“I am absolutely in favor of the commemoration of my illustrious ancestor, I do not agree to celebrate the myth. The Empire, in my opinion, was only a parenthesis in the history of France. Basically Napoleon is a man of the Revolution who had a career in the service of the Republic “. This is what Charles Bonaparte, great-grandson of the Emperor, descended from his brother Jerome, said in an interview with the French weekly ‘Point de vue’, a few weeks ahead of the debate that opened in France about the Napoleonic Bicentennial Celebrations.
President of the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities of History, which includes about 70 symbolic places scattered in 13 countries of the old continent, including the cities of Fontainebleau, Iena and Ajaccio.
And added Charles Bonaparte, in the library for Grasset with his latest book, ‘La libertè. Bonaparte ‘: “Sometimes my ancestor is judged hostile. But one must learn to reread or understand the historical period in which certain events occurred or decisions were made such as the reintroduction of slavery in the French colonies. But not in his writings. I never found a word ‘racist’ – continued the scholar and writer – Napoleon was a man of his time, the geopolitical situation, especially in the Caribbean islands, was difficult to manage, he wanted to preserve the interests of France. exile of Sant’Elena, speaking of slavery, he will confess that he has done a ‘nonsense’.
And regarding modern Europe Charles Bonaparte, he has no doubts: “Napoleon is one of the founding fathers of Europe, from which my family descended, even if a few years ago I took my destiny back into my hands, for coherence, changing the name from Napoleon to Bonaparte. After all, I too am ‘fils de la répubblique’, son of the republic, I absolutely did not want to name myself the story of a dynastic epic. If anything – continued Charles Bonaparte – as happened in my last work , I looked within the clan, personalities who embody the libertarian spirit of Napoleon, but also his desire for progress, development and advancement of society, such as Lucien, very critical of his famous brother or Geronimo and Marie Bonaparte, disciple the latter, by Freud and founder of psychoanalysis in France.
“I too, like them – he confided again to the French weekly – I found myself, certainly for the name I bear, linked to the fate of the Bonapartes. At the beginning it was difficult and painful. I hope, today, to be able to find my street”. Charles Bonaparte is president of the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities of History, which includes about 70 symbolic places scattered in 13 countries of the old continent, including the cities of Fontainebleau, Iena and Ajaccio.