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GEORGES-JACQUES DANTON

’In order to conquer, what we need is audacity, yet more audacity, and always audacity.’

Georges Danton’s place in the revolution often gets framed between two famous quotes: the often-mistranslated one above, and the one from his execution, ’Show them my head, it’s well worth it!’ Somewhere in between, there is the man who led the Cordeliers, the Insurrectionary Commune, drove the events of August 1792 and transformed the constitutional monarchy into a republic; a leader who recognised that the power of the mob had to be controlled and used for the revolution. In doing this, Danton figuratively created the very machinery that was later used to sever his own head.

Danton’s role in the revolution was central in the winter of 1792-93. His appointment in the Convention as minister for justice gave him the opportunity to bring stability to France in the form of tribunals and committees which he hoped would Danton the film. allow ‘the justice of the tribunals to live and the justice of the A great film about people to cease’. In other words, they would embody terror so Danton was released in 1983 by the Polish that people would not have to. director, Andrezj Wajda which stars the See the full text of his speech, ‘To the Tribunals’, here: ubiquitous French actor, https://www.marxists.org/history/france/revolution/1792/to- Gerard Depardieu as Danton. This film (like tribunals.htm most historical films) was more a commentary The Committee of Public Safety was known as the Danton on current affairs than Committee in its first incarnation and Danton was a member it was about History, but until July 1793. He was the chief advocate and defender of it is still a fascinating Marat when he was brought to trial in the last week of April. account of the last Danton also directed the Committee through the initial months of Danton’s life. stages of the Vendée crisis and through the expulsion of the http://www.imdb.com/ Girondins in May-June. media/rm1489613312/ An account of the trial by the journalist, and possible royalist, tt0083789?ref_=ttmi_ Louis-Marie Prudhomme, makes for fascinating reading: mi_all_sf_1 http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/394/

In the latter half of 1793, Danton was accused (perhaps accurately) of misusing funds and his influence declined. It was revived in the winter when he and Desmoulins began to call for an end to the Terror. By that stage, however, new voices in the Convention were adamantly calling for further revolution and Danton was denounced as an Indulgent. His head would share a basket with that of Desmoulins and fifteen others on 5 April 1794.

© History Teachers’ Association of Victoria 2016. This activity sheet is available only to customers who have purchased the textbook Liberating France 2nd edition (ISBN 9781875585182 — print; or 9780980831573— ebook) and have accessed the additional resources via www. historyed. 1 com.au. To purchase the textbook please visit www.htav.asn.au/shop