The Bombardment of Reims

Postscript

The present chronicle stops at the third anniversary of the first bombardment. On September 2, 1914 the French army evacuated Reims. The bombardment actually began on September 3, 1914 by the dropping of two bombs by German aviators. It was an unexpected preface to the formal bombardment of the next day, when the Germans sent 176 shells into Reims, although actually in possession of the city. September 3, 1917 thus completes three full years of the bombardment, which has accomplished nothing save the ruin of the city and the destruction of its great cathedral.

After a city has been besieged for three years; after it has, for that time, been subjected to the agony of modern artillery warfare, it would seem quite time to review such details as are obtainable and survey the results achieved by the besiegers. The daily summary given in the foregoing pages shows exactly what the Germans have done and what they have accomplished. Day after day, particularly in 1917, they have thrown innumerable projectiles into Reims, and wrought the utmost damage they could. But the outstanding fact to the French is that the Germans are still bombarding Reims. The siege did not stop with the end of the third year, but it is still going on as these pages pass through the press. This is the triumph of Reims, that it is still French, bent and broken as it is, bowed as its vast church is with the great trials to which it has been subjected, the city and its cathedral are still French! Before this ruined heap of stones – for Reims is scarce more than that, this may yield small comfort. Yet Reims is still France, knock the barbarian ever so fiercely.

It is, perhaps ominous that while detailed figures of the German missiles thrown in Reims have been published in the local newspapers rather freely, no word as to the destruction they may have accomplished has been uttered. The veil that covers Reims has not yet been lifted, nor can the full measure of her agony yet be reckoned.

This magnificent church was begun May 6, 1211, the foundation stone being laid on that date on the site of an earlier edifice burned in 1210. The work was pushed so rapidly that the choir was completed and occupied September 7, 1241. The architect was Jean d'Orbais, to whom the initial conception is due, and who continued in charge to 1231. He was succeeded by Jean Le Loup (1231-1247), who completed the choir and about 1240 undertook the façade of the north transept. Gaucher de Reims (1247-1255) apparently began the west portals towards 1255, before the nave was completed. Bernard de Soissons (1255-1290) built the five west bays of the nave and the great west rose window. He was succeeded by Robert de Coucy, who died in 1311, to whom is attributed the towers and the upper parts of the west front. The roof and upper parts of the cathedral were heavily damaged by fire in 1481, but repairs were speedily carried out. Restored several times in the nineteenth century, new restorations were in progress until the time of the first bombardment.

The cathedral is a vast and splendid church, with a nave of nine bays, transepts with aisles, and a rather short choir, surrounded with five chapels. There are no nave chapels. The decorations are of great magnificence, the external sculptures, especially those of the great west portals and the portals of the north transept, being most elaborate, and including some of the finest mediæval sculptures in France. The interior is noted for the arcaded screen applied to the west end of the nave, surrounding the central doorway, consisting of a series of niches with statues. The foliated capitals of the nave piers also deserve mention. The glass of the windows, which suffered some unfortunate changes in the XVIII century, was of extraordinary beauty and interest, and ranked among the finest in France; most of it was destroyed in the bombardment. The cathedral had a superb collection of tapestries, fortunately removed to Paris before the fire. The Treasury of the cathedral contained many rare and beautiful objects.

Notwithstanding the numerous and heavy bombardments to which the cathedral has been subjected, the statue of Jeanne d'Arc by Paul Dubois, erected in the open space before the cathedral (Place du Parvis) in 1896, has not yet been touched by shells. The sculpture of the west front and of other exposed parts were heavily protected by sand bags immediately after the first bombardment.

Immediately adjoins the south transept of the cathedral. Repaired and rebuilt many times. The oldest surviving portion is the chapel called the "Chapelle Palatine," built in two stories, and attributed to Jean d'Orbais, the architect of the cathedral. It lost its roof early in the bombardment. The great hall of the place, called the "Salle du Tau" was built at the end of the XV century; it contains a Gothic chimneypiece dating from 1498. The apartments of the King consisting of five rooms, restored in 1825, were richly decorated. The palace was totally destroyed in the bombardment.

One of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in northern France. The larger part of its structure dates from 1005 to 1049, having been built in three efforts within that time. The choir, with its fine circlet of radiating chapels, was built between 1170 and 1190. The south transept front was rebuilt in 1506. The church has been many times repaired and its form and structure modified. The west front was so completely modified after 1840 that only the two lower stages remain of the earlier building. The building is of vast size, and the upper windows contained some remarkable glass. The tomb of St. Remi, the bishop of Reims who baptized Clovis, and which for centuries was a famous place of pilgrimage, was built in 1847, replacing an earlier monument destroyed in the Revolution, which, in its turn, replaced an earlier memorial.

Of the church begun in 1190 and continued in the first years of the XII century, only fragmentary parts remain. It was partially reconstructed at the beginning of the XIV century. The choir and its chapels date from the XVI century. The lantern of the crossing replaced a Gothic spire removed in 1711, and the north transept and other parts were rebuilt in 1854.

The choir, dating from 1627, is flanked by a beautiful flamboyant chapel built towards 1546. The nave is modern.

St. André, built between 1857 and 1864. – St. Thomas, built in 1847. – St. Geneviève, built in 1877. – St. Clotilde, built in commemoration of the fourteenth centenary of the baptism of Clovis (496-1896). – St. Benoît and St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle are very recent churches.

The fine Hôtel de Ville was commenced in 1627 on the plans of a native architect, Jean Bonhomme. Begun with the left pavilion, the main façade, with the central pavilion and its tower, were completed by 1630. Left incomplete for nearly two centuries, the right pavilion was added in 1823-1825 by Serrurier, also an architect of Reims. Great additions and new buildings around a central court were added between 1875 and 1880. The relief of Louis XIII in the central pediment by Milhomme, placed in 1818, occupies the place of an earlier one by Nicolas Jacques, placed in 1636 and destroyed in the Revolution. The building contained the Museum and Public Library of Reims. Destroyed by fire, May 3, 1917. The more valuable books of the library, and the departmental archives had long before been placed in safety elsewhere.

The Place Royale, begun in 1757, is closed on one side by the Hôtel des Fermes, a stately edifice with a central pediment supported by columns. In the centre of the Place is a statue of Louis XV by Cartellier, replacing an earlier statue by Pigalle, inaugurated in 1765 and destroyed in the Revolution. Two allegorical groups by Pigalle for the pedestal survived.

Maison des Musiciens, dating from the time of St. Louis, has a remarkable façade of large twin-windows alternating with trilobed niches containing seated statues of musicians, larger than life size. Purchased by the city and by public subscription in 1905.

Reims contains two other dwellings of the XIII century. A larger house in the Rue de Tambour, with a completely modernized interior, offers a façade of much interest, notwithstanding a repair in 1832. – Another house, in the Rue de Sedan, is a simple artisan's dwelling, retaining almost intact its gabled façade of the end of the XIII century. – A Gothic building in the same street, transformed into a school in 1890, retains parts of the XVI and XVII centuries. – A house in the Rue de Vesle has a façade of the XIV century, destroyed and burned by the bombardment of September 19, 1914. – Fragments of the former priory of St. Bernard remain in the same street behind a modern store front. – A house in the Rue de la Grue is an interesting type of the end of the XVII century; ruined in bombardment of September 19, 1914.

Hôtel de Bezannes, a large dwelling of the middle of the XV century, was probably built by Pierre de Bezannes, lieutenant of the inhabitants of Reims (1450-1467), whose arms remain on the buildings of the court. It became a school in 1901.

Hôtel Le Vergeur, a large building retaining fragments of all styles since the end of the XIII century. – The Maison du Long-Vêtu, the birthplace of Colbert, the celebrated minister of Louis XIV, has a façade of the middle ages, and another of the XVII century. – A hotel of the XV century, in the Rue de Pouilly, was the dwelling of an uncle of Colbert's. It is now the house of the Sœurs de l'Espérance; a part of the façade was demolished in 1908. – Pavilion de Muire, built by Nicolas Noel, lord of Muire, towards 1565, a remarkable structure in the style of Henri III. – Hôtel de Montlaurent of the XVI century, has lost much of its interior interest, but the court offers some of the primitive decoration. – Hôtel de la Salle, the birthplace of J. B. de la Salle, is one of the most beautiful types of domestic Renaissance architecture in Reims; the façade bears the date 1545. – Cour Mopinot has a portico of the XVI century. – Hôtel Thiret de Prin was built under Henri IV; Richelieu lived in this building during his sojourn in Reims in 1641. – Maison de l'Ecu de Reims bears the date 1652. – Maison de Jean Maillefer, built in 1651. – Hôtel Lagoille de Courtagnon has a façade of the XVII century. – Hôtel Rogier, built towards 1750; sold at public auction, in January, 1914. – Two wooden houses with pointed gables of the end of the XV century, are in the Place des Marchés. – An inscription on the Hôtel de la Maison-Rouge states that the father and mother of Jeanne d'Arc were lodged in this building at public expense in 1429, at the coronation of Charles VII. It was then known as the Ane Rayé. – The Société des Amis du Vieux Reims maintained an extensive collection of objects relating to Reims in the former Hôtel Coquebert.

The Porte de Mars, a Roman triumphal arch of three arches, is the most considerable monument in Reims dating from Roman times.

Grand Séminaire, occupies the buildings of the former abbey of St. Denis. The original parts are of the time of Louis XV; they were considerably modified and added to in 1822, when the seminary took possession of them. It later served as the Musée des Beaux-Arts, inaugurated in 1913.

The Lycée occupies the buildings of the University or college founded by the Cardinal of Lorraine in the XVI century, and rebuilt in 1676. Although greatly changed, the interior court, half wood, half masonry, retains the original aspect of the XVI century. Much new construction was added at the end of the last century.

Hôtel-Dieu [Civil Hospital], founded by archbishop Hincmar in 848, was transferred to the buildings of the abbey of St. Remi in 1827. Repaired and rebuilt at various times, they retain few vestiges of the middle ages. They were partly renewed after a fire in 1774. Burned in the bombardment of August 13, 1916. – Hôpital General, occupies the former college of the Jesuits, the older parts dating from the XVII century. The former library, now the linen room, is an apartment of some magnificence. It adjoins the church of St. Maurice. – Hôpital St. Marcoul, or home for incurables, dates from about 1650; it was added to in 1651, 1869 and 1873. – Maison de Retraite, a modern foundation due to bequests and munificent gifts.

Palais de Justice, built in 1845, on the site of the old Hôtel Dieu; a new façade was recently added. – Théâtre, built between 1866-1873. – Chambre de Commerce occupies the former Hôtel Clicquot-Ponsardin, in the style of Louis XVI.

While the material for a survey of the destruction of the buildings of Reims is not yet available, the following notes may be found of interest in forming a judgment on the effects of the bombardment, and its military uselessness. The record is manifestly incomplete, for practically the entire city has been destroyed.

September 4. The window glass in the aisle of the north transept was broken by a bomb falling in the adjoining street. Other shells fell directly on the cathedral, striking the gable of the north transept; the upper nave windows were pierced, and the rose window over the central west portal. Some of the portal statues, including the Virgin of the group of the Visitation, and an apostle of the south porch were broken. There were various external indications of projectiles and minor injuries.

September 17. Three shells fell on the cathedral, striking the stone gallery and roof of the north transept; the chevet was subjected to similar injury, and the glass of the choir chapel windows was destroyed.

September 18. Thirteen shells fell on the cathedral. The windows of the south aisle of the nave to the transept were broken, many being emptied of their ancient glass. The buttresses on the south side were mutilated in their lower parts, and many of the pinnacles broken off or destroyed. The flying buttress at the angle of the choir and north transept was entirely destroyed. The stone gallery surrounding the base of the nave roof was ruined in many places, and parts of it thrown onto the roof created other injuries and broke windows.

September 19. The day of the fire. Sixteen shells on the cathedral, one on the summit of the north tower. At 2:30 P. M. (the exact hour varies in different accounts) an incendiary bomb set afire the scaffolding erected in May, 1913, for the repair of this tower. Although not the first catastrophe, it was the most serious. The fire spread with great rapidity, the great roof, with its magnificent internal woodwork of the fifteenth century, was wholly consumed. The "Clocher à l'Ange", at the furthest extremity of the roof, and which dated from 1485, fell. Its name was derived from a copper angel formerly on the summit, removed for security in 1860. The carillon on the low tower at the crossing of the nave and transept, and which had been re-established by the Académie Nationale de Reims, was destroyed. Much of the old glass in the upper windows, dating from the thirteenth century, was destroyed, as well as much of the external sculpture. The internal injuries were also very grave. The cathedral was filled with straw, requisitioned by the German command for the use of wounded German soldiers it was proposed to place within the church, but who were only taken there after the evacuation; some of them lost their lives in the fire. The greater part of the interior furniture was destroyed, including the eighteenth century woodwork of the choir, together with the stalls and the archiepiscopal throne. A tapestry of the coronation of Charles X was lost. The remarkable sculptures surrounding the interior of the nave doorway were ruined.

September 24. Three bombs struck the cathedral, one of which fell on the vault of the crossing, bared by the fire of September 19. One struck the third buttress on the south side of the nave.

October 12. A bomb of large calibre fell on the high gallery of the chevet, ruining eight metres of the arcading. Two gargoyles of the chevet were broken off.

October 13. A shell fell on the north side of the cathedral at 3 P. M.

November 11. A bomb fell near the cathedral, enveloping it in thick clouds of smoke.

November 12. A shell exploded on the roof, demolishing a pinnacle on the south side of the chevet, and damaging some sculptures. Shrapnel fell within near the high altar.

November 22. Two shells fell on the superstructure, accomplishing no great harm.

February 26. Two shells fell on the cathedral.

March 28. A Taube dropped a bomb on the cathedral apse.

June 1. The "Communiqué Officiel" of this date, for 3 P. M., says the cathedral was particularly bombarded. This is not mentioned in the local reports.

June 15. Several shells fell on the cathedral.

April 15. 15 shells fell on the cathedral. The chapel of the Cardinal ruined.

April 19. 20 shells on the cathedral. The north tower, vaults and transept injured.

The cathedral was subjected to other injuries on April 20 (2 shells), April 21 (8 shells), April 22 (3 shells), April 23 and April 24. The angle of the south transept and the chevet was particularly hurt on the date last named.

Burned on September 19, 1914, in which the cathedral was so seriously injured. The building was almost wholly destroyed. The chapel lost its roof and glass. The library and collections of the Académie Nationale de Reims, which were housed in the palace, were lost, together with the archeological collections, including the prehistoric collection (Collection Posteaux) and the ethnographic collection (Musée Guillot).

Injured in the bombardment of September 4, 1914. The vault of the south transept fell through, the ancient glass of the apse triforium and of the upper nave windows was broken, as well as the modern glass of the apse chapels windows, and in other parts. The interior was ruined, the losses including a painting "The Entry of Clovis to Reims" and one of the tapestries of the "Life of St. Remi". The chapel facing the baptismal font suffered some exterior injury.

A bomb destroyed the apse chapel of Notre Dame de l'Usine et de l'Atelier on November 16, 1914. On August 13, 1916, the church was menaced by the fire of the Hôtel Dieu (Civil Hospital). Flames attacked the north transept, destroying the glass of the rose window.

St. André. On September 19, 1914, a bomb fell on the left transept portal, breaking the glass in near-by parts; painting of "The Baptism of Clovis" lost. September 22, 1914, a shell fell on the church at 11 A. M. April 15, 1917, it caught fire, and it was again injured on April 28.