The Widowed Paris

     Paris, which is the capital city of France, is one of the most popular cities in the world. Many people want to visit it. At the same time, it is one of the most visited cities by tourists. It has many famous places such as Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Champs Elysees etc. It has so rich cuisine e.g. Soupe à l’oignon, Boeuf bourguignon, cheese species etc. Furthermore, it has an interesting history. 
    We are going to focus on its history that was related to Germany. As seen, this writing's title is ''Widowed Paris''  Why did I put its name ''widowed''? Let's start. In history, Paris was occupied three times by Germans that were 1814, 1871 and 1940. In these times, Paris became Germany'. I established a connotation about occupations of Germans. I said that they seemed like marriage. When Germans occupied Paris three times, they married three times. Then, when Paris became independent, they divorced three times. Paris and Germany were two quarrelsome individuals husband and wife. Paris was Germany's ''Erika'' Let's analyze the history of theirs. 
     Napoleon was retreating from his failed invasion of Russia in 1812. With the Russian armies following up the victory, the Sixth Coalition was formed with Russia, Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, Sweden, Spain and other nations hostile to the French Empire. Even though the French were victorious in the initial battles during their campaign in Germany, the Coalition armies eventually joined together and defeated them at the Battle of Leipzig in the autumn of 1813. After the battle, the Pro-French German Confederation of the Rhine collapsed, thereby losing Napoleon's hold on Germany east of the Rhine. The supreme commander of the Coalition forces in the theatre and the paramount monarch among the three main Coalition monarchs, the Russian Tsar Alexander I, then ordered all Coalition forces in Germany to cross the Rhine and invade France. In particular, Alexander I was intending to enter Paris as Napoleon entered Moscow. No foreign army had entered Paris for the last 400 years until that time. Russian, Austrian and Prussian armies encircled Paris and it was captured March 31st, 1814. In the streets Paris, Pariser Einzugsmarsch that is well-known German military march composed by Johann Heinrich Walch during the Napoleonic Wars was played for the first time. Thus, their first marriage happened. However, they had to leave in a short time. 
     The second marriage happened in 1871. After the fall of Isabel II in 1868, the Hohenzollern was reached with a prince being a candidate for the Spanish throne. The EMS telegraph meeting between the King of Prussia and the French ambassador is published by distortions on both sides until the alleged insults in order to gain popular support for the possible war. France declared mobilization; it declared war on Prussia on July 19, 1870, but other German states joined the Prussian side quickly. After a few successful battles, Prussians captured Paris January 28th, 1871. German soldiers walked again in its streets and Pariser Einzugsmarsch was played again. Thus, they married again for the second time by the Treaty of Frankfurt. They divorced again in September 1873. By this marriage, Germany united and took Alsace-Lorraine from his wife. 
     Between 1914-1918, although they tried to marry again for four years, they could not do. A lot of jealous factors prevented them. They promised again for a reunion. 
     The third and last marriage happened in 1940. They were separated for 67 years. They wanted to come together but they could not do it because there was a barrier: Maginot Line. This barrier prevented two lovers from being unite. Germany crushed Belgium for the sake of its darling. They came together after one mouth again on June 14th, 1940. Again, their advertisement that was Pariser Einzugsmarsch was played and German soldiers walked in its streets. Their marriage was solemnized in a train wagon that was irony. In 1918, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in this wagon. This treaty allocated two lovers. This marriage continued for four years. One day, enemies of these two lovers' dirty feet set foot Paris's clean territory. Therefore, Paris became dirty again. Enemies of this marriage separated ingloriously this two lovers. Paris became a widow again. Paris became lonely. However, there is a fact; real lovers always united and unite.

Listen > Pariser Einzugsmarsch

IMAGES:

The Sixth Coalition enters Paris, 1814

The Prussian Army enters Paris, 1871

Germans are in Paris, 1871

An illustration that is about The German Army enters Paris, 1914

  The German Army enters Paris, 1940