History of the Paris Commune of 1871

This book is an excellent history of the Paris Commune. Its author Lissagaray was a direct participant and fought for the Commune on the barricades. He collected testimonies from the survivors in exile in London, Switzerland and consulted all documents available at the time to ensure accuracy. He was assisted by Karl Marx in the writing of this classic, which was translated to English by Eleanor Marx.

First published: in French, 1876
Translated: from the French by Eleanor Marx
Marxist.com version: taken from the Marxists Internet Archive (New Park Publications, 1976 edition). Further edited for Wellred Books, February 2021.

Table of Contents

  1. The Prussians enter Paris
  2. The coalition opens fire on Paris
  3. The eighteenth of March
  4. The Central Committee calls for elections
  5. Reorganization of the Public Services
  6. The mayors and the Assembly combine against Paris
  7. The Central Committee forces the mayors to capitulate
  8. Proclamation of the Commune
  9. The Commune at Lyons, St. Etienne and Creuzot
  10. The Commune at Marseilles, Toulouse and Narbonne
  11. The Council of the Commune wavers
  12. The Versaillese beat back the Commune patrols and massacre prisoners
  13. The Commune is defeated at Marseilles and Narbonne
  14. The weaknesses of the Council
  15. The Commune’s first combats
  16. The Manifesto and the germs of defeat
  17. Women of the Commune and the opposing armies
  18. The work of the Commune
  19. Formation of the Committee of Public Safety
  20. Rossel replaces Cluseret
  21. Paris bombarded: Rossel flees
  22. Conspiracies against the Commune
  23. The ‘Lefts’ betray Paris
  24. The new Committee at work
  25. Paris on the eve of death
  26. The enemy enters Paris
  27. The invasion continues
  28. The street battles continue
  29. On the barricades
  30. The Left bank falls
  31. The Commune’s last stand
  32. The Versaillese fury
  33. The fate of the prisoners
  34. The trials of the Communards
  35. The executions
  36. The balance-sheet of bourgeois vengeance

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