Over 1100 people died during the September Massacres. The Stèle commémorative du massacre des Carmes Plaque stands as a solemn reminder. It marks a site of immense tragedy during the French Revolution.
This Stèle commémorative du massacre des Carmes Plaque commemorates the Carmelite Massacre of 1792. It was a brutal episode. Nearly 200 religious figures were murdered here. They were priests, nuns and other religious people. They refused to take a government-mandated oath. This oath would deny their faith. They were imprisoned in the Carmelite monastery’s church.
The Prussian invasion stirred up Parisians. They thought the criminal tribunal was too kind to suspects. Marat demanded direct justice by the people. He wanted to protect the families of patriots. They were leaving for the borders. He feared intrigues by traitors.
News of Verdun’s siege increased the tension. Some sections demanded the execution of imprisoned suspects. They felt the Provisional Executive Council was failing. They went to prisons. They held mock trials. A people’s tribunal was led by Maillard at the Abbaye prison. Massacres ensued for five days. They took place at the Abbaye. They also happened at the Carmes convent. Other locations included Saint-Firmin. The Conciergerie was another site. So were La Force and the Tour-Saint-Bernard. The Châtelet was involved. The Salpêtrière saw killings. Bicêtre also experienced massacres. The violence spread to the provinces. Over 1100 victims died. Many were unsworn priests. Aristocrats were killed. Common law prisoners also perished.
The Stèle commémorative du massacre des Carmes Plaque is located near Saint-Germain-des-Prés. A large crowd attacked prisoners being transferred. They killed them all. Then they entered the Abbaye prison. They also stormed the nearby Carmes prison. They systematically executed the detainees. These included political prisoners. Nobles and priests died. Former Swiss guards were killed. Common criminals were murdered.
The killings continued until September 6. The mob assaulted La Conciergerie. They attacked La Salpêtrière. Le Châtelet became a site of violence. So did Les Bernardins. Saint-Firmin was affected. The two prisons of La Force saw bloodshed. The Hôpital-Prison de Bicêtre was attacked. It was also a juvenile correction facility. Many minors were massacred. Some trials were improvised. They were meant to separate the innocent from the guilty. Prisoners jailed for debt were freed. Those with family quarrels were released. People with minor offenses were let go. Most women were freed.
Counter-revolutionaries were killed. Thieves died. Counterfeiters were murdered. Murderers were executed. They were pushed outside. They were killed in the courtyards. They died in the nearby streets. Executioners used swords. They used axes and pikes. They used clubs. After five days of carnage, 1100 to 1400 people were killed. This was about half the prison population.
The Stèle commémorative du massacre des Carmes Plaque stands as a grim reminder of the September Massacres. The killings stemmed from fear. They came from rumors. People feared prison plots. They worried about conspiracies. The Commune of Paris ordered sections to visit prisons. They were told to list enemies of the Revolution. This increased fear.
The Stèle commémorative du massacre des Carmes Plaque reminds us. The massacres were a spontaneous act of terror. They deeply impacted people. Danton and Marat were blamed by the Gironde. The Stèle commémorative du massacre des Carmes Plaque marks a dark chapter.