Into the "Michael" phenomenon

 

 Last night I attended a first night screening of the Michael biopic based on Michael Jackson's life. It was as I expected. First a bit of background...

I'm a life-long fan of the greatest performer the world has ever seen - the most famous person on the planet who is known in every corner of the world even where the internet does not exist. A man who built a fan base long before the internet, social media or streaming. I have most of his CDs and I have a vinyl copy of the Thriller LP and an EP of Ben.

Reflecting recently, I recalled I have actually seen him live. It was in Christchurch 4th July 1973 at the newly opened Christchurch Town Hall. [see photo below from Facebook group showing photo from that concert] 

I was 18 years old and Michael was 14 at the time. All I wanted to see was Michael singing Ben but I had to sit through the bubble-gum Jackson 5 stuff. The brothers held no interest at all, only MJ had the charisma. And then it was over and I never saw him live again. 

 I desperately wanted to attend his History tour in 1996 at Auckland but being an impoverished solo mother with no friends or family support there was no baby-sitter for my daughter and no money for tickets and parking. Such a loss but I've watched MJ's concert footage of all his tours and especially BAD where he was at his peak. Over and over again. I would recommend viewing Bucharest and Wembley performances on YouTube

Over the years I followed his progress and then there was the shock of hearing from a work colleague at Waitakere City Council in 2009 that he had died. Hard to process. A very suspicious tragedy.

The constant allegations/extortion attempts make me so angry. The media (and who knows who else behind it all) just delighted in trying to take him down, and still do. It is only ever about the money but too many in the ignorant masses just believe what somebody else tells them. All allegations have been  discredited by many sources (not hard to find quality rebuttals on YouTube)  and MJ was declared not guilty of ANY wrong-doing in 2005. Against his own wishes, he was forced by realities and his management company to pay off the Chandlers in 1994 so he could get on with the worldwide business of the Dangerous tour but what an awful thing to go through. Evan Chandler shot himself 3 years after MJ died and good riddance. His son Jordan had already disowned his parents.

Michael Jackson was (and still is through his Heal the World Foundation) one of the most philanthropic celebrities, ever, (over 400 million dollars until his death and his environmental and social messages ring true today because the world has not improved. It even seems meaner. 

I find the wilfully ignorant and nasty comments about him on social media from those who have never researched anything hard to take and too toxic now to interact with so a chance to see a movie about thim seemed like a breath of fresh air. Alas no. More controversy, shady dealings and arguments dogged the making of the movie. It is important to keep in mind that the MJ Estate is not the family. The Jackson family is a separate entity. Who runs the estate are John Branca (an attorney) and John McClain who oversee the Michael Jackson Trust for the beneficiaries Katherine Jackson (MJ's mother) and MJ's three children plus some children's charities. At his peak MJ was supporting 39 charities.

When MJ died there was a scramble to find a will. Eventually an old one popped up, presented by John Branca. It was not correctly signed by MJ and didn't have his children's names presented correctly. Odd for a lawyer wouldn't you say? And John Branca had become an executor even though MJ had fired him numerous times for not acting in his interests, the last not that long before his death. The family took legal action because they felt the will was dodgey but a judge said the inconsistencies were just mere details. What? Mere details in legal documents? So the family lost. John Branca and his colleague are producers of this movie. Branca also chose who he wanted to portray him in the film. Lots of conflict of interest and undue influence. No doubt the family just want to have a nice and happy film but as we know, both Janet Jackson and Paris Jackson have distanced themselves from this movie. I can now see why. Jermaine pushes for Jermaine's interests more than Michaels as evidenced at the Berlin Premiere, planting himself and his wedding-cake wife front and centre of everything. Who can forget his jealousy after the BAD album where he released the diss track A Word to the Bad - horrible behaviour to betray a brother like that. Hey, that's families.

All of my above comments feed into my impressions of this movie which is why I have taken the time to give a very quick overview of all this. I decided to pay respects to MJ in my own way by going to the film dressed in my home-made costume version of his first huge hit Billie Jean. It has been 18 years since I had to hand-sew sequins on a costume. My hands are a lot stiffer and trying to make a sparkly glove was not a great success but I did what I could. As I arrived at Silky Otter Cinema Wigram I soon discovered I was the only patron in the cinema who had bothered to dress up. I was disappointed to see that no effort had been made by the cinema to make it a bit of an event with merchandising, displays etc. Nothing to see but me. I did turn a few ladies' heads who came over to strike up a fan conversation which I highly enjoyed and they were very complimentary on my costume efforts. An employee of the cinema came over to say she really appreciated my efforts and handed me a free pass for a future movie. How very kind, thank you Silky Otter.

Sitting in the cinema with my daughter sharing MJ was fun. She knows she was hot-housed in the womb with his music and still remembers our shared experiences while she was growing up listening to his music and watching his Moonwalker dvd. I have his Moonwalker autobiography too which, alas only goes as far as this film does - 1988.

Again, I didn't much enjoy the Jackson 5 stuff and although reviews say the actor playing young Michael did well I didn't enjoy it so much. He is sloppy in his dancing in my view (MJ was always so precise). There was no mention of The Whiz which gave MJ his first important movie role and introduced him to Quincy Jones, no explanation as to why MJ got annoyed at Quincy taking too much production credit, and went off with other producers. The time jumps were necessary but happened regularly and were a bit jarring. It touches on his vitiligo, the Pepsi fire and plastic surgeries but not his other injuries. Maybe those will be featured in a possible Part Two. The movie finishes with the BAD tour. It does not show any of the ticketing scandal and bitchiness between the brothers that spoiled the Victory Tour which was the last for the Jacksons.

The movie is flashy and sparkly. It does a good job of recreating Thriller and uses MJs vocal tracks for the concert recreations (essential). Jaafar does a good job of mastering the choreographies and looks good but has NO charisma. The brothers are pretty much sidelined and so are the sisters other than Latoya. Coleman Domingo does a credibly menacing Joseph, Nia Long as Katherine is OK but a bit cloying. MJ's mother effectively enabled the childhood abuse; allowing Joseph to drag young Michael and the older brothers along to perform in strip clubs late at night I would consider child abuse. The actor playing Bill Bray, MJ's long-time head of security showed a sympathetic character. Bill retired and died just a few years before the This Is It tour preparations. A shame he couldn't be around MJ at that time to protect him. Instead management had a 23 year old kid on security who went on to be P. Diddy's Fixer. Hmm.

So to sum up. It is somewhat of a whitewash because the original film they had pretty much finished could not be released. How odd that Branca (especially) and the family hadn't read the legal docs from the Jordan Chandler settlement prohibiting any dramatisation, depite having written a screenplay covering so many details, necessitating millions spent on rewriting, reshooting and no depth, no insights, no real understanding. Surface gloss done well. It will keep the less discerning fans happy, seems to have greatly annoyed the critics who have given bad reviews (with some justification). I do feel a bit sad. MJ deserved a quality and meaningful film to right toxic wrongs still being perpetuated (I've done some serious homework on this). We got a pleasant fluff piece. 

No one in the cinema was singing or boogying. I wonder what THEY thought. Some I spoke to afterwards did enjoy the spectacle and didn't know to want differently. I don't know if box office receipts will disappoint or break all bounds. It is too soon but go along. It is not a masterpiece. I would rank it with Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocket Man.

 

Useful rebuttals: Quick way to do your homework

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pnoQqlygQs

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=319511145363415 

 

https://michaeljacksonaustralia.myfreesites.net/michael-in-new-zealand 

https://www.facebook.com/100050456111301/posts/concerts-for-the-4th-july-1973-the-jackson-5-play-at-the-town-hall-christchurch-/854886436203219/ 

 

Reflux? Take a Barium Swallow.

Recently I needed to undergo a Barium Swallow test for my gastric reflux and hiatal hernia assessment. It's quite interesting as I hadn't had this test before, so I thought I'd let you all know how it works, in case you too need one.

A barium swallow is an examination of your oesophagus (food pipe). You drink a solution containing barium and an xray plots the progress of what you have swallowed. Barium is used as it coats the lining of your oesophagus and stomach. It takes place within the floroscopy unit at the hospital and takes a maximum of 45 mins.

Preparation

Nothing to eat or drink for at least 3 hours. To be on the safe side I fasted for 4 hours. No smoking or chewing gum for at least 4 hours prior to the exam. You should alert the team in advance if you are pregnant.

The process

Take off all clothes between the chin and navel and put on a hospital gown. You can leave your shoes and socks on.

Staff should explain the process to you.

Each side of your stomach area is xrayed while standing. You swallow the barium each time you are repositioned. I could see my sternal wires and heart valve from previous open heart surgery very cleary on the continuous xrays. It was interesting but I couldn't see that once I was lying down.

Then a gassy liquid must be swallowed to inflate your stomach and you are lowered onto your back. More barium served from a straw follows, each side.

Then you stay put while the radiographer checks that all the photos are useful.

Afterwards 

After the test you can drink some water to wash the last traces of barium down. Drink plenty of water throughout the rest of the day to avoid constipation. I was warned my stools might become whiteish. That never happened.

The test confirmed I have a hiatal hernia but didn't see any signs of reflux during the xrays so that was rather frustrating because I know I have it. However, such a result is not uncommon.

Skeleton in my French closet

My maternal great, great  French grandfather was a scoundrel who was briefly infamous throughout nineteeth century New Zealand. A book on him was published just a few months ago and it's a fascinating read. Here's what the publishers have to say, followed by my own comments.

The book summary from the publisher

A soldier and a bigamist, a family man and a fraudster, Etienne Jean Brocher led an extraordinary life in 19-century France, North Africa and New Zealand. Along the way he collected aliases, prison sentences, and enemies as he slipped from town to town, escaping debts and family duties. Ultimately, though, he faced the gallows in a double-murder trial that rocked New Zealand’s ‘dream society’.

Now his astonishing story – untold in book form – is revealed. Drawing on French military archives, family records, and newspaper reports from across colonial New Zealand, as well as Brocher’s own handwritten account, this absorbing biography untangles the complex trails Brocher left behind him in colonial towns and in the public imagination.

While he explores the complexities of Brocher’s character – including his shortcomings – Brian Stoddart lays bare the class prejudice and xenophobia that Brocher faced as an immigrant of ‘the wrong sort’ and raises serious questions over whether he received a fair trial. Dynamic and often surprising in its humour, this stunning biography makes a vital contribution to our understanding of how colonial New Zealand shaped its ideal society and what could happen when ‘outsiders’ didn’t fit the mould.

Available from Nile Publishing https://www.thenile.co.nz/books/brian-stoddart/outcast

I couldn’t resist buying a copy of this very detailed book on the life and times of my great-great grandparents. Once I got started it was hard to put down. It is extremely detailed about the double-murder investigations and trial in Wellington; going into the lives and careers of all relevant witnesses, suspects and each policeman involved. What particularly interested me though, was chapter two which goes into the life of Etienne Jean Brocher from his birth, dishonest dealings, growing infamy, travels around the world, service in the foreign legion, exploits in Akaroa, Timaru and Petone. There’s even a wee link to George Lucas’s Star Wars (I chuckled). Yes, he was a bad egg but at times I felt sorry for him. It’s possible he did not murder the old couple but simply took the blame in the end. Maybe he had just run out of steam trying to survive in a world that didn’t fit him. He was also his own worst enemy.

I often wonder where I get my 'adventurous spirit' and feeling of not fitting in to NZ culture. Could it be coming , in part, from this great, great grandfather? One of his brothers married a political activist in France.

The book does not paint colonial New Zealand in a good light from a social perspective. Narrow-minded, prejudiced, class-driven. Seeds of Tall Poppy and other unsavoury aspects of New Zealand were already flourishing in the 1880s. This was really interesting to me. Colonists came to NZ to escape the class system but brought it here with them into an enclosed environment where it spread everywhere and still operates today.

There are a couple of small errors in the book but I’ve already made these known to Brian who is a history professor living in Australia.

We knew he was a bad sort but Ancestry.com suggests (very recently, based on my DNA and other info) that Etienne fathered both of my great grandmothers, on my mother's side, via half sisters Julia (from Magdelaine) and Josephine (via Mary Ann). He certainly would have had access to Julia at Rue Grehan, Akaroa when he worked there as, although she was two years older than her half-sister Josephine she was rather ‘simple-minded’ and unable to look after herself. Proof? No, not yet but author Brian Stoddard is not surprised. Nor am I. I seem to have even more French DNA in my family than expected. It’s counter-productive to be bothered by skeletons in the closet, I just want the truth. Emily Libeau may have been Emily [Brocher]. And who fathered short-lived John? Etienne again?

Below are photos of his first wife Josephine with their first daughter Emma as a child in Akaroa. There are no photos of older half-sister Julie/Julia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Emma as an adult. She went on to marry Edward McNabb in Akaroa, NZ 

 

 

 

 

 

This final photo is of Louisa Victoire, Etienne and Josephine's second daughter who later went on to marry Mr Kingston (pictured with him) and later Mr Bunny. 

Ah those skeletons. DNA testing can be very useful as can very large genealogy databases such as Ancestry when trying to get to the bottom of things. I'm not currently a paid-up member so Etienne's proposed double involvement appears fuzzy but clear enough to make out.

Etienne abandoned my great, great grandmothers, had unsavoury adventures as detailed in the book and then created a new family in Wellington before being criminally convicted and hanged.

 

 

European Parliament in France

 

The world is in a mess. Europe is being threatened by Putin and Trump. It is hard to see how things can get sorted when Europe is just a lumbering thing so I thought I'd write a little about the European Parliament. Keep in mind that there are many entities associated with Europe, the EU, NATO, EU Commission etc. It's complicated.

 

The European Parliament's headquarters are officially in Strasbourg, France, and has its administrative offices in Luxembourg City. It is open to visitors six days a week throughout the year. Visits are always free of charge. The building is impressive both inside and out though the air conditioning in summer is less than adequate so be prepared to swelter in parts of the building. It was on summer recess when I visited and it was impossible to buy a bottle of water there.

During the visit, you can see the European parliamentary chamber – the Hemicycle, a display on Parliamentarian Simone Veil and several other exhibitions. Audioguides and headphones are provided but I found them clunky to use. A 360 degree slide show had interesting information but I found it difficult to follow, being circular, and trying to swivel my neck. The main theme seemed to be about cultural diversity. And yay! go women. Sometimes technology is just a hindrance to good communication.

Going up to the viewing platform gives you a wonderful view over Strasbourg and the canals and churches. 

In Strasbourg, Members of the European Parliament meet twelve times a year during plenary sessions to debate and vote on European legislation. As a visitor, you can attend the session to see and listen to representatives speak from the visitor gallery.

Security and safety are priorities for the European Parliament. For that reason, a number of security measures are in place in and around the buildings. Compliance is mandatory so if you are an international visitor please read the following...

• A valid identity physical document (national ID card or passport) is required to access European Parliament buildings. If you registered in advance and you provided your ID document details, you must bring this same document to the Parliament on the day of your visit.
• Photocopies of IDs, ID cards downloaded to mobile phones and driving licenses are not accepted.
• Minors under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
• All visitors and bags are subject to airport-style security checks before entry. Firearms, explosive or inflammable substances, pepper sprays, sharp items and other objects that could be considered weapons are prohibited. In accordance with national legislation, certain prohibited items may be handed over to the police.
• No trolleys, suitcases, or other large luggage are allowed into the buildings.
• Animals are allowed in the buildings only as trained
  
  
  guides for visually impaired persons or to assist persons with reduced mobility.
• If an access pass has been issued, visitors must visibly wear it whilst in the Parliament buildings.
• Photography and filming are permitted inside the visitor area, but are prohibited in the security area and in the Hemicycle gallery during plenary sessions as well as in restaurants and bars.
• If the fire alarm goes off, leave the building immediately without running and follow the instructions given by the security staff and evacuation volunteers.
• For any safety emergency, call 33112 from any internal phone.
• Some areas are subject to video surveillance.

   Believe me. they really enforce all this. 

Since 1979, the Parliament has been directly elected every five years by the citizens of the European Union through universal suffrage. 

Speakers in the European Parliament are entitled to speak in any of the 24 official languages of the European Union,  ranging from French and German to Maltese and Irish. Simultaneous interpreting is offered in all plenary sessions, and all final texts of legislation are translated. With twenty-four languages, the European Parliament is the most multilingual parliament in the world and the biggest employer of interpreters in the world (employing 350 full-time and 400 freelancers when there is higher demand). Citizens may also address the Parliament in Basque, Catalan/Valencian and Galican.  

The Strasbourg seat is considered a symbol of reconciliation between France and Germany, two countries that previously fought over the region. However, the cost and inconvenience of having two seats is questioned. While Strasbourg is the official seat, and sits alongside the Council of Europe, Brussels is home to nearly all other major EU institutions,with the majority of Parliament's work being carried out there. 

 

Critics have described the two-seat arrangement as a "travelling circus",  and there is a strong movement to establish Brussels as the sole seat. This is because the other political institutions (the Commission, Council and European Council) are located there, and hence Brussels is treated as the 'capital' of the EU.

 

It is not a politically comfortable place since it has had a whiff of financial scandal in the past, and over-blown rules and regulations tend to stifle progress as the requirement to have all decisions has to be unanimous, despite very tiny countries having the same voting rights as big ones like France and Germany. Committee after committee. A costly organisation so the EU moves very slowly as seen in the Ukraine/Russia conflict. At least there is no ridiculous veto system like with the United Nations but is it any better? 

Strasbourg is different

A few months ago I had the opportunity to visit Strasbourg in Eastern France. It is near the German border and has been fought over between Germany and France for such a long time. Since WW2 and its liberation from the Germans, by General Leclerc and the 2nd French Armoured division, it has been part of France (again). It's the different history, culture and even language that has always interested me in a visit. I was not disappointed.

Strasbourg is a major hub for European institutions, particularly the European Parliament. The centre of the city is a lively and historic place. Take a guided tour - you won't be disappointed. It has many hisyoric links to events and people I had not been aware of, such as Albert Schweitzer, Louis XIV, Mozart.

Strasbourg is located in North Eastern France and is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its architecture and pretty canals. It's also known as the Capital of Christmas because the festive markets are quite a drawcard, as are the decorations around town. There's a vibrant feel to the place, plenty of commerce, food, culture and I enjoyed wandering around 

 It became a French city in 1681, after the conquest of Alsace by the armies of Louis XIV.  In 2016, Strasbourg was promoted from capital of Alsace to capital of Grand Est.

I really loved everything about this city.

The city has about three hundred thousand inhabitants  the eighth-largest metro area in France and is  home to 14% of the Grand Est region's inhabitants. Strasbourg is an important centre of manufacturing and engineering, as well as a hub of road, rail, and river transportation.The architecture is special to this area, showing the German influence and the old canals, well maintained, are very picturesque. I tried a local dish, the name of which escapes me but basically it was like a large torilla covered in cream, bacon and onion. There may have been cheese in it but whatever, it was yummy. 

Of course there are plenty of important churches and the cathedral to visit. The cathedral is in need of restoration. The outside is very blackened but cannot be cleaned because the staining eminates from the actual stone - some sort of metal leaching through. Strucural repairs will be carried out.

There's also the part-Romanesque, part-Gothic, very large Église Saint-Thomas with its Silbermann organ on which both Wolgang Amadeus Mozart and Albert Schweitzer played .

 

 Strasbourg is considered the legislative and democratic capital of the European Union (more on this in a future bogpost), while Brussels is considered the executive and administrative capital and Luxembourg the judiciary and financial capital.

The University of Strasbourg is currently the second-largest in France.  Climate can be hot in summer and nippy in winter. The TGV serves Strasbourg- Paris - Germany and Switzerland. A trip by car from Chartres took  a good 6 hours but the traffic jams near Paris accounted for rather too many of those hours.

 In chronological order, notable residents of Strasbourg include these famous names: 

 

• Johannes Gutenberg
• John Calvin
• Johann Wolfgang Goethe
• Klemens von Metternich
• Louis Pasteur
• Georg Simmel
• Albert Schweitzer 
• Otto Klemperer

This is not a cheap city to live in but if you are feeling affluent the shopping is good with quirky places to visit. Take a guided tour of the city. I would have liked more time to explore the brocant market under the trees, alas, not possible when on a walking tour.

This city often gets overlooked by tourists who only know of Paris, Bordeaux, Marseilles or Lyon but its very differences stand out. One day I would like to revisit it for a longer stay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuileries Garden in Paris -so much lost

The Tuileries Garden in Paris is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Most tourists don't realise that in the nineteenth century it was the site of a magnificent royal palace that had been used by monarchs from  Henri IV, Louis XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, Napoleon, Louis XVIII, Louis-Philippe, Napoleon III.

Built in the 16th century by Catherine de Medici, it became the primary royal residence for three hundred years, housing numerous monarchs and emperors. Over time the building was modernised and reorganised. However, it was burned down by the Paris Commune in 1871 and subsequently demolished in 1883.

I am always saddened when I remember how mobs during one of the revolutions
set fire to it and its contents, thus destroying many wonderful works of art, furniture and better gardens. 

As late as 2006 there were serious thoughts on reconstructing
the palace as some furniture and paintings had been kept safe elsewhere from the Franco-Prussian war 1870 but a key player decided not to go ahead. Remnants exist in gardens in other countries such as Italy and Germany. There are also a couple of remnants in the current garden but I never found them

Originally designed in 1564 as an Italian Renaissance garden by Bernard de Carnesse, the Tuileries Garden was redesigned in 1664 by famous gardener Le Nôtre as a jardin a la française which emphasised symmetry, order, and long perspectives. With all the above in mind I decided to take a more detailed inspection of this former palace site on a stinkingly hot day in Paris.

Just along from the Louvre, near the entrance to the Tuileries Garden, I saw a soaring flame, a relic of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. It is not a permanent display; President Macron decreed that it would appear every summer in the skies of Paris until the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The design idea was to make the cauldron ascend into the Parisian skies. This was first achieved in the same location in 1783 when the world's first hydrogen-filled balloon was launched, some time after the first Mongolfier hot air balloon flew over Versailles and host Louis XIV nearly 100 years earlier.

Engineers this time in 2024 wanted a flame without fire or smoke. Suspended from a giant helium balloon this 60m structure was powered by a single cable transmitting electricity and water. It is designed to withstand normal weather conditions but it is too fragile to be left out in winter. 

 The cauldron's flame is powered by a water mist lit by 40 LED spotlights. A safe way to create the illusion of fire and it is very effective. Three cubic metres of water are used per hour.

I spent the next two hours wandering under the very welcome trees, looking at the statues and rather a lot of hot, empty spaces where gardens and trees once stood for hundreds of years until annihilation in the 19th century. I had also hoped to see Claude Monet's waterlilies paintings on display at the Orangerie, at the far end of the Garden. Alas, although it was the first Sunday of the month and thus entry was free, you have to book a time in advance, so I was turned away.

There are a number of outdoor restaurants, and quite a few seats scattered around to relax and take in the sites. I availed myself of the latter. Statues ancient and modern are scattered about the 55 acres.

Above - the garden today. Below - the disaster of the Paris Communards and their destruction of the Palace. Like the doomed Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand, a willingness to reconstruct was there but politics (even more than money) always got in the way of history and cultural treasures. 

Napoleon's son's legacy still sadder

 I lived for some years in Rambouillet when I first lived in France and soon learned of the town's connection to Napoleon via the Chateau and the Palais du Roi de Rome. 

In Rambouillet, Napoleon I^er, wishing to have a small palace for his son near his occasional residence at the Chateau de Rambouillet, had the former Hotel of the Governor of Rambouillet transformed, built between 1784 and 1785 by order of Louis XVI.  This small palace was for the use of the King of Rome (a title afforded to Napoleon's infant son), pending the construction of the immense and grandiose palace on the hill of Chaillot, Paris. This later palace never evenuated due to Napoleon's fall from grace.

 I had known of the sad life and tragic end of Napoleon Bonaparte's son (nicknamed l'Aiglon or little eagle) and had visited the garden of the little palace where the child grew up several times in my life in France. I always found it peaceful and pretty but sad. Recently I revisited it and was horrified to see the state of such an historic monument which is supposed to be looked after by the mayor and councillors of Rambouillet, a town I used to call home. The mayor is (still) the head of the French Senate so looking after this historic property is well within his abilites. He and the local council clearly don't seem to care much for this tourist attraction. 

Its state is deplorable, the garden full of weeds, the plaque with a message for l'Aiglon is missing or covered in weeds, the fountain inoperable, garish modern toys for children to play on are set in part of the lawn - so ghastly given the context. The interior of the house is painted in such  a way as to not detract from any art exhibitions but it contains no soul and not a trace of its former tragic inhabitant. The house houses a 'museum' of board games most of the time. No real info on l'Aiglon. Sad, sad, shameful. My daughter, who has

spent time in the garden would also be disappointed. You can see two photos of the same location here, just a few years apart to illustrate the sad decline and neglect.

I enjoyed looking at various artworks promoting art of the Chevreuse area but felt there was a lack of history and soul about the place. Parts of the stairs were crumbling. The building opposite, which had once been part of the complex, seems empty and abandoned with broken windows and pigeons flying in and out. Horrifying. Monsieur Larcher should be ashamed. I wrote in the visitors' book of

my disappointment. 

 

Why does this property matter? It's not flashy, it's not furnished but it is a relic from a specific time in history, a rather momentous time and it illustrates a story that most people (including the French) don't seem to know. Doesn't anyone wonder why Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew took the title of Napoleon III? Where was number II? Well here's that sorry story...

On 4 April 1814, Napoleon wrote a conditional abdication, reserving the succession rights of his infant son. On 6 April 1814, Napoleon finally relinquished the crown for him and his descendants,  but the Senate refused to keep the imperial regime in favour of a restoration of the Bourbons (Louis 18th). The young Napoleon II did not become emperor in April 1814, between the conditional abdication of 4 April 1814 and the unconditional abdication of 6 April 1814. Napoleon bid farewell to his troops on 20 April 1814 at Fontainebleau and left for the Island of Elba, off the Italian coast, refusing to allow his wife and son to join him. A convoy taking Empress Marie-Louise and her son to Vienna sailed on 23 April 1814.  Napoleon never saw his wife and son again. 

As we know, Napoleon returned to France after a short time in exile and ex-military rallied to his cause. The Bourbons were unpopular, but the world was tired of all the wars. He was defeated at Waterloo when he and his marshall made tactical errors. This time abdication was permanent and he lived the rest of his life on a stony outcrop island off the coast of Africa: Saint Helena. There were no visits from his wife and son who were now living in Marie-Louise's home country of Austria. The boy was disappearing from history.

I suppose this is one reason why I have written this particular blogpost. You may say "poor little rich boy'' and you would be right. However, I still feel sad about any child who showed promise but whose circumstances wrecked it all. I find this particular aspect of the life of Napoleon sad and disappointing that neither he nor his wife made much effort to truly parent this little boy who was ripped away from his country and made to feel ashamed of his father.

L'Aiglon grew up never really knowing his father. His mother was not a good mother and was absent for most of his life as he reminded her of a past she wanted to forget. Instead he was brought up in the court of Francis I of Austria as a prince of the court, as Duke of Reichstadt. 

The name of Bonaparte was hated and feared throughout Europe.

 "Little Napoleon is an object of disorder and fear for most European cabinets. We must have heard the conversations of recent years, to know to what extent the name of this child was angering and frightened even the most skilful ministers and to be aware of everything they invented and proposed to at least make one forget his existence. "

 Napoleon II, renowned Duke of Reichstadt, nevertheless obtained permission to consult the great imperial library of Vienna so that he could re-learn French by reading the Letters of Madame de Sévigné. During this time he discovered his father by browsing works on the Napoleonic era and especially Memoires from Sainte Helene in which Napoleon would have featured.

Like his father he pursued a military career, but it occured in Austria, being estranged from the country of his birth. This handsome young man grew up not knowing his father and hardly seeing his mother, brought up as an Austrian prince "Franz" at court by his grandfather Francis I of Austria, thus hiding his identity but it was probable that he lead a rather lonely life where he didn't quite fit in.

 His official army career began at age 12, in 1823, when he was made a cadet in the Austrian Army. Accounts from his tutors describe the son of Napoleon as intelligent, serious, and focused. Additionally, he was very tall, having grown to nearly 6 feet (1.8m) by the time he was 17. 

Not long after rejoining his army post  in 1832 he fell ill.

On April 15, doctors admitted they could do no more, which is why Napoleon II bitterly said, "My birth and my death, that's my whole story. Between my cradle and my grave, there's a big zero." His mother, who was alerted, did not join him in Vienna until Sunday, 24 June. He died on 22 July 1832 of tuberculosis at the age of 21. 

 The destiny of a young man who was proclaimed King of Rome at birth and whose father was Napoleon I might have included a vaste empire if his name had not become so poisonous. He died a simple Austrian prince, someone mysterious and touching who fascinated poets and whose name has maintained to this day a type of culte which saw in particular the return of his remains (l'Aiglon) to Paris as a Nazi public relations event. He is buried at Les Invalides now just below the sarcophagus of his famous father. His heart and intestines remain in Vienna to this day, which is traditional for members of the Habsburg family.

In an effort to improve his image in the eyes of the French in 1940, Adolf Hitler decided to repatriate the remains of the Aiglon to France. A funeral and nocturnal ceremony were held in Les Invalides in Paris on the night of the 14th to 15th December 1940, in front of a handpicked audience.  It coincided with one hundred years to the day after the return of the body of his father Napoleon I to Paris.

Napoleon II was technically "Emperor of the French" for two weeks, when he was not in France. It was because of this short reign of Napoleon II that Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon I,  proclaimed himself emperor of the French under the name of Napoleon III.  

During my most recent visit to this historic site in Rambouillet I enjoyed looking at an art display and also examples of ancient board games (note that New Zealand doesn't feature on the world map). This building is an official museum for old board games. The decor is just bland paint and gives no hint of its colourful past.

This sad story was made into a play: L'Aiglon is a play in six acts by Edmond Rostand based on the life of Napoleon II, who was the son of Emperor Napoleon I and his second wife, Empress Marie Louise. 

Sources for images: 

Heraldry Par Katepanomegas, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10525411 

Photo of Franz Par Leopold Bucher — Malmaison, Musée national des châteaux de Malmaison et Bois-Préau, Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7494834

Death bed Par Franz Xaver Stöber / D’après Johann Ender — Dorotheum, Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19168817