Fluctuat Nec Mergitur and the Coat of Arms of the City of Paris
Fluctuat nec mergitur, the motto that appears on the heraldry or coat of arms of the City of Paris, came to the forefront as Parisians and others began to rally around slogans in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of November 13, 2015. This is the occasion to recall the history of the city’s heraldry and the significance of the elements that make up the city’s coat of arms.
Do the Rooftops of Paris Have “Outstanding Universal Value”?
Looking out over the rooftops of the city the view is romantic for some, lusty grey for others, a commercial dream for roofers—altogether Paris. In recent months the most attractive view over the capital has been from District Hall of the 9th arrondissement, where District Mayor Delphine Bürkli is spearheading the committee to present the rooftops of Paris as a candidate for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Yiddish, a Language of France, 70 Years Out of Hiding at Paris Cultural Center...
Yiddish is a live and well in Paris at the Medem Library, the largest Yiddish cultural center in Europe.
A Seat in Paris: 100 French Chairs 1951-1961
Imagine sitting in avant-garde style in Paris between 1951 and 1961. Pascal Cuisiner invites visitors to take a seat, or at least a view of a seat, in the lap of those years through an exceptional collection of 100 chairs from what he calls “the first modern French designers," presented at two locations in Paris.
In Search of a Jewish Quarter: Rue des Rosiers and the Jewish Food...
When visiting rue des Rosiers in the Marais are travelers correct in thinking that they are actually visiting “the Jewish quarter”? Is the presence of Semitic fast food and a few Judaica shops a reflection of a vibrant local community, of successful ethnic marketing or of a combination of the two? Let’s take a look at what’s there.
Jewish Paris: Deportation Memorial, Shoah Memorial, Vel d’Hiv Memorial
Jewish quarters come and go, but anti-Semitism never goes out of fashion. Most recently in France there’s been a growing attraction of the “quenelle,” a down-turned Nazi salute now understood by most to be an anti-Semitic, anti-establishment gesture. It has gained favor among individuals and groups who ...
Nissim de Camondo Museum: The Glory and the Tragedy
The Nissim de Camondo Museum overlooking Parc Monceau in Paris presents an extraordinary collection of 18th-century decorative arts, reveals the technology and services of an ultra-modern early-20th-century home, and tells of the life and times of the de Camondo family as bankers, philanthropists, collectors and Jews.
The Rothschilds in France, a 19th-century Riches to Riches Story
Rothschild: whether pronounced in English, German, Italian or English, the name has for 200 years signified wealth, in particular Jewish wealth. We still speak, as do the French, of someone as being rich as Rothschild—or more likely not rich as Rothschild.
Vice & Versailles: A Master Gardener Delves Into the Dark Shadows of the Louis...
As head gardener of Versailles Alain Baraton is responsible for restoring and maintaining the majesty of the backyard of kings, but he appears to relish in declaring that “Versailles was a great shop of horrors.” In the book "Vice et Versailles" Baraton leads readers into the dark side of the great palace.