Rochefort Trial
Research Status: Comprehensive Last Updated: 2025-01-23 Diary Coverage: Up to 1880-11-27
The trial of Henri Rochefort (1830-1913), a French journalist and political figure, was a major political event in late 1880. Rochefort was a radical republican journalist known for his satirical attacks on the government and establishment.
Context in 1880: In November 1880, discussions of the "procès Rochefort" would refer to ongoing legal proceedings against Rochefort and his associates, likely related to his political activities and writings. The names mentioned alongside the trial - Laisant, Cissey, and Kaulla - were likely other defendants, witnesses, or figures involved in the case.
Historical background: Henri Rochefort founded the satirical newspaper La Lanterne and was known for his fierce opposition to Napoleon III. After supporting the Paris Commune in 1871, he was deported to New Caledonia but escaped in 1874. By 1880, he had returned to France and continued his controversial political journalism, which frequently landed him in legal trouble.
In Marie's diary:
- 1880-11-27: At lunch with the Gavini family, the conversation centers on the Rochefort trial, with mentions of Laisant, Cissey, and Kaulla. This shows the trial was a major topic of conversation in Marie's social circle.
Significance: The trial represents the political tensions of the Third Republic, where press freedom, radical politics, and establishment power were in constant conflict. Marie's circle discussing such political matters shows their engagement with current events and the educated, politically aware nature of her social world.
Associated figures mentioned:
- Laisant - possibly Charles-Ange Laisant (1841-1920), mathematician and radical republican politician
- Cissey - possibly General de Cissey, involved in military/political affairs
- Kaulla - identity uncertain, possibly a financier or businessman involved in the case