Bourse de Paris



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/La_Bourse_-_Paris_ann%C3%A9e_1900.jpg
 


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Ancienne_Bourse_%C3%A0_Paris.JPG/1200px-Ancienne_Bourse_%C3%A0_Paris.JPG
 


http://cdn-europe1.new2.ladmedia.fr/var/europe1/storage/images/europe1/economie/la-bourse-de-paris-termine-la-journee-en-hausse-2649135/25405713-1-fre-FR/La-Bourse-de-Paris-termine-la-journee-en-hausse.jpg
 


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The Bourse de Paris comes as the furthest place of interest to walk; however, this route is scenic and necessary as the path cuts across the famous Arch de Triumph and the Bourse de Paris is a significant part of the May 1968 Student Uprisings in Paris. The building itself has gone through a plethora of changes and improvements since Napoleon I indicated he wanted a unique building for the Paris Stock Exchange in 1808(1) as before this the Paris stock exchange had underwent a plethora of housing buildings such as in the Vivienne gallery of the Mazarin Palace the Louvre, the Palais-Royal, and in the church of the Little Fathers(2). Indeed, it was time to give the exchange a permanent home and architect Alexandre Brongniart was appointed this job. His proposition was selected and resembled the Palace of Vespasian in Rome due to the long rectangular shape and smooth tall columns that created a vast separation between the floor and the celling(3). Construction started in March 1808, but various external affects hindered the completion of the project, thus architect Eloi Labarre finished it in 1826(4). The building however was not done being improved, seeing changes such as allegorical statues and the addition of side wings until finished in 1907(5). With the buildings high government status not to mention the reliance the government has on the Paris stock exchange itself, this made the location the perfect target for the student protesters during the May 1968 Student Uprisings in Paris, the reason this is our next point of interest. (1)Huguenaud, Karine. "Palais Brongniart - Bourse de Paris." Napoleon.org. March 2001. Accessed November 24, 2017. https://www.napoleon.org/magazine/lieux/palais-brongniart-bourse-de-paris/. Carroll, Joseph. "Paris gripped by insurrection." The Guardian. 2011. Accessed November 24, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/century/1960-1969/Story/0,,106493,00.html. (2)Ibid. (3)Ibid. (4)Ibid. (5)Ibid.

The Bourse de Paris during the May 1968 Student Uprisings in Paris was home to many of the most violent instances of the conflict. Protesters were extremely radicalized, fighting everyone who got in their way for their quest for equality among French workers. In their way however were the Paris police who needed to keep the peace at all costs in danger of loosing the Bourse de Paris, a key government location. With both sides willing to die for their cause, this made for some of the most brutal and intense violence of the uprising. There are accounts of workers yelling "The Bourse belongs to the workers!" and "Occupy the Bourse" symbolizing their hate for the government and need for revenge against them[1]. These students were determined to create chaos as they were armed with highly flammable 'grenades' Molotov cocktails which could devastate architecture, especially the dated Bourse de Paris[2]. Amongst this violence the students were heard singing the Communist revolutionary song[3], while the Communist flag was promptly hoisted above the Bourse de Paris as a massive psychological gain for the protesters and loss for the government[4]. The police gained the upper-hand however, as they fought off most of the protesters using toxic tear gas grenades of their own to disperse the crowd[5], this was however too late to save the Bourse de Paris from being set ablaze by the protesters[6]. Students were also seen creating blockades including cars and other debris as well as linking arms in a line to from barriers for the firefighters to get past and control the fire[7]. In the end, as we can see from the pictures above and the point of interest the firefighters and police were able to take control of the situation and put out the flames until they caused unsustainable damage.

[1] "BBC ON THIS DAY | 24 | 1968: De Gaulle: 'Back me or sack me'." BBC News. May 24, 1968. Accessed November 24, 2017. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/24/newsid_2988000/2988263.stm.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Staff, History.com . "Protests mount in France." History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2010, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/protests-mount-in-france.

[5] "BBC ON THIS DAY | 24 | 1968: De Gaulle: 'Back me or sack me'." BBC News. May 24, 1968. Accessed November 24, 2017. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/24/newsid_2988000/2988263.stm.

[6] Staff, History.com . "Protests mount in France." History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2010, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/protests-mount-in-france.

[7] "BBC ON THIS DAY | 24 | 1968: De Gaulle: 'Back me or sack me'." BBC News. May 24, 1968. Accessed November 24, 2017. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/24/newsid_2988000/2988263.stm.

.

Bibliography

"BBC ON THIS DAY | 24 | 1968: De Gaulle: 'Back me or sack me'." BBC News. May 24, 1968. Accessed November 24, 2017. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/m....

Huguenaud, Karine. "Palais Brongniart - Bourse de Paris." Napoleon.org. March 2001. Accessed November 24, 2017. https://www.napoleon.org/magazine/lieux/palais-brongniart-bourse-de-paris/.

Staff, History.com . "Protests mount in France." History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2010, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/protests-mount....

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