Jean-Jacques Uhrich
Jean-Jacques Uhrich | |
---|---|
Père-Lachaise Cemetery Paris, France | |
Allegiance | Général de division |
Battles/wars | Second Italian War of Independence Franco-Prussian War |
Awards | Legion of Honor |
Relations | Maurice Gamelin (grand-nephew) |
Jean-Jacques Alexis Uhrich, (born 15 February 1802 in
Biography
1818–1867
Jean-Jacques Uhrich attended the French military academy at Saint-Cyr from 1818 to 1820, and was a member of Saint-Cyr's first graduating class since the Bourbon Restoration.[1][note 1] Other notable members of his graduating class included Roch Pâris de Bollardière (1803–1866), great-grandfather of Général de brigade Jacques Pâris de Bollardière (1907–1986); the journalist and writer Armand Carrel (1800–1836), who died in a duel; and the général de division and politician Prudent de Chasseloup-Laubat (1802–1863). Uhrich later graduated from the French Army′s Infantry School.
Uhrich′s first assignment was to the French Army′s 3rd Light Infantry Regiment with the rank of
Siege of Strasbourg
When the
Four nights of heavy bombardment ensued, during which the municipal government asked Uhrich to propose to Werder that the city pay a ransom of 100,000 francs per day that the Germans did not bombard it, but Uhrich refused the request.[6] On 26 August 1870, Werder — who unbeknownst to Uhrich was running too low on ammunition to continue the bombardment at a high level of intensity[6] — offered a ceasefire if the city would surrender, but Uhrich refused this as well.[6] Projecting steadiness and military professionalism, Uhrich rallied civilian opinion in Strasbourg in favor of continued resistance,[6] and the determination of Strasbourg′s population to carry on stiffened military opinion against a proposed German bombardment of Paris.[7] After the fourth night of heavy bombardment on 27 August, Werder reduced the level of bombardment to harassing fire and settled in for a long siege.[8][2]
On 11 September 1870, the French in Strasbourg received news from a
During the
Uhrich was general councilor of the Canton of Phalsbourg until 1871. He died on 9 October 1886 and is buried in Paris in the Père Lachaise Cemetery.[11]
Descendants
Uhrich's niece Pauline, daughter of his brother Gustave,
Awards and honors
- Legion of Honor (1857)[1]
- Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor (1862)[1]
- Companion of the Order of the Bath (United Kingdom)
Tributes
In Paris, by a decision of 12 September 1870 under the leadership of Étienne Arago, then mayor of Paris, the Avenue de l'Impératrice was renamed Avenue du Général-Uhrich in Uhrich′s honor. However, because of the widespread blame placed on Uhrich for the capitulation of Strasbourg, the street was renamed Avenue du Bois-de-Boulogne in 1875. In 1929, it was renamed Avenue Foch.
In Nantes, the Quai de la Bourse was renamed Quai Uhrich on 4 October 1870. It still bore the name Quai Uhrich in 1906,[12] but has since regained the name Quai de la Bourse.
In Illkirch-Graffenstaden, one of the forts in Strasbourg's fortified square was named after Uhrich in 1918.
Notes
- Louis XVIII in Saint-Cloud on 8 August 1819. On that occasion, the king said to the Saint-Cyrians presented to him, "My children, I am very happy with you, there is not one in your ranks who does not carry in his pouch the baton of the Marshal of France of the Duke of Reggio...it's up to you to get it out." Quoted in "La Saint-Cyrienne" (in French).
References
Footnotes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Hozier, p. 58.
- ^ a b c d e f g archives.strasbourg.eu LES GRANDS NOMS DE L'HISTOIRE DE STRASBOURG JEAN-JACQUES UHRICH (in French) Retrieved 5 June 2020
- ^ a b c d Howard, p. 273.
- ^ Howard, pp. 272–273.
- ^ Howard, pp. 273–274.
- ^ a b c d e Howard, p. 274.
- ^ Howard, pp. 274–275.
- ^ a b c d e Howard, p. 275.
- ^ Howard, pp. 275–276.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Howard, p. 276.
- ^ Bauer, p. 757.
- ^ Dugas/Pied, p. 304.
Bibliography
- Bauer, Paul (2006). Mémoire et Documents (ed.). Deux siècles d'histoire au Père Lachaise. ISBN 978-2-914611-48-0. (in French).
- A. Dugas, ed., Édouard Pied, Notices sur les rues de Nantes, 1906 (in French).
- Howard, Michael, The Franco-Prussian War: The German Invasion of France, 1870–1871. New York: Dorset Press, 1961. ISBN 0-88029-432-9.
- Hozier, H. M., ed., The Franco-Prussian War: Its Causes, Incidents, and Consequences, Volume II. London: William MacKenzie. 1870.