Saturday, May 31, 2008

Laurecisque division 1 Montmartre


Australian artist Thomas Roy Opie

Anyone have any information on the whereabouts of the burial site of Australian artist Thomas Roy Opie? He died in an automobile accident in Paris on 9 September 1968 and was reportedly buried in the western side of the city, in the vicinity of Bois de Boulogne.

Contact me or Col Fullagar. Thanks!

Friday, May 30, 2008

Australian artist Francis Brookes Spong

Anyone have any information on the whereabouts of the burial site of Australian artist Francis Brookes Spong? He died in Nice on 2 March 1929 and was presumably buried there.

Contact me or Col Fullagar. Thanks!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Pere Lachaise 81-97

Pere Lachaise divisions 81-97:


Saturday, May 10, 2008

Pere Lachaise 41-80

Pere Lachaise divisions 41-80:


Friday, May 09, 2008

Victimes des révolutions (Mur des Fédérés)

In my last post I put up a photo of the "Mur des Fédérés" in division 76 of Pere Lachaise cemetery. That particular part of the cemetery is dotted with monuments to the tens of thousands of deported Jews, heroes of the French resistance during World War Two and to the many of France's most famous leaders of the Left.

One of the more interesting pieces commemorating those who died during revolutions is not inside the cemetery, but in a small, largely ignored park just outside the cemetery walls, running along Avenue Gambetta.

This incredible piece of sculpture by Paul Moreau-Vauthier, who, by the way, is buried in Division 14 of Pere Lachaise.

As you exit the Pere Lachaise metro, you'll see the cemetery walls bear to the left as you cross the street and walk up Avenue Gambetta for about 100m or so and you'll see the entrance to the little "jardin" on your right; just walk in and follow the cemetery wall for about another 50m or so and you'll see this incredible bit of sculpture.



Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Mur des Fédérés division 76

This is the "Mur des Fédérés," the memorial to the communards who were killed or executed during the final days of the commune of Paris in 1871. This is located in division 76 of Pere Lachaise cemetery, across from division 97, known for its many monuments and memorials to heroes of the resistance, the tens of thousands of deported French Jews and well-known leaders of the French leftist parties.

In fact, this is the area where the bodies of dozens of communards, many of whom were shot down in cold blood, were buried in mass graves. Many of France's leftist heroes are also buried in the vicinity: Karl Marx's daughter Laura and her husband Paul Lafargue (they committed suicide together in 1911), Maurice Thorez, the French Communist Party leader, Paul Eluard and many others.

Pere Lachaise 1-40

Pere Lachaise divisions 1 to 40: