Consider this scene. It is Paris in the 1830s. Political tensions are high. The Victimes de juin Obelisk stands before us. It commemorates lives lost in the June 1832 Rebellion. It also honors victims of other conflicts. The monument is in Père Lachaise Cemetery. Paris erected the Victimes de juin Obelisk in 1836. It remembers military personnel. These people participated in suppressing Parisian uprisings. These were the uprisings of 5 and 6 June 1832. Also, the uprisings of 13 and 14 April 1834 are remembered here. Civilian victims are also remembered. They were killed by Fieschi’s “infernal machine”. This happened on 28 July 1835.
The Victimes de juin Obelisk may be France’s first war memorial. It is certainly the first in this cemetery. After the June 1832 rebellion, Paris granted a burial ground. It was for defenders of the July Monarchy. They died on June 5 and 6. The city council approved this on June 11, 1832. A royal order followed on July 10. It granted plots of honor. These were for national guards, officers, and soldiers. Also, other citizens who died defending the constitutional throne are honored. They defended national institutions and public order. This was during the days of June 5 and 6.
A similar action occurred after the April 1834 uprisings. The newspaper Le Moniteur universel reported this on April 22. The city council decided to grant land. This land was free and perpetual. It was in Père Lachaise Cemetery. It was for the victims of April 13 and 14. These plots adjoined those of citizens fallen in June. These citizens served in the National Guard or army.
Later, civilian victims of Giuseppe Fieschi’s “infernal machine” were added. This happened on July 28, 1835. Rose-Geneviève Alizon and Nicolas-François Leclaire were buried here on August 25, 1835. Madame Briosne, born Frotignon, and Joséphine-Pélagie Langdot were buried on August 28.
Confusion with the June 1848 Rebellion is common. Many books about the cemetery make this error. However, some works avoid this mistake. The Victimes de juin Obelisk suffered from low popularity. Its historical importance was minor. Also, its location was not ideal. Its architectural style quickly seemed outdated. Republicans criticized its political origin. Conservatives disliked its secular appearance. Art lovers found its style graceless and unfashionable.
During the Commune, a delegation asked for the monument’s demolition. However, the Communards refused to disturb the tombs. In 1924, the Victimes de juin Obelisk was restored. Some broken elements from the old monument lie among the tombs.
The Victimes de juin Obelisk stands in the 6th division of Père Lachaise Cemetery. The site covers 196.30 square meters. The exact construction date is unknown. Work did not begin immediately. The police commissioner reported the site’s neglect in 1833. He noted plans for a modest monument. Louis-Marie Normand’s 1836 publication shows the completed monument.
Architect Étienne-Hippolyte Godde and sculptor Jean-Baptiste-Louis Plantar created the Victimes de juin Obelisk. It has a base decorated with lances and oak crowns. The lances divide the inscriptions. The base supports a small monument. Its pediment features a crown. A rooster, oak garland, and inverted torches adorn the front and back. Butterflies surrounded by ouroboros decorate the sides. A balustrade surrounds the grassy area.
Besides 62 names, the Victimes de juin Obelisk bears inscriptions. The front reads “Liberty, public order”. Also, “To the victims of June, the grateful city of Paris”. The right side reads “April 1834” and “July 1835”. The left side had an inscription. It stated that Paris built and maintained the monument. This inscription is now illegible.
Sixty-two national guards, municipal guards, soldiers, and civilians are buried here. The front lists 43 soldiers who died in the June 1832 rebellion. The right side lists 15 guards and soldiers killed in the April 1834 riots. It also lists four victims of Fieschi’s attack. The Victimes de juin Obelisk. It is a reminder of turbulent times. It honors those who lost their lives in service and in the crossfire. It is a somber yet important landmark in this city of history.