a
physicist a L'Ecole superieur d'electricite
|
|
May 6 |
President Doumergue and Marshal Lyautey open the Colonial Exposition in the bois
de Vincennes - The Surrealists put out a tract entitled Ne visitez pas l'Exposition
coloniale (Don't visit the Colonial Exposition) but it has no effect on attendance
|
|
May 13 |
The National Assembly elects Senate President Paul Doumer to be President of the
Republic on the second ballot by a 504 to 334 vote over Pierre Marraud, the
candidate of the Left. Aristide Briand dropped out after the first ballot.
|
|
May 18 |
Le Grand Prix du disque awarded to Lucienne Boyer for Parle-moi d'amour and to
Josephine Baker for Suppose by a jury including Colette, Jean Lumiere, Maurice
Ravel and Maurice Yvain
|
|
May 19 |
The Dakar to Djibouti ethnographic and linguistic expedition led by Marcel Griaule
embarks from Bordeaux
|
|
June 10 |
Editions Fayard holds a gala to mark the publication of the first book by crime
novelist Georges Simenon creator of Inspector Maigret
|
|
June 11 |
Albert Lebrun succeeds Doumer as President of the Senate
|
|
June 14 |
The 32 metre steamer St. Philibert carrying 467 passengers and a crew of 7 on cruise
organized by the Union des Cooperatives de Loire-Inferieure sinks off St. Nazaire
over 400 drown
|
|
June 24 |
La Croisiere Jaune arrives in Sringar, India having covered 5543 km
|
|
July 21 |
The High Court acquits the defendants in the Oustric Affair trial.
|
|
July 23 |
Yvonne Godard sets a new world record for swimming the 1000 metre freestyle
|
|
July 26 |
France wins the Davis Cup for a fifth consecutive year
|
|
October 17 |
Mistinguett returns to the Casino de Paris in a new revue Paris qui brille
|
|
October 26 |
French boxer Victor Perez beats American Frankie Genaro in two rounds to take
the flyweight championship of the world
|
|
November 15 |
The Colonial Exposition closes having attracted thirty million visitors during
its six month run. A parade of colonial troops marking the end of the
exposition is attended by half a million Parisians.
|
|
November 27 |
Colonel de la Rocque leads a mob of Croix des feu, Camelots du roi and
Jeunesses Patriotes that storms into the palais du Trocadero and breaks up the
final session of the International Disarmament Conference
|
|
December 3 |
Antione de Saint-Exupery awarded the Prix Femina for his book Vol de nuit
(Night Flight)
|
|
December 17 |
The Chamber of Deputies defeats a Socialist motion to institute a system of
unemployment insurance financed out of the budget by a vote of 316 to 257.
The Government proposes expanded State participation in departmental and
municipal relief programs
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Jean Fayard for Mal D'Amour
|
|
|
Other notable book of the year: Aden Arabie by Paul Nizan
|
| 1932 |
January 5 |
L'Humanite announces the formation of L'Association des ecrivans et artistes
revolutionnaires (The Association of Revolutionary Writers and Artists), a
Communist front group
|
|
January 14 |
Albert Lebrun is reelected to the Senate presidency
|
|
January 16 |
The French Football Federation accords recognition to professional football
|
|
February 6 |
Laval government resigns
|
|
February 12 |
La Croisiere Jaune arrives in Peking having covered 12115 km
|
|
February 20 |
Andre Tardieu becomes Premier
|
|
March 7 |
death of Aristide Briand
|
|
March 11 |
law requiring employers to join a worker's compensation fund takes effect
|
|
April 5 |
The Couzinet tri-motor Biarritz piloted by Charles de Verneilh establishes the first
air link between Paris and Noumea, New Caledonia
|
|
May 6 |
The President of the Republic, Paul Doumer, is assassinated by Paul Gorguloff, a
White Russian émigré.
|
|
May 8 |
The Radical-Socialists win 157 seats in second round voting for a new Chamber of
Deputies to become the Chamber's largest bloc overcoming the Socialists who
increase their numbers from 112 to 129.
|
|
May 10 |
Albert Lebrun is elected President of the Republic
|
|
June 3 |
Negotiations between the Radical-Socialists and the Socialist SFIO breakdown -
Edouard Herriot forms a Government composed primarily of Radical-Socialist
|
|
July |
Major Charles de Gaulle publishes his first book on military philosophy, Le Fil de
l'Epee (The Edge of the Sword)
|
|
July 9 |
The Lausanne Conference ends with Allied agreement to abolish reparations -
Germany makes a final payment of 3 billion Reichsmarks to the Bank for
International Settlements
|
|
July 11 |
The Chamber of Deputies adopts a resolution calling the reestablishment of a
balanced budget by a vote of 305 to 170 - Marcel Thil wins the world middle weight
championship from American boxer Gorilla Jones was disqualified for low blows
|
|
July 27 |
The Seine Court of Assize condemns Paul Gorguloff to death for the murder of
President Paul Doumer
|
|
July 31 |
A French team wins tennis' Davis Cup for the sixth consecutive year
|
|
September 14 |
Paul Gorguloff executed for the murder of President Doumer
|
|
October 28 |
Edouard Herriot reveals the disarmament proposals that the Government intends
to make at the Geneva Conference - Leon Blum intervenes to assure Socialist
backing for a vote of confidence which the Chamber of Deputies approves by a
vote of 430 to 20
|
|
December 3 |
Josephine Baker returns to the Casino de Paris in a new revue La Joie de Paris
|
|
December 14 |
The Government of Premier Herriot loses the confidence of the Chamber of
Deputies by a vote of 403 to 187 after Herriot insists on making payment of $19
million war debt due the following day
|
|
December 18 |
Senator Joseph Paul-Boncour forms a new cabinet.
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Guy Mazeline for Les Loups
|
|
|
Other notable book of the year: Voyage au bout de la Nuit by Louis Ferdinand Celine
|
|
|
Henri Alibert records A petits pas
|
| 1933 |
January 1 |
Andre Malraux's La Condition humaine (Man's Fate) appears in serial form in
Nouvelles Revues Francais (NRF)
|
|
January 10 |
La Direction generale des beaux-arts (Office of Fine Arts) opens the Cinematheque
Nationale (National Film Theater) at the Trocadero Palace.
|
|
January 16 |
Jean Mermoz completes the first flight across the South Atlantic in his Couzinet
tri-motor Arc-en-Ciel (Rainbow)
|
|
January 18 |
Finance Minister Henry Cheron introduces an austerity budget calling for
reductions in benefits for the civil service and increased taxes to make up the
deficit. The Socialist SFIO makes a counter proposal eliminating the new
taxes.
|
|
January 28 |
The Boncour cabinet resigns after the Socialists join conservatives to defeat a
proposed 5.5% increase in taxes and an equivalent reduction in expenditures
needed to balance the budget by a vote of 193 yes to 300 no
|
|
January 31 |
Edouard Daladier forms a Radical-Socialist cabinet after the Socialist SFIO turns
down his offer to form a union of the Left
|
|
January |
A committee of public awareness formed by the Federation of Business Owners
organize demonstrations to cry, "To the Devil with taxes! Parliament too!
Dictators! Dissolve!"
|
|
February |
Publication of La Mystere Frontenac by Francois Mauriac and Un Barbare en Asie
(A Barbarian in Asia) by Henri Michaux
|
|
February 11 |
The number of employed increases to 326,340.
|
|
February 16 |
Shopkeepers in Paris and provincial centers close their stores for a few hours to
protest the new tax increases
|
|
February 19 |
The National Lottery is established - first drawing set for November - proceeds
go to a fund for retired veterans and to aid victims of agricultural disasters
|
|
February 20 |
Civil Servants go on strike to protest the Daladier government's budget
|
|
March |
Publication of Vieille France (Old France) by Roger Martin du Gard
|
|
March 1 |
The National Assembly passes Daladier's austerity budget with support from a
small group of Socialist led by Leon Blum. Blum resigned as leader of the Socialist
SFIO along with his deputy Vincent Auriol.
|
|
March 5 |
The Executive Committee of the Communist Third International calls for the
formation of a "solely proletarian front against fascism and the capitalist offensive".
The Socialist SFIO begins negotiations with the French Communist Party PCF.
|
|
April 6 |
Chamber of Deputies debates the Foreign Ministry's budget - Daladier accepts the
Pact of Four proposed by Mussolini to keep peace in the ranks of the League of
Nations. The Premier opposes German rearmament and calls for international
control of disarmament to guarantee the peace.
|
|
April 7 |
Premier of Jean Vigo's film Zero de conduite at the cinema Artistic - The film stirs
strong criticism and is eventually banned by the censors.
|
|
April 30 |
Olympique of Lille defeats A.S. Cannes 4 goals to 3 in the final of the first
professional football championship of France in a match held at the stade au
Colombes in Paris
|
|
May |
Revue politique et parlementaire publishes a preview of Charles de Gaulle's book Vers
l'Armee de Metier (Towards a Professional Army)
|
|
June |
Le Corbusier's Swiss Pavilion opens in the Cite universitaire internationale in Paris
|
|
July 15 |
France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy sign the Pact of Four at Venetian Palace in
Rome
|
|
July 30 |
Great Britain ends a six year French reign winning the Davis Cup 3 sets to 2
|
|
August 27 |
Premier Daladier announces that France will join Italy in guaranteeing the
independence of Austria.
|
|
September 22 |
Paris disarmament talks between France, Great Britain and the United States
end in an agreement to suspend French disarmament and German rearmament
for four years.
|
|
September 29 |
Marcel Bucard, a former member of the Faisceau, an extreme rightist league,
announces the creation of Francism which he calls:""a revolutionary action
movement".
|
|
October |
General Becart writing in L'Officier de Reserve argues against replacing horse
cavalry with light mechanized divisions
|
|
October 24 |
Daladier's government falls when the Chamber of Deputies defeats a motion to
reduce the salaries of civil servants
|
|
October 26 |
Albert Saurrat forms a new cabinet dominated by the Radical-Socialists.
|
|
November 7 |
A hairdresser from Tarascon wins 5 million francs in the first drawing of the
National Lottery
|
|
November 24 |
Saurrat's government falls when it attempts to push civil service salary
reductions through the Chamber of Deputies
|
|
November 26 |
Camille Chautemps forms a new government without neo-Socialist
participation - The leadership of the Union Federale des Combattants, a
moderate veterans organization, warns the Chautemps government to take
action against the Depression and clean up the corruption and disorder in
parliament or risk the overthrow of the Republican regime
|
|
November 27 |
Mistinguett and Fernandel open in a new revue Folies en folie at the Folies-
Bergere
|
|
December 7 |
André Malraux awarded the Goncourt Prize for La Condition humaine (Man's
Fate).
|
|
December 24 |
Gustave Tissier, director of the municipal pawnshop in Bayonne, is arrested.
He is accused of issuing 200 million francs worth of fake bonds as part of
gigantic swindle concocted by Russian émigré Serge Alexander Stavisky -
Stavisky flees to escape prosecution.
|
|
|
Perfumier Francois Coty launches L'Ami du Peuple, an anti-semitic and pro-fascist
newspaper; founds la Solidarite Francaise, an extreme rightist league and funds
Marcel Bucard's Francisists.
|
|
|
Marcel Deat coins the motto the rightist leagues, Order, Authority and Nation.
|
|
|
Publication of Intermezzo by Jean Giraudoux
|
| 1934 |
January 5 |
Gustave Tissier accuses the Radical-Socialist Deputy Mayor of Bayonne Joseph
Garat of complicity in the Stavisky Affair
|
|
January 8 |
Stavisky found dead in Chamonix ski chalet - The death is ruled a "suicide" -
Stavisky had a lengthy criminal record but his trial had been delayed 19 times
through the intervention of political connections - The suicide unleashes a flood of
criticism in the right wing newspapers aimed at corruption in the leadership of the
ruling Radical-Socialist Party.
|
|
January 9 |
Les Camelots du Roi, a para-military branch of L'Action Francaise, march on the
Chamber of Deputies but are repulse by the police
|
|
January 10 |
Marie Bonaparte's Institute for Psycho-analysis opens in Paris
|
|
January 15 |
Irene and Frederic Joliot-Curie announce the discovery of artificially created
radio-activity
|
|
January 27 |
Chamber of Deputies Speaker Eugene Raynaldy resigns after being implicated in
a swindle perpetrated by a banker named Sacazan. The Chautemps cabinet is
forced to resign the same day.
|
|
January 30 |
After a failed attempt to lure the Left into a coalition, Edouard Daladier forms a
Radical-Socialist cabinet with centerist backing - Daladier promises to get to the
bottom of the Stavisky Affair in short order
|
|
February 3 |
Daladier fires Paris police prefect Jean Chiappe who reportedly held a favorable
view of the extreme rightists
|
|
February 6 |
Daladier asks the Chamber of Deputies for a vote of confidance - Leaders of the
rightist leagues call for a show of force by their members at the place de la
Concorde - The demonstration turns into a riot - The police are overwhelmed as
they try to close access to a bridge leading to the National Assembly - They open
fire killing 15 rioters and wounding over a thousand
|
|
February 7 |
Following the resignation of the Radical-Socialist ministers, Daladier's
Government resigns - President Lebrun calls on Gaston Doumergue to form a
new cabinet - renewed rioting erupts that evening - The Socialists SFIO appeal
to "all Republican forces, workers and peasants" and invite the Communists to
discuss common action to defend the Republic - The Communist refuse and join
the CGTU (General Workers Union) in organizing their own demonstration
|
|
February 9 |
The Communist Party PCF and the General Workers Union CGTU stage a
Counter-demonstration to protest the February 6 riots - clashes with the police
leave 9 dead and hundreds injured - Afterward the CGTU joins the Socialists in
calling for a General Strike on February 12 - The Communist newspaper
l'Humanite issues a last minute call for Communist participation in the strike
|
|
February 12 |
Demonstrations and strikes staged by labor unions and parties of the Left to
protest the violence of the extreme Right and in support of the Republic -
120,000 march in Paris - Socialist and Communist fraternize in the Place de la
Nation despite the wishes of the their leaders - violence between opposing
Factions erupts in Marseilles
|
|
February 16 |
A committee of inquiry is formed to investigate the Stavisky Affair.
|
|
February 17 |
Humanite denounces the Socialists as "the last rampart of capitalist society.
|
|
February 21 |
The body of Albert Prince, a lawyer practicing before the Paris Court of Appeal
and believed to possess compromising information regarding the defendants in
the Stavisky Affair, is recovered near the Paris-Dijon Railway
|
|
April 11 |
Presentation of Jean Cocteau's La Machine infernale at la Comedie des Champs-
Elysees
|
|
April 30 |
Igor Stravinsky directs the performance of Persephone, based on a book by Andre
Gide at l'Opera de Paris.
|
|
May 2 |
Pierre Drieu La Rochelle awarded le prix de la Renaissance for La Comedie de
Charleroi.
|
|
May 7 |
Rightists movements and the leagues (except for les Croix de Feu) form a National
Front under the leadership of Charles Trochu
|
|
May 10 |
Lion Feuchtwanger, Heinrich Mann and Romain Rolland establish la Bibliotheque
allemande de la liberte (German library of liberty) in Paris to mark the first
anniversary of the Nazi book burnings in Germany.
|
|
June 1 |
Singer Tino Rossi makes his Paris debut at l'ABC - Rossi records forty songs for
Columbia Records later in the year.
|
|
June 26 |
Maurice Thorez delivers the closing address of the Communist Party's National
Conference at Irvy and calls for unity of action with the Socialists against fascism -
Debate on fiscal reform opens in the Chamber of Deputies.
|
|
June 27 |
Jacques Doriot, Mayor of Saint Denis, is expelled from the Communist Party PCF for
alleged factionalism
|
|
June 28 |
Paul Reynaud calls for devaluation of the franc.
|
|
July 4 |
Madame Marie Curie dies in Paris.
|
|
July 5 |
The National Assembly approves a revision to the tax code lowering direct taxation.
|
|
July 6 |
The National Assembly approves public works appropriations to combat
unemployment.
|
|
July 27 |
The Communist Party PCF and Socialist SFIO sign a united action pact against
fascism, war and the decrees of the Doumergue Government and in favor of
protecting democratic liberties
|
|
August 15 |
La Revue universelle begins publication of Robert Brasillach's L'Enfant de la nuit
(Child of the Night) in serial form.
|
|
October 9 |
King Alexander I of Yugoslavia and French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou
assassinated by a member of the Croatian Ustashi in Marseilles
|
|
October 10 |
Louis Armstrong performs at la salle Pleyel.
|
|
October 12 |
Violette Nozieres is sentenced to death for poisoning her father and the
attempted murder of her mother - Nozieres becomes cause celebre among the
Surrealists including Andre Breton, Salvador Dali and Ernst Max - Nozieres
sentence is later commuted to life in prison
|
|
October 14 |
The Socialist-Communist alliance gains ground in the second round of balloting
for municipal councils at the expense of the Radical-Socialist
|
|
October 15 |
Raymond Poincare dies in Paris
|
|
October |
Communist leader MauriceThorez calls for an alliance between the middle class and
the working class and welcomes the Radical Socialists with open arms thus setting
the stage for formation of a Popular Front
|
|
November |
Premier Doumergues broadcasts plans to ask the National Assembly to approve a
series of financial decrees and to meet in Versailles to vote on constitutional
reforms without debate
|
|
November 8 |
Doumergues forced to resign -Pierre Etienne Flandin, President of the
Democratic Alliance, forms a new government of "truce" between Radical-
Socialists and moderates. Pierre Laval becomes Foreign Minister and Edouard
Herriot, Minister of State.
|
|
November 20 |
The cabinet adopts measures recommended by an inter-ministerial committee
studying the affect of foreign workers on the unemployment situation - new
entries by foreign workers barred, strict controls placed on existing foreign
workers, rules giving new protections and favoring French workers adopted,
severe penalties imposed for violations
|
|
December 2 |
Le Quintette du Hot Club de France featuring Stephane Grappelli and Django
Reinhardt gives the first concert by a "Hot Jazz" orchestra at the Paris School of
Music.
|
|
December 21 |
The Citroen automobile company forced into judicial liquidation by the
Tribunal de Commerce de la Seine (bankruptcy court)
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Roger Vercel for Capitaine Conan
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: Le Nouvel Esprit Scientifique by Gaston Bachelaud and La Crise de la Conscience Europeenne by Paul Hazard
|
|
|
Notable recordings of the year: Lys Gautry - A Paris dans chaque Faubourg, Henri Alibert - Adieu Venise provenaale and Berthe Sylva - On n'a pas tous les jours vingt ans
|
| 1935 |
January 10 |
Premier of the Marc Allegret musical film Zouzou starring Josephine Baker at the
Moulin-Rouge
|
|
February 7 |
The Chamber of Deputies defeats a Socialist proposal to appoint a committee
charged with the abrogation or modification of decree laws - a number of
Radical-Socialists including Edouard Daladier votes with the Socialists
|
|
February 25 |
Louis Lumiere presents an experimental 3-D film at the Academy of Science in
Paris.
|
|
March 15 |
The Chamber of Deputies approves extending the term of compulsory military
service to two years in response to German rearmament and a manpower shortage
- a group of Radical-Socialists abstain or vote against the proposal
|
|
April 26 |
First official television broadcast in France transmitted from a studio in the
basement of the Ministry of Post, Telephone and Telegraph.
|
|
May 2 |
Foreign Minister Pierre Laval and Soviet Ambassador Vladimir Potemkin sign a five
year mutual assistance pact
|
|
May 15 |
Radical-Socialists fail to register gains in second round balloting for municipal
councils marking the failure of its alliance with moderates - parties of the Left
register strong showing
|
|
May 22 |
Ray Ventura and His Collegians record the first hit jazz vocal in France, Tout va tres
bien, Madame la Marquise by Paul Misraki.
|
|
May 31 |
Flandin government resigns
|
|
June 1 |
Fernand Bouisson appointed Premier
|
|
June 4 |
Bouisson resigns without forming a cabinet
|
|
June 7 |
Pierre Laval forms a new cabinet composed of moderates and right leaning Radical-
Socialists - The Chamber of Deputies accords the cabinet full powers to legislate by
decree "in defense of the franc and to guard against speculation" until October 31 by
a vote of 324 to 160
|
|
June 12 |
The Socialist Party Congress meeting in Mulhouse approves formation of a Popular
Front with the Communists
|
|
June 14 |
The Socialist CGT and the Communist CGT-U agree to resume talks aimed at
merging the two labor unions
|
|
June 17 |
The Comite National du rassemblement populaire (National Committee to Rally the
People) formed under the leadership of Victor Basch, President of the League of the
Rights of Man, to organize a mass demonstration in defense of the Republic on July
14th
|
|
June 21 |
An International Congress of Writers for the Defense of the Culture meets at the
palais de la Mutualite in Paris under the chairmanship of André Malraux and André
Gide.
|
|
June 25 |
The Writers Congress passes a resolution calling for the establishment of Permanent
International Association for the Defense of the Culture, Opposed to Fascism and
War to be headquartered in Paris.
|
|
June |
First concours d'elegance for automobiles staged in Paris
|
|
July 14 |
Leftist demonstrations instigated by the Comite National du rassemblement populaire
begin in Paris and many provincial cities - After a rally at the Buffalo de Montrouge
stadium Leftist parade from the place de la Bastille to the place de la Nation in Paris
- Organizers count 500,000 marchers - the police estimate 100,000
|
|
July 3 |
Auto builder André Citroen dies in Paris
|
|
July 16 |
The Government issues 29 decrees cutting public expenditures by 10% and reducing
salaries and benefits of public employees
|
|
August |
Louis Aragon publishes Pour un realisme socialiste
|
|
August 8 |
A new series of decrees designed to "stimulate economic activity, safeguard
savings and lower the cost of living" is issued
|
|
August 30 |
Author Henri Barbusse dies in Moscow
|
|
September 30 |
Maurice Chevalier returns to Paris after seven years in Hollywood to star in a
new revue Parade du monde at the Casino de Paris.
|
|
October 7 |
Andre Breton and Georges Bataille launch a new literary revue, Contre-Attaque
(Counter attack) with a manifesto titled l'Union de lutte des intellectuels
revolutionnaires (The United Struggle of Revolutionary Intellectuals)
|
|
October 30 |
A third series of governmental decrees intended to revive the economy is issued
|
|
November 4 |
Trial begins for defendants in the Stavisky Affair
|
|
December 10 |
Irene and Frederic Joliot-Curie awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their
work in separating radio-active elements - Henri Dorgeres form the Chemises
vert (Green Shirts) an extreme rightist para-military organization
|
|
December 16 |
André Japy completes a solo flight from Paris to Saigon in 98 hr 52 mn
|
|
December 18 |
Edith Piaf sings L'Etranger and Les Momes de la cloche for her first studio
recording session.
|
|
December 21 |
Aviators Genin and Robert complete a flight from Paris to Tananarivo,
Madagascar in 58 hr 37 mn
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Joseph Pegre for Sang et Lumiere
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: Le Bleu du Ciel by Georges Bataille, Le Sang Noir by Louis Guilloux and Memoires d'un Tricheur by Sacha Guitry
|
|
|
Other notable recordings of the year: Tino Rossi - Le plus beau Tango du monde and Maurice Chevalier - Prosper
|
| 1936 |
January 17 |
Stavisky Affair trial ends with the conviction of 9 defendants including former
Radical-Socialist deputies Joseph Garat and Gaston Bonaure. - 11 defendants
including Stavisky's widow are acquitted.
|
|
January 22 |
Laval forced out of office after the British Government abandons the Hoare-Laval
Pact which would have divided Ethiopia between Mussolini and Haile Sallasie
|
|
January 24 |
Albert Saurraut appointed Premier
|
|
February 13 |
Leon Blum pulled out of a his car and beaten by members of the Camelots du
roi- later in the day the Government issues a decree dissolving L'Action
Francaise and its auxiliaries - Charles Maurras, L'Action Francaise's leader, later
convicted of incitement to murder and sentenced to four months in prison
|
|
February 28 |
Paris-Midi publishes an interview with Hitler given to Bertrand de Jouvenel -
The Chancellor expresses his desire for a reconciliation with France, proposes
an entente between the two countries and opposition to any Franco-Soviet
cooperation
|
|
March 10 |
The signatories to the Locarno Pact, except Germany, gather in Paris to discuss
Hitler's re-occupation of the Rhineland three days earlier - Britain and Belgium
oppose any French military action against Germany
|
|
April 26 |
First round of balloting in election for a new Chamber of Deputies - Popular Front
parties garner 5,628,921 votes versus 4,218,345 for parties of the Right
|
|
May 3 |
The Popular Front wins second round balloting for a new Chamber of Deputies with
378 seats against 220 for the opposition - The Socialist SFIO becomes the largest party
in the Chamber increasing their seats from 131 to 147, Communists win 82 seats a
major gain over the 21 they held in the old Chamber, Radical-Socialists drop from 159
to 116 and loose their place as the largest bloc in the Chamber
|
|
May 11 |
Workers at Breguet aircraft in LeHavre go on strike
|
|
May 14 |
Workers at Bloch aircraft in Courbevoie go on strike
|
|
May 24 |
Popular Front parade commemorating the 1870 Paris Commune draws hundreds of
thousands of supporters
|
|
May 26 |
Workers at Nieuport aircraft in Issy-les-Moulineaux go on strike
|
|
May 27 |
Striking autoworkers occupy the Renault works in Paris, first employment of the
sitdown strike imported from the United States
|
|
June 3 |
350,000 workers in the Paris region on strike - another 700,000 on strike in the rest of
the country
|
|
June 5 |
Leon Blum forms the first Popular Front Government without Communist ministers -
The Communist choose to support the Government without participating in it. -
Women are appointed as cabinet under-secretaries for the first time (Suzanne Lacore
for Children, Irene Joliot-Curie for Research and Cecile Brunschwig for Education). -
Leo Lagrange appointed under-Secretary for Leisure and Sports dubbed "Minister of
Laziness" by the Right
|
|
June 8 |
Union representatives and the Employers Federation sign the Matignon Accords -
Workers right to unionize recognized and wage increases of 7 to 15% granted
|
|
June 12 |
The National Assembly enacts legislation limiting hours of work to 40 per week and
requiring employers to provide workers with two weeks of paid holidays per year
|
|
June 18 |
Interior Minister Roger Salengro issues a decree dissolving the extreme rightist para-
military leagues - Colonel de la Rocque reorganizes les Croix de Feu as a political
party, the Parti Social Francais PSF
|
|
June 28 |
Jacques Doriot forms the Parti Populaire Francais PPF, a fascist movement, that
hopes to erode the Communist Party's working class support.
|
|
July 14 |
The Popular Front organizes a grand parade to mark Bastille Day led by Paul Faure,
Leon Jouhaux, Maurice Thorez, Benoit Frachon, Marcel Cachin and Premier Leon
Blum - The Right protests the against identification of the Republic with the
Revolution - The Salengro Affair begins, L'Action Francaise and Gringoire publish a
series of articles accusing the Interior Minister of desertion and giving information to
the Germans in 1915 - The same papers begin attacking the Blum Government as a
"Jewish conspiracy" while more traditional conservative publications content
themselves with referring to it as a "Communist conspiracy"
|
|
July 20 |
Leon Blum agrees in principle to supply Spain's Republican Government with arms.
|
|
July 29 |
An official French delegation takes part in the Counter-Olympics in Barcelona, Spain
- The event is organized by opponents of the Nazi regime to protest the Berlin games
|
|
August 1 |
The Government authorizes shipment of supplies to the Spanish Republicans after
discovering that Italy has delivered airplanes to Franco's insurgents - France urges
other powers to adhere to the rule of nonintervention in Spain's civil war.
|
|
August 8 |
The Government suspends arms shipments to Spain
|
|
August 9 |
The National Assembly enacts a law extending the age of compulsory school
attendance to 14
|
|
August 11 |
Aircraft manufacturers nationalized and reorganized into six regional companies -
The Government creates a national wheat board composed of farmer, consumer
and state representatives, the board raises the price per bushel from 80 to 141
francs in hope of stimulating the rural economy
|
|
September 4 |
Edith Piaf makes her debut at the Alhambra.
|
|
September 6 |
Leon Blum, speaking before a meeting of the militant Socialist Federation of
Paris, justifies his policy of nonintervention in Spain. The Premier expressed
fear that an arms race in Spain could lead to a general war in Europe.
|
|
September |
The Government agrees to allow business to recoup salary increases through
price increases - Inflation fears spur a flight of capital 18 billion francs are
moved out of the country during the month
|
|
September 26 |
The Government devalues the franc by 30% against the dollar
|
|
October |
Louis Aragon publishes volume II of Les Beaux Quartiers.
|
|
November 5 |
Publication of André Gide's essay Retour de L'URSS (Return from the USSR).
The work is critical of Soviet society and the Stalinist regime. Gide is branded a
pariah by the Left. However, Malraux limits his criticism to the timing of the
publication in the midst of the Spanish Civil War.
|
|
November 13 |
The Chamber of Deputies accepts the findings of a Court of Honor clearing
Interior Minister Roger Salengro of desertion charges by a vote of 427 to 103
|
|
November 17 |
Roger Salengro commits suicide
|
|
November 18 |
André Japy completes a flight from Paris to Hanoi in 50 hr 59 mn
|
|
November 22 |
Salengro funeral at Lille attended by a crowd of important national personages
|
|
December 7 |
Pilot Jean Mermoz and three crewmen of the flying boat Croix-du-Sud (Southern
Cross) disappear on a flight across the South Atlantic
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Maxence van der Meersch for L'Empreinte de Dieu
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: Mort a Credit by Louis Ferdinand Celine, Les Jeunes Filles by Henry de Motherlant and Journal d'un Cure de Campagne by Georges Bernanos
|
|
|
Notable recordings of the year: Maurice Chevalier - Ma pomme, Edith Piaf - Mon legionnaire and Tino Rossi - Marinella
|
| 1937 |
January 21 |
The Chamber of Deputies authorizes the Government to take all measures
necessary to prevent the departure of volunteers to Spain
|
|
February 19 |
Enlistment in Spanish armies prohibited and recruiting offices in France closed
|
|
March 7 |
The ambiguous policies of the Popular Front Government spur a flight of capital
out of the country, rising inflation and fear of a further devaluation of the franc -
Blum announces "a pause is necessary" signals an end to reforms and a return to
monetary orthodoxy
|
|
March 16 |
The Parti Social Francais holds a rally in the Leftist stronghold of Clichy - A
counterdemonstration organized by Clichy's Socialist mayor and Communist
deputy turn into a riot - Police fire on the mob killing 5 and wounding 150.
|
|
April 30 |
Premier of Chansons de Paris (Songs of Paris) a new revue starring Mistinguett,
Suzy Delair and Georges Guetary at l'ABC.
|
|
May 21 |
A television transmitter is installed atop the Eiffel Tower.
|
|
May 24 |
President Lebrun and Premier Blum open the Exposition Internationale d'Arts et
Techniques - The theme of the 1937 Paris Exposition is Art and Technology in
Modern Life - The exposition grounds cover 28 hectares on the Trocadero - The
exposition draws over 34 million visitors during its five month run
|
|
June |
Finance Minister Vincent Auriol demands full powers over financial policy - The
Chamber of Deputies agrees to the Minister's demand them but the Senate refuses.
|
|
June 17 |
Opening of the Palais de Tokyo future home of the Musee National and the Museum
of the City of Paris
|
|
June 21 |
Blum resigns after the Senate blocks legislation giving the Government decree
powers to deal with speculation against the franc and exports of capital - The
Popular Front ends
|
|
June 29 |
Camille Chautemps appointed Premier and forms a new cabinet dominated by the
Radical-Socialists with Socialist SFIO participation
|
|
July 9 |
Leon Blum presides at the opening of the Pavilion of Peace at the Paris Exposition
|
|
September 22 |
L'Action Francaise' Secret Revolutionary Action Committee known as "La
Cagoule" attacks the Paris headquarters of the Confederation generale du
patronat Francais (General Confederation of French Employers) and those of
L'Union des industries metallurgiques et miniers (Union of Metallurgical and
Mining Industries) killing 2 policemen - La Cagoulards hope to cast blame on
the Left and bring Marshal Franchet d'Esperey to power in a coup d'etat
|
|
October 7 |
Marcel Cerdan appears in his first professional boxing match at la salle Wagram in Paris
|
|
November |
Codos completes a round trip flight from Paris to Santiago, Chile in 2 days 10 hr
|
|
November 10 |
Roger Martin du Gard awarded the Nobel Prize for literature, "for the artistic
power and truth with which he has depicted human conflict as well as some
fundamental aspects of contemporary life in his novel cycle Les Thibault."
|
|
December |
Publication of L'Espoir (Man's Hope) by André Malraux and Bagatelles pour un
massacre by Louis-Ferdinand Celine
|
|
December 17 |
The War Council votes to retain two regiments of horse cavalry scheduled to be
replaced with mechanized units at the urging of General Massiet
|
|
December 28 |
Maurice Ravel dies in Paris.
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Charles Plisnier for Faux Passeports
|
|
|
Publication of L'Amour Fou by Andre Breton
|
|
|
Charles Trenet records Y'a d'la joie
|
| 1938 |
January 1 |
Chautemps dismisses the Communist from the cabinet - The Socialist withdraw
from the government - Chautemps continues to govern with a minority composed
entirely of Radical-Socialists - Nationalization of private railways completed to
form the Societe National de chemin de fer (French National Railways)
|
|
January 17 |
l'Exposition internationale du surrealisme organized by André Breton and Paul
Eluard opens at the galerie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The show features the work of
Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Yves Tanguy and André Masson among others.
|
|
March 10 |
Chautemps government resigns in the face of financial crisis and the German
invasion of Austria
|
|
March 13 |
Leon Blum appointed Premier
|
|
April 2 |
France and Great Britain recognize the union of Austria and Germany
|
|
April 7 |
Edouard Tenet wins the World and European Middleweight Boxing Championship
defeating Jupp Bessellmann of Germany.
|
|
April 8 |
Leon Blum resigns following the Senate's 214 to 47 vote rejection of his economic
program
|
|
April 12 |
Edouard Daladier forms a new government which includes two prominent
conservatives Paul Reynaud and Georges Mandel - The Socialists and Communist
agree to support Daladier in the Chamber of Deputies but refuse to participate in
the cabinet - Daladier's government granted decree powers by a vote of 514 to 8 in
the Chamber of Deputies and 290 to 0 in the Senate
|
|
April 17 |
Edith Piaf and Charles Trenet top the bill at the 40th Anniversary Revue at the ABC
|
|
May 23 |
Great Britain assures France that it will come to her aid in case of a German attack
but refuses to risk a World War to save Czechoslovakia - Paris premier of Bertolt
Brecht's play Grand'peur et Misere du IIIe Reich (The Great Fear and Misery of the
Third Reich).
|
|
June 9 |
Charles Maurras elected to the Academie francaise
|
|
June 23 |
André Maurois elected to the Academie francaise
|
|
June 28 |
First transatlantic passenger flight between France and the United States - A Boeing
314 flying boat is used on the route between New York and Marseilles
|
|
July 13 |
The National Assembly approves new laws on the organization of the Nation in time
of war.
|
|
July |
State visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England to Paris
|
|
July 20 |
Andre Malraux begins filming Sierra de Teruel a tale of the Spanish Civil War based
on his novel L'Espoir
|
|
August |
40 hour work week law suspended by decree - Daladier says, "it puts France back to
work"
|
|
August 8 |
Marcel Carne's film Quai des brumes (Quay of fog) opens at the Venice Film
Festival
|
|
September 18 |
After a meeting between Neville Chamberlain, Edourd Daladier and Foreign
Minister Georges Bonnet, France agrees to follow British appeasement
policy - Czechoslovakia offered French and British guarantees of her new
frontiers in return for ceding the Sudetenland to Germany
|
|
September 29 |
Daladier signs the Munich Pact allowing Hitler to occupy the Sudetenland
|
|
September 30 |
Daladier given triumphal welcome on his return to Paris
|
|
November 7 |
Ernst von Rath, a consul at the German Embassy, is assassinated by Herschel
Grynszpan an 18 year old Polish Jew - The murder is used as a pretext for the
launching of the Kristalnacht in Germany two days later
|
|
November 10 |
Last meeting of the Comite national du rassemblement populaire brings a
formal end to the Popular Front
|
|
November 12 |
Daladier informs General Gamelin that the Government will provide 25
billion francs for rearmament in 1939
|
|
November 30 |
Finance Minister Paul Reynaud issues a series of labor decrees touching off a
General strike
|
|
|
Goncourt Prize for Literature awarded to Henri Troyat for L'Araignee
|
|
|
Other notable books of the year: Le Theatre et Son Double by Antonin Artaud, La Conspiration by Paul Nizan and La Psychanalyse du Feu by Georges Bachelard
|
|
|
Notable recordings of the year: Renee Ketty - J'attendrai and Frehel - La java bleue
|
| 1939 |
January 30 |
Frederic Joliot delivers an address to the Academy of Science on his work with
Uranium nuclei.
|
|
February |
Publication of Terre des hommes by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and Mur (The Wall)
by Jean Paul Sarte - Marguerite Perrey discovers the radioactive element Francium
|
|
February 23 |
Ensign Marc Aubert and his accomplice Gruneberg are condemned to death for
espionage by a Navy tribunal in Toulon.
|
|
February 24 |
The Chamber of Deputies votes to recognize Francisco Franco's Nationalists as
the Government of Spain by a vote of 323 to 261
|
|
March 6 |
Ensign Aubert convicted of delivering information on the French Mediterranean
Fleet to the Abwehr executed by a firing squad at Toulon.
|
|
March 17 |
The French and British Governments open talks with the Soviet Union following
Hitler's annexation of Czechoslovakia
|
|
March 18 |
Frederic Joliot, Lev Kowarski and Hans von Halban publish the results of their
experiments using neutron bombardment to produce a chain reaction in uranium
|
|
March 21 |
National defense decrees issued regarding increased production in armament
factories, additional manpower for the armed forces and reduction of the civil
administration
|
|
March 23 |
Joint Franco-British statement issued promising intervention in case of attack on
the Netherlands, Belgium or Switzerland
|
|
April 3 |
Duke Ellington makes a triumphal appearance at the palais de Chaillot
|
|
April 5 |
Albert Lebrun re-elected President of the Republic
|
|
April 13 |
The French and British Governments extend their guarantees of assistance
previously offer to Poland to Romania and Greece
|
|
April 18 |
Navy spy Gruneberg executed by firing squad at Nancy - Fire destroys the luxury
liner Paris at LeHavre
|
|
April 21 |
Governmental decrees issued on the protection of racial minorities
|
|
May 5 |
Edouard Herriot delivers the keynote address at ceremonies marking the 150th
Anniversary of the French Revolution held in Versailles
|
|
June 17 |
President Lebrun bans public executions citing the hysterical behavior by spectators
at the Versailles guillotining of mass murder Eugene Weidmann on June 16th
|
|
June 23 |
France signs a treaty of mutual assistance with Turkey and ceded Alexandretta to
Turkey
|
|
June 27 |
The Chamber of Deputies adopts a measure introducing proportional representation
for the next legislative elections scheduled for May, 1940
|
|
June 30 |
Daladier issues a decree extending the life of the Chamber of Deputies and
postponing legislative elections until May, 1942
|
|
July 2 |
Daladier order the expulsion of Nazi agent Otto Abetz
|
|
July 7 |
The Vatican removes L'Action Francaise from the Index of Prohibited Books
|
|
July 10 |
L'Oeuvre publishes an editorial by Marcel Deat entitled "Why Die for Danzig?"
|
|
August 22 |
French forces on the eastern frontier including the Maginot Line put on alert
|
|
August 24 |
The Government orders a partial mobilization of French armed forces
|
|
August 26 |
Daladier issue a decree banning the Communist newspapers Humanite and Ce Soir
|
|
August 27 |
The Government bans 51 French films including Carne's Quai des brumes and
Jean Renoir's Regles de jeu (Rules of the Game)
|
|
August 30 |
Security measures put in place - Paris school children evacuated to the
countryside
|
|
September 1 |
The Government orders a general mobilization following the German invasion
of Poland
|
|
September 3 |
France declares war on Germany at 5 p.m.
|
