Square Marcel Toussaint

Opened in 1935, Square Marcel Toussaint whispers tales of a writer who traded his pen for a rifle. This tranquil space, nestled within the 15th arrondissement of Paris, honors Marcel Toussaint-Collignon. He was a poet, a teacher, a soldier lost too soon in the trenches of World War I. Square Marcel Toussaint, once known as Square Léon-Robelin, began its life thanks to La France Mutualiste. But it was renamed to commemorate Toussaint-Collignon, a man whose life was a blend of artistic sensitivity and patriotic fervor. Born in Nancy in 1882, Toussaint-Collignon’s journey took him from the classrooms of Lycée Henri-IV to the battlefields of the Somme. He was a man of words, winning the prestigious Prix de l’Académie française for his poetry. His verses, published in collections like “Le Sculpteur de sable” and “Les Taciturnes”, echoed the complexities of the human spirit. While exempt from military service due to poor eyesight, Toussaint-Collignon felt the call of duty. He volunteered, joining the ranks of the 150th Infantry Regiment. Injured in 1916, he returned to the front, even correcting the proofs of “Les Taciturnes” within earshot of the enemy. Sadly, his bravery met a tragic end. On October 13, 1916, an exploding shell claimed his life at Sailly-Saillisel. He was posthumously awarded the Médaille militaire for his courage. Today, Square Marcel Toussaint offers a quiet refuge, a place to reflect on the life of a man whose words and actions continue to resonate. Here in this small green space in Paris, his memory lives on, a testament to the enduring power of art and the sacrifices made in times of war.