Greatest French, But No Napoleon!

[Annie]

PE is NOT going to be happy! I know, the poll is something of an oxymoron...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...050315/lf_afp/afplifestylefrance_050315161255

De Gaulle or Piaf, but no Napoleon: poll for French greatest underway

Tue Mar 15,11:12 AM ET

PARIS (AFP) - Charles de Gaulle was the only political leader to feature on a shortlist of ten personalities from whom television viewers are to select the greatest ever French man or woman in history.

The wartime hero's rivals for the billing were two scientists, two comedians, a singer, an underwater explorer and a campaigning monk.

But there was no place for other celebrated leaders such as Napoleon, Charlemagne, Louis XIV or Francois Mitterrand, all of whom featured too low down in the top 100 to qualify. President Jacques Chirac came in at 42.

The 10 names were unveiled in a live broadcast from the upper house of parliament, the Senate, on state-owned France 2 Television. Over the next two weeks the station will broadcast half-hour documentaries in which famous modern-day figures will act as advocates to plead their cause.

The public can vote via the Internet, telephone or text-messages, and the winner will be announced at a second live broadcast from the Senate whose date has to be set.

Apart from de Gaulle, the candidates are: Marie Curie and Louis Pasteur, comics Coluche and Bourvil; writers Victor Hugo and Moliere; singer Edith Piaf; underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau; and -- the only living contender -- 92 year-old Abbe Pierre, who has spent half a century working for the homeless.

In the longer roster of 100 personalities drawn up by a polling institute, Napoleon won 16th position; Charlemagne came in at 22; Mitterrand at 24; Joan of Arc at 31 and Louis XIV at 50. Revolutionary leader Robespierre was in 72nd place.

The top sportsman was Zinedine Zidane at 21, followed by fellow footballer Michel Platini in 41st position, sailor Eric Tabarly at 49, judoka David Douillet at 51 and tennis-man Yannick Noah at 56.

In the acting world, Fernandel (the late Fernand Contandin) was 13th, followed by Louis de Funes and Jean Gabin on 17 and 18 and Jean-Paul Belmondo (news) on 38. Catherine Deneuve (news) was 97th and Gerard Depardieu (news) 99th.

The programme format was pioneered by the BBC with the British public choosing Winston Churchill for the title. In Germany viewers elected Konrad Adenauer, that country's first chancellor following the debacle of World War II, and in the Netherlands Prince William of Orange pipped slain right-wing anti-immigration politician Pim Fortuyn after a recount.

 

[padisha emperor]

Thank you very much Kathianne, I didn't heard the results, so, thank you again


It is a shame !!! I'd heard that in UK the results were contested, but here in France, it have to be done !!!!


For me, Molière, Hugo, Curie and Pasteur, OK.
But Coluche and Bourvil..... And Zidane before Charlemagne, Joan of Arch, or Louis the XIV ????? what the hell with this classment ?

They probably forgot Philippe II, Saint Louis, Philippe IV,Charles V, Charles VII, François Ier, Henri IV, Louis XV, Joffre, Foch, Pétain (for WWI), Clémenceau, Napoléon III, Maréchal de Saxe, Condé, Du Guesclin, Clovis, Charles Martel, even Charles le Téméraire (last Duke of Burgundy). is Danton in or not ? Racine ? Corneille ? Alexandre Dumas ?

Napoléon at 16th place, I'm quite disappointed, because he was rzeally a great French, on the interior point of view but also on the exterior, with the conquests...
I'm not a Napo-maniac, craey about him, but I respect really the man and the History of this period.

Do you know where I can find the whole classment ? Have you it ?

Thank you agin

 

[Said1]

Napoléon at 16th place, I'm quite disappointed, because he was rzeally a great French, on the interior point of view but also on the exterior, with the conquests...
I'm not a Napo-maniac, craey about him, but I respect really the man and the History of this period.

Napoleon was Corsican, does that matter?

 

[nosarcasm]

Napoleon would have gotten my European vote.
If not for the US only my vote would have counted anyway. :teeth:

 

[dilloduck]

You mean Pepe LePew didn't make the list-----this thing is rigged!!

 

[padisha emperor]

Napoleon was Corsican, does that matter?

Napoléon was french.
He was born in Corsica, in 1769, and at this time Corsica was already french, France buy it to Genoa before Napoleon's birth.

Why all the US boards I see say that Naopleon was not French but Corsican ?
are you dumbs ? are you disappointed because a french ruled Europe ? If it is that, be disappointed, he was NOT the only one.

From a country where all the population was immigrants 200 century ago, or after, you seem to bevery strict about the nationality point.

Napoleon was French, with corsican origins.
Like the son of Wiliam the Conqueror, he was english, his father was french.
For you, Edward the IIIrd is english ? for me too.
But he has french origin, because the english kings from 1154 to 1458 are descendants of Geoffroy Plantagenêt, Count of Anjou.



Georges Whashington was english, wasn't he ?

Look, this is an useless debatte.

 

[nosarcasm]

Corsica still today is fighting for more autonomy.

Although I d count Napoleon as French (he run the show)
it is a fair point to bring up that Napoleon might also
be considered a Corsican.

Hitler was an Austrian if you ask most Germans and an German if you
ask Austrians :teeth:

 

[padisha emperor]

I is not the same thing...french feel no shame when they think to Napoleon

I also believe that he is well considered in Germany - Napoleon - ( I could be wrong too )


No, he is not Corsican. Or Corsican with the meaning of a french region, like Provence, Champagne, Ile de France, Alsace.......here, no problem, they are all French.
But not Corsican as a nation.

 

[Said1]

I is not the same thing...french feel no shame when they think to Napoleon


No, he is not Corsican. Or Corsican with the meaning of a french region, like Provence, Champagne, Ile de France, Alsace.......here, no problem, they are all French.
But not Corsican as a nation.

He was born in Corsica, which was not occupied by France at the time, so that would make him something else, by your definition of nationality. Not that there is anything wrong with that, just a minor detail I find interesting. As a matter of fact, when Napoleon was at Military school ect, wasn't he harassed for not being True Blue (as the Quebecers say here) or real frenchman? I believe Napoleon even supported the Corsican National Guard during an uprising against the French in his early days. But that's neither here nor there in the larger scope of things, just some interesting facts. Also, occupation and colonial rule do not make people "french". This seems hard for you to accept, but that's how it works.

 

[padisha emperor]

Napoleon was born in August, the 15th, 1769.
At this time, Corsica is totally french on the paper, and alos in facts : the island is occupied in totality by the French.

It is true that the bonaparte family was a patriot family, for the corsican.
But the family after joined ther french camp against the other corsican patriots.
He is French, he bron as a french, and did his schools n french schools.

Also, occupation and colonial rule do not make people "french". This seems hard for you to accept, but that's how it works.

So, why all the french territories at the eastern border of France are still french ? they're in because France conquered it. Occupation and colonial rules. Like for Corsica.



You are always discuting about Napoleon's Nationality...why ? he is FRENCH.

You consider Washington, Adams, Jefferson....as American. but they born as British citizens.
Napoleon was born a sfrench citizen, and do all for France...where is the problem ?

 

[Said1]

Napoleon was born in August, the 15th, 1769.
At this time, Corsica is totally french on the paper, and alos in facts : the island is occupied in totality by the French.

French on paper, isn't that what I said? And his parents would have been what on paper? Thus making him only french on paper, due to occupation. Forced occupation.

It is true that the bonaparte family was a patriot family, for the corsican.
But the family after joined ther french camp against the other corsican patriots.
He is French, he bron as a french, and did his schools n french schools.

Fighting with the Corsican National Guard against the French would be considered what? Probably bad. Refresh my memory, was Napoleon on school holidays when he did that, or on leave from the military? Anyway, all that matters is that he wanted to be French in the end.

So, why all the french territories at the eastern border of France are still french ? they're in because France conquered it. Occupation and colonial rules. Like for Corsica.

I'm talking about Corsicans, but the others might have consider themselves french second for a time, I don't really know.

You are always discuting about Napoleon's Nationality...why ? he is FRENCH.

Did I touch a nerve sweet heart. Go back and read what I wrote above, but take a chill pill first SVP. Mentioning something twice, is hardly always.

You consider Washington, Adams, Jefferson....as American. but they born as British citizens.
Napoleon was born a french citizen, and do all for France...where is the problem ?

Like I said, what matters is what they want to be, and what they did. Napoleon HAD Corsican nationalism on him mind for a time and faught for it, meaning his loyalties were to Corsica, but he changed. Why so touchy, is it exam time for you, a little stressed?

 

[padisha emperor]

Napoleon is French. Born as a French in a french island.
French education at the military school of Brienne.

So, all these discussions make me really laugh from people of USA.
All your national heroes are british. And you dare to discut Napoleon's nationality ?

 

[dilloduck]

Napoleon is French. Born as a French in a french island.
French education at the military school of Brienne.

So, all these discussions make me really laugh from people of USA.
All your national heroes are british. And you dare to discut Napoleon's nationality ?

I sure don't--anyone who is pompous enough to crown himself emporer has gotta be French.

 

[padisha emperor]

anyone who is pompous enough to crown himself emporer has gotta be French.

 

[Said1]

Napoleon is French. Born as a French in a french island.
French education at the military school of Brienne.

So, all these discussions make me really laugh from people of USA.
All your national heroes are british. And you dare to discut Napoleon's nationality ?

I'm Canadian you giant pain in the puhtooone! And furthermore: Napoleon was Corsican, Napoleon was Corsican nanana poopoo. He was only French on paper, and your posts smell like poopoo! See, I can act like a baby too. :

 

[padisha emperor]

I'm happy for you, it doesn't surprise me...

 

[Said1]

I sure don't--anyone who is pompous enough to crown himself emporer has gotta be French.

Haha. By his logic, anyone born in France during the German occupation would be German.

 

[padisha emperor]

Not at all, dear said...

France was not destroyed as State : the french nationality and the french State were still existant.
It is not a debellatio.
And it is not the same thing with Corsica : Corsica was not a State.
And about your bright idea : except Alsace, France didn't belong to the IIIrd Reich. Read before speak.

 

[Said1]

Not at all, dear said...

France was not destroyed as State : the french nationality and the french State were still existant.
It is not a debellatio.
And it is not the same thing with Corsica : Corsica was not a State.
And about your bright idea : except Alsace, France didn't belong to the IIIrd Reich. Read before speak.

LOL, if you say so. But those babies would be German. :tng:

Anyway, you can argue about this all day, and name drop anything you want out of your text books, but it does not change the fact that Napoleon fought for Corsican independence, nor does it discredit anything he did following that. t. Corsica was occupied by another state when France took it, so this debate can go on all day. The french idea of assimilation may have been good in theroy, but in practice, people do not like having their heritage taken from them via occpation. In cases of Lebenon, Egypt, Somalia, Vietnam, are you really silly enough to think those people thought they are french first? Like I said ALREADY, what matters is what he wanted to be, and obviously, in the end he was french. You can't change history, even though you don't like it. Get over it.

 

[padisha emperor]

but in practice, people do not like having their heritage taken from them via occpation. In cases of Lebenon, Egypt, Somalia, Vietnam, are you really silly enough to think those people thought they are french first?

Sure.
The inhabitants of the french Vietnam were not French lke the "real" French. They belong to the French Empire, but were still vietnamese.
Here we agree totally.

So,I apologize if I understood you badly.