Constant Marie

Constant Marie was born on 27 August 1838 in Sainte-Houvrince, Calvados.[1] He began work as a bricklayer. He participated in the Paris Commune, and was wounded in the fighting at the Vanves fort.[2]

Due to his injuries Constant Marie was forced to change occupation to become a shoemaker. He became an anarchist and began to compose revolutionary songs.[2] Within twelve years of the fall of the commune in 1871, Constant Marie's songs had become very popular in some circles.[3] Constant Marie often performed at festivities of anarchist groups. He came to the attention of the police, who searched his house on 1 July 1894 and seized books and the texts of his songs. He was arrested and charged with "membership of a criminal conspiracy." He spent several weeks in the Mazas Prison.[2] As a young man the anarchist, journalist and then Communist activist Fernand Desprès (1879–1949) worked as a shoemaker with Constant Marie.[4]

Constant Marie died on 5 August 1910.[1]

Le Père Lapurge ("Father Purge") was published in 1886 in the Calais anarchist newspaper La Révolte des Affamés. Constant Marie's other well-known songs included Dame dynamite and La Muse rouge. This last gave its name in 1901 to a famous group of revolutionary poets and singers.[2] By 1891 he was also known for Révolté, Jacques normand, Tocsin and Affranchie.[5] His songs continued to be performed in cabarets after the turn of the century.[3]