# Louise Michel

> French author and anarchist (1830-1905)

**Wikidata**: [Q216092](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q216092)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Michel)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/louise-michel

## Summary
Louise Michel was a French author, anarchist, and revolutionary who lived from 1830 to 1905. She is best known for her participation as a communard in the Paris Commune of 1871 and her diverse career as a primary school teacher, poet, and journalist.

## Biography
- **Born:** May 29, 1830
- **Nationality:** French
- **Known for:** Participation in the Paris Commune, anarchist activism, and literary contributions as a writer and poet.
- **Field(s):** Education, literature, political activism.

## Contributions
Louise Michel's contributions are defined by her multifaceted roles in 19th-century French society and revolutionary movements. As a **primary school teacher** and **pedagogue**, she contributed to the education sector. Her literary contributions include work as a **poet**, **writer**, **woman of letters**, and **journalist**. Politically, she was a significant **anarchist**, **revolutionary**, **social activist**, **politician**, and **communard**, specifically noted for her involvement in the **Paris Commune** of 1871. Her legacy is cemented by entities named in her honor, including the **Louise Michel Battalions** of the Spanish Civil War and the **square Louise-Michel** in Paris.

## FAQs
**What was Louise Michel's role in the Paris Commune?**
Louise Michel was a communard, meaning she was a member and supporter of the revolutionary city council of Paris that existed in 1871.

**What were Louise Michel's professions?**
She worked in various capacities, including as a primary school teacher, pedagogue, poet, journalist, writer, and woman of letters.

**When did Louise Michel live?**
She was born on May 29, 1830, and died on January 9, 1905.

**What places or things are named after Louise Michel?**
A Paris Metro station, an urban park in Paris (square Louise-Michel), and a battalion in the Spanish Civil War (Louise Michel Battalions) are named after her.

**What were Louise Michel's political beliefs?**
She was an anarchist, revolutionary, social activist, and politician.

## Why They Matter
Louise Michel matters as a prominent figure in the history of anarchist movements and the Paris Commune, a pivotal event in French revolutionary history. Her influence extended beyond her lifetime, inspiring the naming of the Louise Michel Battalions during the Spanish Civil War decades after her death. As a writer and educator, she contributed to the intellectual and social currents of her time, leaving a legacy that is recognized in the geography of Paris today through the square and metro station bearing her name.

## Notable For
- **Paris Commune:** Active participation as a communard in the 1871 revolutionary government.
- **Literary Output:** Recognized as a poet, writer, and woman of letters.
- **Education:** Career as a primary school teacher and pedagogue.
- **Legacy:** The Louise Michel Battalions (1936) were named after her.
- **Commemoration:** A Paris Metro station and an urban park (square Louise-Michel, established 1877) bear her name.
- **Aliases:** Known by the nicknames Enjolras, La Vierge rouge, and Porte drapeau de la Révolution.

## Body

### Identity and Occupations
Louise Michel was a French national identified by a wide array of professional and political roles. She was a **primary school teacher** and a **pedagogue**, emphasizing her commitment to education. In the literary sphere, she was a **poet**, **writer**, **woman of letters**, and **journalist**. Her political identity was marked by her status as an **anarchist**, **revolutionary**, **social activist**, **politician**, and **communard**. She was also known by several aliases, including Clémence Louise Michel, Clemence-Louise Michel, Enjolras, La Vierge rouge, and Porte drapeau de la Révolution.

### The Paris Commune
A defining aspect of Michel's life was her involvement in the **Paris Commune**, a revolutionary city council that governed Paris from March 18, 1871. As a communard, she was an active member and supporter of this short-lived political entity. The Commune was a significant event in French history, representing a radical revolutionary movement.

### Literary and Educational Career
Michel contributed to the arts and letters through her work as a poet and writer. She is classified as a "woman of letters," denoting her status as a cultivated and influential female writer. Her work in journalism also placed her in the role of information distributor. Alongside her literary pursuits, she maintained a career in education, specifically as a teacher of primary school students and an academic in the field of pedagogy.

### Legacy and Namesakes
The impact of Louise Michel's life and work is reflected in the various entities named after her. In Paris, the **square Louise-Michel**, an urban park, was established in 1877. A **Paris Metro Station** also bears her name. Internationally, her legacy influenced the **Louise Michel Battalions**, a military unit involved in the Spanish Civil War starting in 1936. These namesakes serve as enduring testaments to her influence on revolutionary and political history.

## References

1. [Gil Blas. 1905](http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k7528545z/f3)
2. Catalog of the German National Library
3. BnF authorities
4. Integrated Authority File
5. [Source](https://www.landrucimetieres.fr/spip/spip.php?article1271)
6. [Le Petit Parisien. 1905](http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k561674h/f3)
7. [Source](https://www.tombes-sepultures.com/crbst_1693.html)
8. [Source](https://books.google.fr/books?id=rAs9iEbPqisC&pg=PA282-IA4&lpg=PA282-IA4)
9. International Standard Name Identifier
10. CiNii Research
11. Virtual International Authority File
12. MusicBrainz
13. Le Maitron
14. [Source](http://www.jlturbet.net/2014/04/godf-1er-mai-commune-de-paris-et-pere-lachaise.html)
15. [Source](http://hdl.handle.net/10622/ARCH01834)
16. [Source](http://hdl.handle.net/10622/ARCH02550)
17. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
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25. Find a Grave
26. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
27. [Source](https://anarchiv.fr/madignier/)
28. [Gil Blas. 1905](http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k75285575/f2)
29. [Gil Blas. 1905](http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k7528546c/f2)
30. [Source](https://www.agspak-buecher.de/G-Notz-Hg-Wegbereiterinnen-Beruehmte-und-zu-Unrecht-vergessene-Frauen-aus-der-Geschichte)
31. BBC Things
32. CERL Thesaurus
33. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
34. LIBRIS. 2018
35. Dizionario di Storia
36. FactGrid