author
François Jourde
1843–1893
A vivid witness to one of the most dramatic episodes in 19th-century France, he left behind a firsthand account of the Paris Commune shaped by exile, escape, and political struggle. His writing offers both personal memory and a close view of revolutionary Paris.
1 Audiobook
Les condamnés politiques en Nouvelle-Calédonie: Récit de deux évadés
by Paschal Grousset, François Jourde
About the author
Born in 1843 and dying in 1893, François Jourde—sometimes published as Francis Jourde—was a French political figure and memoirist best known for his role in the Paris Commune. He served on the Commune's finance commission, placing him close to the movement's practical and political center.
After the fall of the Commune, he was deported to New Caledonia, an experience that became part of the story surrounding his life and later reputation. He is remembered not only as a Communard, but also as someone who escaped deportation and later wrote about those turbulent years.
For readers today, Jourde matters chiefly because of his memoir Souvenirs d'un membre de la Commune, a firsthand recollection that helps bring the events of 1871 into focus. His work is especially valuable for anyone interested in revolutionary history, political memory, and voices from inside the Commune itself.