Perhaps the most unassuming streets hold the most compelling stories. Today we are standing on Boulevard Copernic. It is a street in Paris’s 16th arrondissement. This area is known as the Chaillot district. Boulevard Copernic is named for Nicolas Copernic. He was a Polish mathematician and astronomer.
Copernic developed the theory of the planetary system. The street begins at 41 Avenue Kléber. It ends at Place Victor-Hugo. Boulevard Copernic is in an area with names of astronomers.
Originally a part of Rue des Bassins, it ran alongside the Passy reservoir. The street was renamed by decree. Line 2 serves Boulevard Copernic at Victor Hugo station.
Many notable buildings mark Boulevard Copernic. At number 5 was the Cuban legation in the 1920s. Number 8 housed the Jean Meyer Foundation. It was known as the Maison des Spirites from 1923 to 1979. The Venezuelan embassy in France is at number 11.
Architects Henri Preslier and Germain Dorel designed the building at number 17. It stands at the corner of 62 Rue Lauriston. The Union Libérale Israélite de France synagogue is at number 24. It was the target of an attack in 1980.
The Baratte family lived at number 34 in the early 20th century. Paul Baratte was an engineer. His children Jacques and Yvonne were also notable figures. Jacques was an engineer and resistant. Yvonne was a painter and resistant. The Lebanese embassy in France is at number 42.
The Hôtel de la Grange is at number 46. Ernest Sanson built it in 1893 for Baron Louis de la Grange. Later it housed the Fédération Nationale des Combattants. Now the law firm Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes occupies it.
Philippe Charbonneaux set up his industrial design firm at number 50 in 1953. Paul Bracq joined him there. The Embassy of Ecuador in France is also located here.
October 3 1980 was a tragic day on Boulevard Copernic. A bomb attack targeted the Union Libérale Israélite de France synagogue. The attack killed four people and injured many. It was the first attack against Jews in France since World War II.
The attack occurred on a Friday evening during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. A motorcycle carrying explosives detonated near the synagogue. The blast caused extensive damage. It affected the synagogue and surrounding buildings.
Victims included Philippe Bouissou. Aliza Shagrir and Jean Michel Barbé also died. Hilario Lopes-Fernandes succumbed to his injuries days later. A plaque commemorates the victims. It honors those killed in the attack.
Raymond Barre’s comments after the attack sparked controversy. He spoke of “innocent French people” who were struck. This statement was seen as insensitive.
In the years following the attack, investigations continued. Hassan Diab was identified as a suspect. He was arrested in Canada and extradited to France. Diab was eventually convicted in absentia in 2023. He received a life sentence.
Boulevard Copernic remains a place of memory. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight against antisemitism. Today the street stands as a testament to resilience. It also reminds us of the importance of tolerance.