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Cut off from the world: What was the first day of the Siege of Paris like?
A communiqu é from the Minister of the Interior, L é on Gambetta, announcing the start of the Siege of Paris. This would have been posted on administrative and public buildings throughout the city for everyone to read. ( image credit: Les Archives de Paris ) The Siege of Paris began nearly exactly 151 years ago, on September 19 1870. That day, the city was entirely surrounded by Prussian troops, and all train and communication lines had been cut. The Parisians were truly isolated from the world. Well, the wider world, that is. Parisians could go outside the city wall on most days, and circulate somewhat freely between there and the circle of suburban forts that surrounded the city, as long as there wasn’t a battle in progress. Some people were allowed to revisit their deserted homes, work their land in some suburbs, or set up small garden plots for subsistence. Others claimed to be doing those things but really went around marauding through the abandoned towns or giving Prussian