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The French-German War as seen by the Greek press (July 1870- April 1871)

Articles

• Tsiolaki, Niki

The Franco-Prussian war, declared by France against Prussia in July1870, was one ol the most disastrous in the history of France.The Great Powers saw France as an aggressor, so they all declared astrict neutrality, beginning with Britain. Greece, encouraged by the Great Powers, could not follow a different policy, although there had been somepatriots who took the war as an opportunity to promote the “Megali Idea”.As the relations between Greece and the empire of Napoleon III were verytense, it was not difficult for her to insist on the neutrality and regard the warwith detachment and moderation.But once Napoleon was taken prisoner at Sedan on the 3rd of September1870 and democracy was established, public opinion veered in favour ofFrance, while there was a small minority who, being traditionally pro-prussian,supported the prussian cause. As a result of the pro-french feelings we mentiona campaign, started by Gennadios, a professor in the University of Athens,aiming at the exhortation of Greeks to fight for the freedom of France.This campaign, especially through the press, was not without success andsome thousands of Greeks coming from various social classes, took up armsand volunteered for the french cause.Their act reflects the ideology of some to fight against the tyranny ofNapoleon, the feeling of gratitude towards the French Philhellenes who foughtfor the Greek independence half a century before and a spirit of adventure ofothers as well.The volunteers, who disembarked at Marseille, were warmly receivedby local Greeks. The majority of them joined the volunteer corp under Garibaldi,others were placed under General Bourbaki in the army of the Eastand a group of them participated in the “Francs-tireurs” of Paris. All of themseemed to have fought with some distinction.The way that greek public opinion regarded this war was thoroughlyexamined in the pages of this article, after the study of fourteen of the mostreliable greek newspapers and some others of the diaspora, from July 1870to April 1871.Although the press was read only by a small part of the Greek population— an “élite” — it reflects in a way, an ideology expressed by the bourgeoisieof that period: for example the liberal and republican part of the greeksociety who was placed in favour of the french democracy in opposition to themore conservative who preferred to support the Prussians.Above all, however, we are impressed by the particular promotion ofthe peaceful feelings of the public opinion, which reflects the anxiety of powerlessGreece against any cause that could disturb the balance of powers inEurope. Any alteration of the overall “status quo” would mean dangerouschanges on the political map of South-East Europe.

• History and Archaeology

• Ιστορία

Γαλλογερμανικός πόλεμος, 1870-1871, Ελληνικός τύπος

Cet article constitue un des chapitres adaptés de mon travail de maîtrise en Histoiremoderne et contemporaine, sous le titre: La Grèce et la Guerre Franco-Prussienne (1870-1871). Il a été achevé sous la direction du professeur I. K. Hassiotis (Université de Thessalonique,1988).