Georges Eugene Haussmann

Georges Eugene Haussmann (March 27th 1809 - January 11th 1891), usually called the baron Haussmann , was prefect of the the Seine June 23rd 1853 with the January 5th 1870. For this reason, it directed the Transformations of Paris under the Second Empire by working out a vast plan of restoration.

Born in Paris the March 27th 1809, in the District Beaujon, he is the grandson of a deputy and the son of a military intendant of Napoleon I {{er}}. It makes its studies with the college Henri-Iv then with the Lycée Condorcet in Paris, then it starts studies of right while being to the conservatory of music of Paris.

Initially Sub-prefect of Nérac, it becomes then Préfet Var in 1849 then of the Yonne in 1850. Presented to Napoleon III by Victor de Persigny, Minister of Interior Department, it becomes prefect of the Seine in 1853, thus succeeding Jean-Jacques Berger and Rambuteau.

The transformation of Paris

In the middle of the 19th century, Paris is presented about under the same aspect as to the Moyen-âge. Napoleon III wants a capital as prestigious as his capacity, which will be the point of starting of the action of the new prefect.

The governing idea of work is a better air circulation and men, in adequacy with the Théories hygienists which are then in full rise, following the advent of the “Lumières” at the 18th century and the epidemic of Choléra of 1832. Will to block possible new popular Risings, in remembering those of 1830 and 1848, between also concerned. This countryside will be entitled " Paris clearing, Paris increased, Paris assainie"

Haussmann with the obsession of the straight line, which one called the “worship of the axis” at the 17th century. For that, it is ready to cut down by spaces structuring like the Jardin of Luxembourg. Certain axes open under Louis XIV are widened and become the “Grands Boulevards”. Boulevards and avenues are bored Place of the Throne to the Place of the Star, Gare of the East to the Observatoire. Haussmann also gives to the Fields-Élysées their face of today.

It arranges a certain number of parks and gardens in order to make it possible the population to breathe. It is the case of the garden of Luxembourg, the Parc Montsouris or of the Parc of Hillock-Chaumont. Other already existing spaces are transformed and pass from the statute of green areas to that of high places dedicated to the walk.

Payments impose very strict standards as for the height and with the architectural style of the buildings. The Investment property and the Private mansion are essential like models of reference. The buildings all resemble each other: it is the esthetics of the rational one.

In order to emphasize the new or old monuments, it puts in scene vast prospects in the form of avenues or for vast places. The most representative example is the Place of the Star from which twelve avenues leave of which most famous of all: the Which occurred of the Fields-Élysées.

It creates in parallel, with engineer Belgrand, of the circuits of and water conveyance a modern network of sewers.

This transformation has a very high cost, since Napoleon III subscribed a loan of 250 franc million in 1865, and another of 260 franc million in 1869.

On the whole, it is estimated that work of the baron Haussmann modified Paris with 60%…

Honors and criticisms

Its activity with the service of the transformation of Paris gave access to him the function of Senator in 1857, of member of the Académie of the Art schools in 1867 and of knight of the Légion of honor in 1872.

Its quality of baron was disputed. As he explains it in his Mémoires , he used this name after his rise with the Senate in 1857, under the terms of a decree of Napoleon I {{er}} which granted this title to all the senators. He would have refused of a joke the title of duke proposed by Napoleon III (cf anecdotes) . The Dictionary of the Second Empire , however, estimates that Haussmann used this title while being based, in an abusive way, on the male absence of descent of his/her maternal grandfather, Georges Frederic baron Dentzel.

Its work does not remain about it less not disputed because of the sacrifices than it involved. The methods employed are indeed not encumbered democratic principles, and the financial operations are rather doubtful.

The news Loi S of expropriation will involve many disputes later and will push with the bankruptcy of many small holders who saw their destroyed goods. In parallel, new the payments imposes constructions of a level of high standing. It results from it a strong real estate speculation which excludes de facto the least easy classes from the Parisian company.

Part of the population expresses her dissatisfaction at the same time as its opposition to the capacity in place. In 1867, the baron Haussmann is challenged by the deputy Ernest Picard. The stormy debates which the character causes within the Parlement involve a more strict control of work, which it had skilfully avoided up to that point. Jules Ferry writes the same year a booklet entitled: “Fantastic Accounts of Haussmann”, by allusion to the Tale of fantasies of Hoffmann . It is shown, wrongly, of personal enrichment.

The Baron, who had a time hoped to enter to the government to implement his ideas on a national territory scale, is relieved of his capacity by the new cabinet of Emile Olivier the January 5th 1870, a few months before the fall of Napoleon III. Its successor is Leon Say, but Belgrand and especially Alphand preserves a paramount role and continues the work of Haussmann. After being itself withdrawn during a few years with Cestas close to Bordeaux, Haussmann returns to the public life while becoming appointed Corsica of 1877 to 1881. There remain Bonapartiste in spite of the return of the Republic. It devotes the end of its life to the drafting of its Mémoires (1890 - 1891), an important document for the history of the town planning of Paris.

The baron Haussmann dies the January 11th 1891. He is buried with the Cimetière of the Father-Lachaise in Paris.

Anecdotes

Haussmann measured 1,90 Mr.
Ernest Renan tells that Haussmann made disappear a whole island in Brittany, the island Grande, to obtain the stone necessary to its work. The writer exaggerates somewhat, because the island is always there but one can see on this one of imposing careers dating from the time of this work.
One lent to Mrs Haussmann this naive or cynical remark: “My husband and me let us not have a chance. As soon as we settle some share, we are expropriés by it! ”
Haussmann tells in its Mémoires that Napoleon III wanted to give his name to the part of the Boulevard of Sébastopol which extended on left bank (current Boulevard Saint-Michel). The prefect refused by pretending modesty. Actually he hoped, and in the final analysis obtained, that its name returns to a boulevard whose idea returned to him more directly and at the edge of which he had been born (in a house that he had besides to destroy): it is current the Boulevard Haussmann.
In order to show its little of attachment to the official titles, it brings back in its Mémoires the following dialog, where an interlocutor suggested to him that it could be named duke of Dhuis, in reference to work of Haussmann by which the water of this river had come to feed Paris. Haussmann objects:
“Of Dhuis? But, then, Duke, it would not be assez.
- Which do you want to thus be? … Prince?
- Not; but it would be necessary to make me Aqueduc, and this title does not appear in the nomenclature peerage-book. ”
Haussmann was called " Attila" by the Parisian ones, in reference to its massive demolitions of buildings.

See too

External bonds and documents

the card of Georges Eugene Haussmann, on the site Insecula.com
audio Recording of the conference organized on the topic of Haussmann and great work of Paris by the House of the architecture of Paris on January 26th, 2006. Intervening: Pierre Pinon, architect and historian.

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