Fort de Nogent
Encyclopedia
The Fort de Nogent or Fort de Nogent-sur-Marne is a French fortification forming part of the fortifications of Paris
. Despite its name, the fort is located in Fontenay-sous-Bois
; the name is derived from Nogent-sur-Marne
the town the fort was planned to protect. The fort is presently occupied by the recruitment organization for the French Foreign Legion
.
at the instigation in 1840 Adolphe Thiers
, prime minister of the government of Louis-Philippe. Work began in 1841, with completion in 1848, under the direction of Guillaume Dode de la Brunerie
.
The fort is surrounded by a pentagonal bastioned rampart 200 metres (656.2 ft) on a side, in the manner of Vauban
.
in 1870, the fort was commanded by Commandant Pistoulet, with artillery under the command of Chef d'Escadron David, engineers commanded by Chef de Bataillon Revin and medical services commanded by Doctor-Major Aude of the Navy. The infantry was composed of the 31st, 61st and 77th companies of line infantry
(590 men and 8 officers, and the 11th battalion and two companies of the 13th battalion of mobile forces of the Seine, with 114 men and 30 officers. All of the mobile forces were sent north to Saint-Denis
on 22 September. Artillery was composed of the 2nd battery bis of the 4th Regiment with 205 men and two officers, engineers with 40 men and two officers, 18 supply personnel, and three doctors and three attendants.
In December 1870, the Prussian guns bombarded the fort. The fort held out until it was given up to the Prussians at the French surrender on 26 January 1871.
. Thirty Fontenaysiens were killed, and the Germans withdrew from the fort after shelling the train depot.
placed a detachment at the fort. Today the fort houses a Foreign Legion recruitment center.
shelter..
Fortifications of Paris in the 19th and 20th centuries
The fortifications of Paris in the 19th and 20th centuries comprise:*The Thiers Wall, surrounding the city of Paris, and farther from the city,*The detached forts and their complementary fieldworks.They were built in two stages:...
. Despite its name, the fort is located in Fontenay-sous-Bois
Fontenay-sous-Bois
Fontenay-sous-Bois is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:The name Fontenay was recorded in the Middle Ages as Fontanetum, meaning "the springs", from Medieval Latin fontana .The commune was known alternatively as Fontenay-les-Bois ,...
; the name is derived from Nogent-sur-Marne
Nogent-sur-Marne
Nogent-sur-Marne is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Nogent-sur-Marne is a sous-préfecture of the Val-de-Marne département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Nogent-sur-Marne.-History:...
the town the fort was planned to protect. The fort is presently occupied by the recruitment organization for the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
.
Construction
The Fort de Nogent is one of seventeen forts built to protect ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
at the instigation in 1840 Adolphe Thiers
Adolphe Thiers
Marie Joseph Louis Adolphe Thiers was a French politician and historian. was a prime minister under King Louis-Philippe of France. Following the overthrow of the Second Empire he again came to prominence as the French leader who suppressed the revolutionary Paris Commune of 1871...
, prime minister of the government of Louis-Philippe. Work began in 1841, with completion in 1848, under the direction of Guillaume Dode de la Brunerie
Guillaume Dode de la Brunerie
Guillaume Dode de la Brunerie was a Marshal of France. On February 12, 1812, he married the daughter of Marshal Pérignon, Agathe-Virginie.-Early life and French revolutionary wars:...
.
The fort is surrounded by a pentagonal bastioned rampart 200 metres (656.2 ft) on a side, in the manner of Vauban
Vauban
Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban and later Marquis de Vauban , commonly referred to as Vauban, was a Marshal of France and the foremost military engineer of his age, famed for his skill in both designing fortifications and breaking through them...
.
Siege of 1870
During the Siege of ParisSiege of Paris
The Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 – January 28, 1871, and the consequent capture of the city by Prussian forces led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune....
in 1870, the fort was commanded by Commandant Pistoulet, with artillery under the command of Chef d'Escadron David, engineers commanded by Chef de Bataillon Revin and medical services commanded by Doctor-Major Aude of the Navy. The infantry was composed of the 31st, 61st and 77th companies of line infantry
Line infantry
Line infantry is a type of infantry which composed the basis of European land armies from the middle of the 17th century to the middle of the 19th century....
(590 men and 8 officers, and the 11th battalion and two companies of the 13th battalion of mobile forces of the Seine, with 114 men and 30 officers. All of the mobile forces were sent north to Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Saint-Denis is a sous-préfecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Denis....
on 22 September. Artillery was composed of the 2nd battery bis of the 4th Regiment with 205 men and two officers, engineers with 40 men and two officers, 18 supply personnel, and three doctors and three attendants.
In December 1870, the Prussian guns bombarded the fort. The fort held out until it was given up to the Prussians at the French surrender on 26 January 1871.
1944
On 23, 24 and 25 August 1944 there was violent combat between German troops and units of the French ResistanceFrench Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. Thirty Fontenaysiens were killed, and the Germans withdrew from the fort after shelling the train depot.
Internment center
During the Algerian War the fort became an internment center. In 1961 nearly 200 officers who participated in the Algiers putsch were placed under "fortress arrest." Their detainment lasted for almost two months.Foreign Legion
In 1962 the French Foreign LegionFrench Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
placed a detachment at the fort. Today the fort houses a Foreign Legion recruitment center.
Salvation Army
Since the winter of 2006-2007 the fort has accommodated a winter Salvation ArmySalvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
shelter..
Source
- This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding French Wikipedia article as of October 19, 2010.