The ''Journal des débats'' (, ''Journal of Debates'') was a French

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

, published between 1789 and 1944 that changed title several times. Created shortly after the first meeting of the

Estates-General of 1789 The Estates General of 1789 () was a general assembly representing the French estates of the realm: the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the commoners (Third Estate). It was the last of the Estates General of the Kingdom ...

, it was, after the outbreak of the French Revolution, the exact record of the debates of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

, under the title ''Journal des Débats et des Décrets'' ("Journal of Debates and Decrees"). Published weekly rather than daily, it was headed for nearly forty years by Bertin l'Aîné and was owned for a long time by the Bertin family. During the First Empire it was opposed to

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

and had a new title imposed on it, the ''Journal de l'Empire''. During the first Bourbon Restoration (1813–1814), the ''Journal'' took the title ''Journal des Débats Politiques et Littéraires'', and, under the second Restoration, it took a

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

rather than

reactionary In politics, a reactionary is a person who favors a return to a previous state of society which they believe possessed positive characteristics absent from contemporary.''The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought'' Third Edition, (1999) p. 729. ...

position. Under

Charles X Charles X may refer to: * Charles X of France (1757–1836) * Charles X Gustav (1622–1660), King of Sweden * Charles, Cardinal de Bourbon (1523–1590), recognized as Charles X of France but renounced the royal title See also * * King Charle ...

and his entourage, the ''Journal'' changed to a position supporting the liberal opposition represented by the

Doctrinaires During the Bourbon Restoration in France, Bourbon Restoration (1814–1830) and the July Monarchy (1830–1848), the Doctrinals () were a group of Monarchism in France, French royalists who hoped to reconcile the monarchy with the French Revoluti ...

( Guizot,

Royer-Collard Pierre Paul Royer-Collard (; 21 June 1763 – 2 September 1845) was a French statesman and philosopher, leader of the Doctrinaires group during the Bourbon Restoration (1814–1830). Biography Early life He was born at Sompuis, near Vitry-le-F ...

, etc.) (1827–1829). The ''Journal des Débats'' was the most read newspaper of the Restoration and the

July Monarchy The July Monarchy (), officially the ''Kingdom of France'' (), was a liberalism, liberal constitutional monarchy in France under , starting on 9 August 1830, after the revolutionary victory of the July Revolution of 1830, and ending 26 Februar ...

, before being surpassed by

Émile de Girardin Émile de Girardin (; 22 June 180227 April 1881) was a French journalist, publisher and politician. He was the most successful and flamboyant French journalist of the era, presenting himself as a promoter of mass education through mass journalism ...

's '' La Presse'' and later by '' Le Petit Journal''. The many contributions established the ''Journal''s reputation as a major influence on

French culture The culture of France has been shaped by Geography of France, geography, by History of France, historical events, and by foreign and internal forces and groups. France, and in particular Paris, has played an important role as a center of high ...

, and especially

French literature French literature () generally speaking, is literature written in the French language, particularly by French people, French citizens; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of Franc ...

for the first half of the 19th century. During the German occupation of France in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the ''Journal'' continued to be published, which caused it to be suppressed after the

Liberation of Paris The liberation of Paris () was a battle that took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on 25 August 1944. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Germany since the signing of the Armisti ...

in 1944.

Famous contributors

* Henry Aron * Gustave Babin *

Hector Berlioz Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...

Maurice Blanchot Maurice Blanchot ( ; ; 22 September 1907 – 20 February 2003) was a French writer, philosopher and literary theorist. His work, exploring a philosophy of death alongside poetic theories of meaning and sense, bore significant influence on pos ...

* Castil-Blaze * Brada *

François-René de Chateaubriand François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand (4 September 1768 – 4 July 1848) was a French writer, politician, diplomat and historian who influenced French literature of the nineteenth century. Descended from an old aristocratic family from Bri ...

Alexandre Dumas, père Alexandre Dumas (born Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas , was a French novelist and playwright. His works have been translated into many languages and he is one of the mos ...

* Charles-Marie de Féletz *

Léon Foucault Jean Bernard Léon Foucault (, ; ; 18 September 1819 – 11 February 1868) was a French physicist best known for his demonstration of the Foucault pendulum, a device demonstrating the effect of Earth's rotation. He also made an early measuremen ...

* Julien Louis Geoffroy * Bernard Adolphe Granier de Cassagnac *

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo, vicomte Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romanticism, Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician. His most famous works are the novels ''The Hunchbac ...

* Jules Janin *

Conrad Malte-Brun Conrad Malte-Brun (; born Malthe Conrad Bruun; 12 August 177514 December 1826), sometimes referred to simply as Malte-Brun, was a Dano- French geographer and journalist. His second son, Victor Adolphe Malte-Brun, was also a geographer. Today he ...

* Charles Nodier * Ferdinando Petruccelli della Gattina * Ernest Reyer *

Eugène Sue Marie-Joseph "Eugène" Sue (; 26 January 18043 August 1857) was a French novelist. He was one of several authors who popularized the genre of the serial novel in France with his very popular and widely imitated '' The Mysteries of Paris'', whi ...

* Madame Sorgue *

George Barbu Știrbei George Barbu Știrbei or Știrbeiŭ, also known as Gheorghe, Georgie, or Iorgu Știrbei (Romanian transitional alphabet, transitional Cyrillic: ''George Stirbeiꙋ̆''; Francization, Francized ''Georges Stirbey''; April 1, 1828 – August 15, 192 ...

* Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvray * John Lemoinne

References

* Alfred Nettement, ''Histoire politique, anecdotique et littéraire du « Journal des débats »'', Dentu, Paris, 1842. * ''Le Livre du centenaire du « Journal des débats »'', Plon, Paris, 1889. * André-Jean Tudesq, « Le ''Journal des débats'' au temps de Guizot », ''Politique'', avril-juin 1959. * Ruth Jakoby, ''Das Feuilleton des « Journal des débats » von 1814 bis 1830: ein Beitrag zur Literaturdiskussion der Restauration'', G. Narr, Tübingen, 1988. .

External links

* ''Le Journal des débats'' digital archive
from 1800 to 1805from 1805 to 1814
an
from 1814 to 1944
in Gallica, the digital library of the BnF {{DEFAULTSORT:Journal des Debats 1789 establishments in France French newspapers confiscated for collaboration Publications established in 1789 Defunct weekly newspapers July Monarchy Newspapers of the French Revolution Bourbon Restoration Weekly newspapers published in France