This page presents all events related to the Ère des attentats (English: Era of Attacks) from 1892 to 1894.
General overview This timeline is largely based on the list provided by Hélène Millot, with additional references from the more comprehensive works of John M. Merriman and Vivien Bouhey. The start and end dates of the period follow Millot's framework, beginning with the Saint-Germain bombing (11 March 1892) and ending with the massacre of anarchist convicts (22 October 1894). However, Bouhey offers a broader perspective, considering the period from 1890 to 1894, which is not adopted here. The Fourmies massacre and the Clichy affair are included in the timeline, as most sources regard these two events as immediate precursors to the Ère des attentats.
Events
DateEventPlaceInstigator(s)OutcomeReferencesMassacre at Fourmies Fourmies French state French army Massacre of a dozen peaceful demonstrators in Fourmies 9 dead, at least 35 injuredClichy affair Paris French state French police Violent arrest of three anarchists High-profile trial which radicalised the anarchists through its harshnessSaint-Dominique bombing French anarchist (?) Explosion in a wealthy residence on rue Saint-Dominique, in Paris 0 dead, 0 injuredSaint-Germain bombing François Koenigstein (Ravachol) Rosalie Soubère (Mariette) Joseph Jas-Béala (Béala) Charles Simon (Biscuit) Symbolic start of the Ère des attentats They failed to kill or injure Edmond Benoît, the judge presiding over the trial of the accused in the Clichy affair 0 dead, 1 injured. Shift from ‘person-based’ terrorism to ‘location-based’ terrorismLobau bombing Théodule Meunier (Pied Plat) 0 dead, 0 injured. Shift from ‘person-based’ terrorism to ‘location-based’ terrorismClichy bombing Ravachol 0 dead, 6 injured. Failed to kill or injure Bulot, the prosecutor in the Clichy affair. Shift from ‘person-based’ terrorism to ‘location-based’ terrorismArrest of Ravachol French state French police Jean-Marie Véry After being denounced by the owner of the restaurant Le Véry, Ravachol was arrested. The other members of Ravachol's group had already been arrested.Véry bombing Théodule Meunier Jean-Pierre François (Francis) Pieds plats Explosion at the restaurant Le Véry targeting the owner, who was killed. 2 dead, at least 1 injured.First trial of Ravachol French state French justice system Rosalie Soubère and Joseph Jas-Béala acquitted. Charles Simon and Ravachol sentenced to penal labour for life. High-profile trial that radicalised the anarchistsSecond trial of Ravachol MontbrisonFrench state French justice system Ravachol sentenced to death.Execution of Ravachol French state Ravachol was guillotined. He became a martyr for the anarchists, who radicalised in response to his executionCarmaux strike CarmauxFrench state French army The army intervened in the Carmaux mine to force the workers back to work.Murder of the Little Pastry Chef Saint-Denis Henri Meyrueis Bernard Chappuliot David Altéran (?) Murder of the police informant 'Little Pastry Chef' in Saint-Denis.Carmaux-Bons Enfants bombing Paris Émile Henry Adrienne Chailliey (?) Henry sent a bomb to the headquarters of the Compagnie minière de Carmaux in response to the strike; it exploded at the police station. 5 dead (4 police officers and 1 civilian), no injuries. Most lethal attack of the Ère des attentats.13 November 1893 stabbing Léon Léauthier Stabbed diplomat Rista Georgievich ‘because he looked bourgeois’. 0 dead, 1 wounded. A founding attack of modern terrorism, one of the first indiscriminate attacks in history.National Assembly bombing Auguste Vaillant Threw his bomb into the French National Assembly. Several people were slightly injured (including Vaillant) but no one was killed. The session of the Assembly continued even after the attack.First loi scélérate ('villainous law') France French state French lawmakers Law against freedom of the press. Introduced the criminalisation of the 'incitement to terrorism' and cut out parts of the presumption of innocence.Second loi scélérate ('villainous law')French state French lawmakers Law against criminal organisations. Any agreement to commit terrorist acts, even if they are not committed, is criminalised.Repression of January and February 1894 French state Start of a vast crackdown targeting anarchists, arresting hundreds of them. Radicalizes the anarchists that manage to escape the police, often the most radical ones.Trial of Auguste Vaillant Paris French state French justice system Auguste Vaillant was condemned to death.Execution of Auguste Vaillant French state Auguste Vaillant was guillotined.Café Terminus bombing Émile Henry Attempted to assassinate President Sadi Carnot to avenge Vaillant but failed, choosing instead to detonate his bomb in a Parisian café. A founding act of modern terrorism, one of the first indiscriminate attacks in history. 1 dead, 17 injured.Greenwich Observatory bombingGreenwich Martial Bourdin Attempted to plant a bomb at the Greenwich Observatory but died from the explosion. Louise Michel gave the eulogy at his funeral. 1 dead, 0 injured.20 February bombings Paris Désiré Pauwels Sought to avenge Ravachol and Henry, who was his friend. Bomb trapped two rooms and asked the police to come. 1 dead (the concierge), 1 injured (a police officer)Trial of Léon Léauthier French state French justice system Léon Léauthier sentenced to life in penal labor.Madeleine bombing Désiré Pauwels Pauwels went to the Madeleine church with a bomb but blew himself up with it. He probably committed suicide shortly afterwards. 1 dead, Pauwels, 0 injured. Shift from ‘person-based’ terrorism to ‘location-based’ terrorismFoyot bombing French police (?) Okhrana (?) Either the French police or the Okhrana (Russian secret police) target the anarchist couple Laurent Tailhade and Julia Miahle.Trial of Émile Henry French state French justice system Émile Henry sentenced to death.1894 Marseille stabbing Marseille Célestin Nat Nat stabbed a bourgeois on the Quai des Augustins in Marseille to avenge Henry's death sentence. 0 dead, 1 injured.Execution of Émile Henry Paris French state Émile Henry is guillotined.Assassination of Sadi Carnot Lyon Sante Geronimo Caserio Caserio stabbed and killed the President of the French Republic, Sadi Carnot.24-26 June 18941894 anti-Italian riots French nationalists Frenchmen Following Caserio's assassination, ethnic violence targeting Italians erupts in the city of Lyon. Over the two next days, dozens of Italian owned properties and buildings are ransacked, pillaged or burned down.Trial of Théodule Meunier Paris French state French justice system Théodule Meunier sentenced to life in penal labour.Third loi scélérate ('villainous law') French state French lawmakers Ban on anarchist propaganda and press.Trial of Sante Geronimo Caserio Lyon French state French justice system Sante Geronimo Caserio sentenced to death.Trial of Célestin Nat Marseille French state French justice system Célestin Nat sentenced to 20 years in penal labour.Execution of Sante Caserio Lyon French state Caserio was guillotined.Massacre of anarchist convicts Salvation Islands French state French colonial and concentrationary administration Organization of a plot within the Île Saint-Joseph penal colony to assassinate the anarchist convicts. The massacre resulted in 12 deaths among the prisoners and 4 among the guards. Among the anarchists, Charles Simon and Léon Léauthier were killed.
References
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