« Back Muslims in the former Yugoslavia are caught between the old socialist-backed form of their religion and a new international version Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán said last October that ‘Islam has nothing to do with Europe It is a set of rules created for a different world and Islam has been imported into our continent.’ This provoked a sharp response from the leader of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Muslim community who reminded Orbán that Judaism and Christianity also originated outside Europe Muslim leaders in the Balkans are often keen to emphasise Islam’s long history in their region and distinguish their communities from those in the West This concern about rootedness is like the claims of indigenousness made by strains of Balkan nationalism which assert that the people with the longest history of settlement in a territory have the most legitimate rights But the assertion is also a reaction to Islamophobia which presents Islam as an alien phenomenon The assertion also reflects the sense that Islam in the Balkans is culturally different from its Arab and more compatible with a notional European identity The long history of Islam in Europe dates back to the eighth century Islam reached the Balkans with the Ottoman conquest having been established in Iberia (in the period of Al-Andalus 711—1492) and in the Emirate of Sicily (948-1091) Some accounts claim that even before Turkish troops crossed the river Evros in Thrace (1371) who had been receptive to heresies such as Bogomilism  But only when Ottoman administrative structures were established in the 15th century did conversion begin in earnest The Ottoman empire never made conversion compulsory notably financial: non-Muslims had to pay additional taxes to get the sultan’s protection They also had restricted property rights and were excluded from certain military and civil leadership roles Vicken Cheterian is a journalist based in Geneva (1) Civil Georgia (2) See “Revolutionary aftershocks in the East ” (3) The general election on 2 November 2003 unleashed a protest movement but President Shevardnadze gave up power without a struggle (4) Interview with Saakashvili by Galia Ackerman in Politique Internationale (5) Civil Georgia (6) Only the rightwing opposition consisting of the New Rights and Industry Will Save Georgia parties qualified for seats in parliament Since then the Republican party has broken with the ruling party and joined the opposition (7) Amnesty International, “Georgia: torture and ill-treatment still a concern after the ‘Rose Revolution’” (8) See Florence Mardirossian, “Russia’s Georgian griefs” (9) See National Bank of Georgia (10) Malkhaz Alkhazashvili In 2001 54% of the population was estimated to be living below the poverty line (11) Associated Press (12) See Moshe Levin This is a comparative study of how the British and the French felt about the death of the Emperor An individual’s reaction to his death and to the return of his mortal remains varied depending on whether they were a member of the popular classes the different representations of Napoleon are not only due to individuals’ various interpretations but also due to the complicated character of Bonaparte he is a multi-faceted figure – military hero and French citizen – meaning that it is often difficult to say when one aspect differs from another Napoleon was very strong willed about the way he wanted to be seen This explains to some extent why Napoleon tried to portray himself through the writings of Emmanuel Las Cases in the best light in order to prolong his legend after his death The case of Napoleon’s death is also extremely charged firstly because Napoleon had his own political group and followers and secondly because his death and the Retour des Cendres were used to various political ends Napoleon was such an important political figure that his death would not just be the end of a human figure; it would be the end of a whole ideal This explains to some extent why the Retour des Cendres was celebrated in such a spectacular way By using a variety of sources this study will present the different posthumous views of Napoleon, and will seek to understand why he continues to fascinate so many people. It will also investigate why “his career surpasses the normal bounds even of great men, and the explanation of his continuing attraction may lie in his capacity to speak directly to the elemental feelings of the human psyche.”9 Napoleon asked the British government for political asylum; consequently exiled and imprisoned on the island of St Helena in 1815 unbefitting of such a political icon who may have once envisaged a more heroic death in battle or an honourable sacrifice in the name of democracy and the French nation his exile and ‘simple’ death did not affect the mystery and admiration that surrounded him this is proof – to a certain extent – that people continued to idealise the Emperor after his death and saw in him what they wanted to see He even appears to have a slight smile etched across his face in marked contrast to Vernet’s painting They both however represent him in his full glory whether it is through comparison with Christ or depicting him in full military dress This can also be seen in the way his funeral was conducted at Longwood. Everyone gathered and “never a spectacle so sad and solemn had been witnessed in these remote regions”.17 He was laid to rest in a tomb under a willow tree with nothing but a plain gravestone to mark the spot This was a very bare and simple resting area far removed from the extravagant funeral the French public would have expected for their hero The islanders’ reaction to Napoleon’s death was an emotionally charged one due in no small part to their proximity – both geographically and emotionally – to the late Emperor The reaction to his death in mainland France was no less impassioned What he lacks in facts and accuracy he makes up for in passion for his idol the author nevertheless remains a typical admirer of the Emperor in that he cannot help but think highly of him and feel great sadness at his loss the death of Bonaparte was simply a distant event details of which were announced in newspapers the death of Napoleon had a great impact on the French both on the island of St Helena and on mainland France Yet their sentiments were not universally the same There was certainly an overwhelming feeling of loss and sadness but not all the French population praised him after his death many still felt great pride in being French and expressed their feelings through articles as well as more generally through the collection of memorabilia and the celebration of his legend over the course of the year Napoleon was a political figure whose influence spread beyond France the English had for a long time been France’s arch-enemy the reaction to his death in England could in many ways be described as unexpected writers paid their respects to a man whose political views they may have disagreed with Napoleon’s exile on St Helena very much contributed to this way of thinking Dying alone in exile transformed Napoleon from a political tyrant into a mere human His death did not eliminate any of the political questions the British still had regarding the Emperor but it result in much soul-searching regarding the morality of his exile He is not wearing his traditional hat and his face is drawn and lifeless This is a very simple representation of Bonaparte much unlike many depictions produced of him The fact that this drawing was done so quickly after his death (if the dating is to be believed) shows just how much Napoleon still fascinated the British public Like Wordsworth’s poem and Haydon’s painting it shows to what extent the Emperor’s exile on St Helena contributed to the forging of Napoleon’s posthumous reputation in Britain it would be fair to say that he would not have been remembered in the same way there seemed to be reconciliation between the two countries There was no longer any reason for Britain and France to fight and they both joined in remembering and respecting a man of great influence in both countries There is no doubt therefore that exile contributed to Bonaparte’s posthumous image And whilst reaction to his death on the island appears intense reaction on the mainland proved to be just as strong One of the most striking acts of tribute to Napoleon was the efforts gone to by John Sainsbury.39 He was an admirer and avid collector of all things Napoleonic and in the 1820s opened an exhibition presenting his collection of Napoleon memorabilia The reaction to this was certainly quite mixed Some visitors proved resistant and were unconvinced by Sainsbury’s attempts to demonstrate Napoleon’s wonderful character and uncommon genius Others relished the exhibition and the relics of lost battles and causes which reminded them of the glory of a victorious Britain which had defeated France The fact that Sainsbury nevertheless managed for many years to make a living out of his exhibition (through the charging of an entry fee) indicates what a phenomenal success it was There was clearly a market for such fascination something that Sainsbury’s collection of curios did little to dampen the article’s first sentence appears to take a strong stance on Napoleon’s death Although not a particularly favourable start to the article it goes on to explain that everyone is fascinated by the posthumous image of Napoleon assuring its readers that “every public journalist The author’s reference to “political creed” suggests that he believes public opinion on Napoleon will be influenced less by nationality than by political ideology The article finishes by stating that “Napoleon has not lived nor died in vain – his career has read hereditary despots a lesson Although the journalist appears glad that Napoleon is gone he still feels that his life – although not an exemplary one – should be used as an example of what not to do Although not celebrating Napoleon’s death the journalist is nevertheless aware of the enormity of the moment the officer displays more respect for the late Emperor than is perhaps evident in the newspaper articles already mentioned capturing the deep sense of loss that was felt by many on the island the officer understood the feelings of the French and what an important figure he was to France Sympathetic to “poor Napoleon” who was exiled far away from the country which loved and continues to love him he describes in detail the funeral held at Longwood remarking frequently on the “plainness” of the ceremony and event Napoleon’s death could be described as an anti-climax when compared to his glorious life his ‘greatness’ would be celebrated in full with the triumphant return of his mortal remains The procession and parade organised by the authorities presented a level of splendour never before seen the return of Napoleon was not a simple matter of patriotism The political intent is one that has to be examined closely in order to understand how the French population celebrated their Emperor’s return Throughout the 1820s and 1830s other attempts failed So why did Napoleon make it back after twenty years The government feared that by bringing back Napoleon’s mortal remains Although this seems like an overreaction on the part of the government of the time it shows just how much of an impact Napoleon had had on the French population The French public was forced to wait until Thiers became Président du Conseil before their beloved Emperor could return to France Disagreement regarding the decision to bring back the remains of Napoleon remained within the government; French popular opinion was to prove similarly divided and songs exist to offer us a unique insight into how people viewed the Retour des Cendres a few themes common to all the media mentioned above stand out his portrayal as a prince or the Christ is a recurrent theme and the same representative symbols appear throughout Gustave Tassaert’s painting, France and the Prince de Joinville at the Tomb of Saint Helena, which recreates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is one of the many representations of Napoleon that plays with Christ symbolism.59 Napoleon is depicted complete with shining halo and white cloth draped over him On his right is a figure very similar to the Madeleine there is an open door which is similar to the stone rolled away from Christ’s tomb This image is a very clear echo of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and gives the reader the idea the Napoleon is not only the Emperor of the French but also saviour of the nation The image that combines the different aspects of Napoleon’s life and all that he had achieved for France is Adolphe Lafosse’s lithograph.62 In it are present his famous battles symbols of his victories abroad (such as the Egyptian pyramids) reminders of his various roles in French government (First Consul and Emperor) and All of these images represent Napoleon as a triumphant hero and his return can be compared to the return of the prodigal son Although there may have been some political discord when it came to the Retour des Cendres it is clear that from the point of view of the French public his return was the welcoming home of a long-lost son But as the French public rejoiced at the arrival of their Emperor reaction on the other side of the Channel was decidedly different Reaction to Napoleon’s death was perhaps as considerable in England as it was in France Napoleon was after all a figure of European and international importance The return of his mortal remains however provoked little reaction in the British Isles It was of course reported in the newspapers but it was not the sensational news that it appears to have been in France Although the British observed the death of Bonaparte This lack of enthusiasm shows us not that the British did not care about Napoleon but rather that the Retour des Cendres was an event of fundamental importance to the French whilst others were disappointed that the boat did not stop longer at the bridges “a band of two-hundred performed solemn symphonies as the steamer came up the river” It finally anchored in Neuilly on 14th December where it immediately became a place of pilgrimage for the people of Paris the casket that had been transported in the mobile sculptured tomb was placed on display for millions of visitors to admire it Civic virtue and military glory were two of the most highly regarded qualities in French society The procession in honour of Napoleon would have been talked about and remembered for many years after it was also a day that left the government and the upper classes – who recognised that Napoleon was a character capable of stirring great and conflicting emotions – uneasy with Thiers’ government profiting from the event to bask in its reflected light And the procession was only the beginning of the extravagant celebrations planned for Napoleon His tomb was to be the ultimate tribute to his multiple qualities and enduring appeal; however the government was very aware that they had to decide on just how conspicuous a part of Paris’ urban fabric they wanted to make his tomb Finding the resting place for Napoleon was not just a logistical problem as the outlandish designs in the cartoon demonstrate Although many of the project designs have now been lost the limited selection that remains shows just how different and complex some of the plans were there was one subtle change that evokes the broader problem in representing Napoleon Napoleon was dressed in his military attire the Emperor is clothed in his imperial dress How was Napoleon to be remembered: as the military hero or the imperial Taking into account the chosen site of Les Invalides and by studying some of the designs for his tomb it is clear that many wished to remember the military hero Napoleon’s iconic character and diverse roles during the regime were just some of the problems that gave the architects and artists much food for thought which meant that it would not be totally closed It still kept the traditional “N” and eagle Labrouste’s representation sought more to commemorate and protect the tomb than to glorify his life and the extravagant and over-the-top procession in Paris Both funerals were however extremely silent which shows just how much respect people had for the Emperor The large number and the variation of sources have shown us what impact Napoleon’s death and the Retour des Cendres had on Britain and France it is clear that the return of Napoleon’s mortal remains had a far more profound effect on the French than on the British His return was a momentous event for the French population and although not all agreed on every aspect of his return it was an historic event which – on the whole –united the French people in recognition of their former Emperor Napoleon was depicted in many forms after his death This abundance of iconography and interpretations merely intensified the aura of mystery and fascination around him Clearly the public’s appetite for all things Napoleonic would prove difficult to sate It is certain that his death in exile and the wait of twenty years for him to return to his beloved country was one of the biggest contributing factors to the endurance of his posthumous image His exile only added to the mystery that surrounded him and contributed positively to his reputation in Britain It was his deeds in life that ensured that he would never be forgotten but the fact that it took twenty years for Napoleon’s body to return home made the restitution even more exceptional and gave the French public time to grow fonder of their late Emperor and to come to terms with his impact on the nation A complex individual who combined profound historical achievement with a rich romantic legend Napoleon Bonaparte is like few other characters in the history of the modern world p.1834 It should be noted that the Dictionnaire Larousse was still in its early days which may explain the different definitions.5 Thiers Horace Vernet, The death of Napoleon14 Appendix B, Jean-Baptiste Mauzaisse Châteaux de Malmaison et Bois-Préau15 Hazlitt p.449 17 Ibid., p.450 18 Gallica Bibliothèque Numérique19 Pensée d'un patriote sur Napoléon Bonaparte20 « Un devoir un oeuvre patriotique de dire la vérité sur l'illustre prisonnier » Pensée d'un patriote sur Napoléon Bonaparte p.421 "Although defeated at Waterloo appears before us bedecked in glory" Vers et romance sur la mort de Napoleon Bonaparte23 "He has fallen whose name reminds us of grandeur; he was superb and guilty but his achievements equalled his mistakes." Vers et romance sur la mort de Napoléon Bonaparte p.624 Vers et romance sur la mort de Napoléon Bonaparte25 Souvenir et regret d'un soldat à Napoléon Bonaparte26 "In his last hour he saw only the ferocious smile of his enemies; taking pity on them he closed his eyelids," Souvenir et regret d'un soldat p.6529 It should also be noted that although this was an event to show sentimental attachment to the late emperor it was also an occasion for people to show their unhappiness with the current political regime (see "15 août 1844", Revue de l'Empire Napoleon Musing at St Helena (National Portrait Gallery Marryat's framed and original sketch of Napoleon Bonaparte after his death at St Helena Progress and Downfall37 Letter from Hudson Lowe dated 6 May 182138 Robert Postans p.228 45 "The NWC Songbook" 46 See Semmel The Morning Chronicle, June 182149 "Death and Funeral of Bonaparte" 1826) pp.403-40550 Charles-Gilbert Heulhard de Montigny served as député for the Cher département between 1830 and 1831.51 Adrien Dansette As befits a legend: building a tomb for Napoleon pp.19-2154 "You are scared of a shadow and scared of a bit of dust p.3157 It was Thiers who inaugurated the Arc de Triomphe (see Avmer France and the Prince de Joinville at the Tomb of Saint Helena (Cabinet des Estampes The Translation of the Ashes of Napoleon to the Invalides Another print (Appendix I) by A Guey - Transfer of Napoleon's Ashes to the Invalides - can be found in Barbara Ann Day-Hickamn Napoleonic Art: nationalism and the spirit of rebellion in France (1815-1848) « Le reflet donné par la presse » in Napoléon aux Invalides : 1840 23 (January 1848)76 "It is my wish that my ashes may repose on the banks of the Seine "Napoleon's last will and testament" 77 Driskel which could explain why the government appointed him in the first place.81 Marochetti p.6686 Appendices J (monument project) and K (tomb project) Whether you are a private individual or a company you get tax benefits on donations to the Fondation Napoléon © Fondation Napoléon 2025 ISSN 2272-1800 « Le crétinisme érigé en idéal » C’était du moins ce que pensaient les nazis qui entreprirent d’assainir les musées gangrénés par ce « bolchevisme culturel » cet « art du Système » annonciateur de la décadence Des centaines d’artistes furent mis à l’index des milliers d’œuvres retirées des collections publiques pour être détruites ou vendues plus de 700 furent d’abord exhibées à Munich en 1937 dans une vaste exposition sur « l’art dégénéré » C’est sur cet événement que revient le Musée Picasso en réunissant une soixantaine de ces peintures et sculptures avant-gardistes qui menacèrent la « pureté » allemande Il faut reconnaître que les nazis firent preuve d’un manque de goût très sûr puisqu’ils s’acharnèrent sur les plus grands maîtres du XXe siècle Dénoncer l’art moderne en lui consacrant une exposition retentissante eût pu sembler contre-productif Et c’est sans doute ce que le Musée Picasso ne montre pas assez : loin d’être mises en valeur les œuvres présentées à Munich en 1937 étaient violemment dénigrées par des slogans injurieux et moqueurs écrits en gros sur les murs Une vidéo de l’époque donne un aperçu de la scénographie mais elle est reléguée dans un coin et trop petite pour que le public d’aujourd’hui prenne conscience du choc visuel ménagé par les nazis diffuse quelques images de la « Grande Exposition d’art allemand » organisée en même temps que celle sur l’« art dégénéré » confrontant l’exemple et le contre-exemple Pour avoir accès à ce contenu, vous devez vous abonner à La Tribune de l’Art. 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Les avantages et les conditions de cet abonnement, qui vous permettra par ailleurs de soutenir La Tribune de l’Art, sont décrits sur la page d’abonnement Si vous êtes déjà abonné, connectez-vous This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Inside the closed and secretive world of ‘Africapitalism’ There’s big money to be made in Africa’s booming cement market Aliko Dangote has won awards and become a pan-African icon but the reality on the ground tells a different story Across the road from its barbed-wire fences and watchtowers the township of corrugated iron-roofed buildings descended into darkness: two worlds separated by a road full of articulated lorries a mechanic who has lived here for 20 years told me that ‘despite the huge profit he makes from here our neighbour’s done almost nothing for us The water’s no longer drinkable and asthma cases have increased So we’re still waiting for the progress that the Dangote Group promised.’ Resentment of Western and Chinese multinationals is common in Africa but people’s hostility in Kogi is directed at a pillar of the national and pan-African economy: Dangote Cement plc founded in 1977 and one of the country’s two largest market capitalisations It’s the core business of the conglomerate headed by Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist Aliko Dangote Africa’s richest person and the world’s 136th wealthiest worth $19.6bn in January 2023 according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index after Nigeria’s second city where he was born runs a group of companies whose activities range from food processing (flour packaging) to real estate and port logistics He’s about to move into oil refining and urea (used as a fertiliser and feed supplement) but it’s to cement that he still owes more than 85% of his personal wealth He acquired it and its limestone quarries from Kogi State in 2003 the former state-owned company now has five production lines The modernisation and expansion of the plant which is served by a fleet of around 1,000 trucks was part-funded with loans worth $220m from the World (…) (1) Civil Georgia (2) See “Revolutionary aftershocks in the East ” (3) The general election on 2 November 2003 unleashed a protest movement (4) Interview with Saakashvili by Galia Ackerman in Politique Internationale (5) Civil Georgia (6) Only the rightwing opposition consisting of the New Rights and Industry Will Save Georgia parties qualified for seats in parliament (7) Amnesty International, “Georgia: torture and ill-treatment still a concern after the ‘Rose Revolution’” (8) See Florence Mardirossian, “Russia’s Georgian griefs” (9) See National Bank of Georgia (10) Malkhaz Alkhazashvili (11) Associated Press (12) See Moshe Levin TorontoNewsBrands of cheese sold in Ontario recalled after illness outbreakBy The Canadian PressPublished: January 20, 2023 at 6:59AM EST Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Israeli ministers approve plan to expand operations, seize Gaza Strip Trump threatens 100% tariffs on imported movies, film industry in shock 15th annual Red Dress Day remembering First Nations women, girls Canadian vets honoured during 80th anniversary of Netherlands Liberation Day ceremony in Hamilton Red Dress Day ceremony on Hamilton Mountain raises awareness for abused people Political analyst discusses the seriousness behind Alberta’s referendum idea Multiple surface-ripened soft and semi-soft cheeses are recalled in Ontario due to a recent foodborne illness outbreak The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) launched an investigation into the illness outbreak and uncovered some surface-ripened soft and semi-soft cheeses contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes Residents are advised to check their cheese stock at home for Mélo-Dieux surface-ripened soft cheese from La Vache à Maillotte as well as three kinds of cheese from Le Fromage au Village: soft surface ripened cheese Angelus and Le Casimir and semi-soft surface-ripened Le Cendre de Notre-Dame The agency says food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick The cheeses come in amounts of approximately 150 to 275 grams and have been sold in Ontario and Quebec as well as online The CFIA says there have been reported illnesses that may be associated with the consumption of these products but does not specify what location the illnesses are stemming from The agency says further lab testing is underway to confirm whether the illness reported is linked to the Listeria monocytogenes contamination Emily Vukovic went birding at Urban Nature Store in Ancaster To celebrate Mother’s Day and raise funds for Halton Women’s Place A beautiful and powerful new piece of jewelry has joined Lofttan‘s collection The IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s is taking place at the ‘Women of Soul’ is a captivating production that is revitalizing timeless soul CHCH-TV started broadcasting in 1954 and is proud to be the news leader for Hamilton and the surrounding Halton and Niagara regions Copyright © 2025 CHCH. All Rights Reserved. ZWD The British government has never accepted responsibility for its collusion with Northern Irish loyalist paramilitary forces during the Troubles This historical legacy issue will not go away and has lasting effects The term ‘deep state’ originally referred to close relations between repressive state agencies organised crime and the far right in countries once ruled by military dictatorships Among supporters of Donald Trump and Brexit partisans it has been denuded of meaning: what they now call the ‘deep state’ is just the ‘permanent government’ of civil servants and judges with which any elected government has to reckon ‘deep state’ had real meaning during the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland during which British security forces collaborated extensively with loyalist paramilitaries responsible for hundreds of sectarian killings There is now much evidence to document this record which far surpassed in scale the GAL episode in Spain when the government of Felipe González (1982-96) sponsored the formation of death squads to target Basque militants The history of collusion in Northern Ireland shows how far Britain’s ‘deep state’ has been willing to go against perceived adversaries on its own national territory The IRA (Irish Republican Army) and smaller republican groups killed 2,057 people during the Troubles 58% of the 3,532 who died during the struggle The loyalist paramilitary groups — notably the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF formed in 1966) and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA But the loyalists were so relentless in targeting non-combatants that they were responsible for nearly half of all civilian deaths in the conflict: 85% of those killed by loyalist paramilitaries were civilians (35% for republicans) to preserve the union between Northern Ireland and Britain against republican demands for British withdrawal was combined with an ill-concealed desire to deny Catholics equal rights as citizens even if Northern Ireland remained part of the UK British government ministers always insisted that the security forces dealt with republican (…) (1) Civil Georgia (2) See “Revolutionary aftershocks in the East ” (3) The general election on 2 November 2003 unleashed a protest movement (4) Interview with Saakashvili by Galia Ackerman in Politique Internationale (5) Civil Georgia (6) Only the rightwing opposition consisting of the New Rights and Industry Will Save Georgia parties qualified for seats in parliament (7) Amnesty International, “Georgia: torture and ill-treatment still a concern after the ‘Rose Revolution’” (8) See Florence Mardirossian, “Russia’s Georgian griefs” (9) See National Bank of Georgia (10) Malkhaz Alkhazashvili (11) Associated Press (12) See Moshe Levin