Raoul Villain
Encyclopedia
Raoul Villain was a French
nationalist primarily remembered for his assassination of the French socialist leader Jean Jaurès
on July 31, 1914 in Paris
.
, Marne
, France. As a 29 year old student in archeology at the Ecole du Louvres, he was a member of the Ligue des jeunes amis de l'Alsace-Lorraine ("League of Young Friends of Alsace-Lorraine
"), a nationalist student group.
After France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War
, the French provinces of Alsace and Lorraine were annexed by Germany
. This was a source of anger and resentment in France, causing many to feel that a new war with Germany was in order to recover both territories and French "pride". Therefore many like Villain opposed to the pacifist policies of Jean Jaurès.
and began stalking him, scribbling incoherent notes about the socialist leader's habits into his pocket-book. At about 21:40 on Friday, July 31, 1914, Villain fired two bullets through a window embrasure into Jaurès' head while his victim was having supper with his contributors in Le café du Croissant at the corner of Rue Montmartre and Rue du Croissant.
The next day, posters went up all over France announcing the general mobilization, and war was declared three days after Jaurès's death. What would be World War I
began.
Incarcerated for the duration of the war, Villain was brought to trial in 1919. He was acquitted by a popular jury on March 29, 1919, and Anatole France
wrote in L'Humanité
: "Workers! A monstrous verdict brings in that assassinating Jaurès is not a crime...". Jaurès's wife, plaintiff, was convicted in costs.
in the Balearic Islands
off Spain
. Receiving some money through a legacy, Villain settled in a hovel near Santa Eulalia, where he was known as el loco del puerto ("the madman in the port") . He was shot on the grounds of "espionage" on March 19, 1936 (just before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War
) by Republicans
(or by Jean Coryn).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
nationalist primarily remembered for his assassination of the French socialist leader Jean Jaurès
Jean Jaurès
Jean Léon Jaurès was a French Socialist leader. Initially an Opportunist Republican, he evolved into one of the first social democrats, becoming the leader, in 1902, of the French Socialist Party, which opposed Jules Guesde's revolutionary Socialist Party of France. Both parties merged in 1905 in...
on July 31, 1914 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Early life and background
Villain was born in ReimsReims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, Marne
Marne
Marne is a department in north-eastern France named after the river Marne which flows through the department. The prefecture of Marne is Châlons-en-Champagne...
, France. As a 29 year old student in archeology at the Ecole du Louvres, he was a member of the Ligue des jeunes amis de l'Alsace-Lorraine ("League of Young Friends of Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
"), a nationalist student group.
After France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, the French provinces of Alsace and Lorraine were annexed by Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. This was a source of anger and resentment in France, causing many to feel that a new war with Germany was in order to recover both territories and French "pride". Therefore many like Villain opposed to the pacifist policies of Jean Jaurès.
Attack on Jaurès and result
Villain focused on Jaurès, bought a revolverRevolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
and began stalking him, scribbling incoherent notes about the socialist leader's habits into his pocket-book. At about 21:40 on Friday, July 31, 1914, Villain fired two bullets through a window embrasure into Jaurès' head while his victim was having supper with his contributors in Le café du Croissant at the corner of Rue Montmartre and Rue du Croissant.
The next day, posters went up all over France announcing the general mobilization, and war was declared three days after Jaurès's death. What would be World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
began.
Incarcerated for the duration of the war, Villain was brought to trial in 1919. He was acquitted by a popular jury on March 29, 1919, and Anatole France
Anatole France
Anatole France , born François-Anatole Thibault, , was a French poet, journalist, and novelist. He was born in Paris, and died in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire. He was a successful novelist, with several best-sellers. Ironic and skeptical, he was considered in his day the ideal French man of letters...
wrote in L'Humanité
L'Humanité
L'Humanité , formerly the daily newspaper linked to the French Communist Party , was founded in 1904 by Jean Jaurès, a leader of the French Section of the Workers' International...
: "Workers! A monstrous verdict brings in that assassinating Jaurès is not a crime...". Jaurès's wife, plaintiff, was convicted in costs.
After being acquitted
After having briefly been arrested in 1920 in Paris after trying to pass some false currency, Villain fled to IbizaIbiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
in the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
off Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Receiving some money through a legacy, Villain settled in a hovel near Santa Eulalia, where he was known as el loco del puerto ("the madman in the port") . He was shot on the grounds of "espionage" on March 19, 1936 (just before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
) by Republicans
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
(or by Jean Coryn).
Sources
- Combes, A. "Casimir Combes (la guerre de 1914)"
External links
- Jean Jaurès School project. Student-created webpages about Jaurès that include a portrait photograph and sketch of Villain, which may not yet be in the public domain