Latest news with #Franco-German
DW
a day ago
- Business
- DW
DW appoints Barbara Massing as new Director General – DW – 06/20/2025
Germany's international broadcaster will be headed by a woman for the first time, after the DW Broadcasting Council appointed Barbara Massing as new Director General. She will replace Peter Limbourg on October 1, 2025. German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle announced Friday that Barbara Massing will replace Peter Limbourg as the company's director general on October 1, 2025. "I am thrilled to appoint Barbara Massing as the next director general," said Karl Jüsten, chair of the DW Broadcasting Council and its selection committee. "She brings not only top-tier leadership and journalistic expertise but also the strategic foresight needed to position Deutsche Welle for long-term success in a challenging global media environment." As managing director for Business Administration, Massing has been key to expanding DW programming as well as streamlining the organization, said Jüsten, who emphasized that she "is exactly the leader Deutsche Welle needs to strengthen its role as a trusted, independent global voice for democracy and freedom." Achim Dercks, deputy director of DW's Advisory Board, also praised Massing's success in expanding and restructuring DW activities and pledged to work alongside her to insure that DW "remains a relevant voice in the world, providing people with free information" in what he described as "geopolitically challenging times." Massing thanked the council for its trust in her leadership and for the opportunity to help shape DW's future. "Fact-based, reliable journalism is our most valuable asset and it is more important now, in times of AI-manipulated content and disinformation, than it has ever been," said Massing on Friday. Massing's nomination was put forth after a unanimous decision by the Broadcasting Council's seven-member selection committee. Massing will replace outgoing Director General Peter Limbourg, who announced his retirement in September 2024, after holding the position since 2013. Barbara Massing will be first woman to lead DW A fully qualified lawyer, Massing joined DW in 2006 and became part of its Management Team in 2014 after previously working as a producer for German public broadcaster ARD and for the Franco-German broadcaster Arte. Massing, who holds, among others, positions on the advisory boards for the city of Bonn's International Beethovenfest and the University Hospital Bonn, will become the first woman to lead DW since its founding on May 3, 1953. During her career Massing has focused on digital transformation, organizational culture and sustainability. The director general is responsible for steering and coordinating DW's strategic and operational activities in close collaboration with its governing bodies. According to the DW Act, the director general must be elected via secret ballot by the Broadcasting Council for a term of six years. Re-election to the post is permitted, and a two-thirds majority is required for appointment. DW is Germany's independent international broadcaster and provides news and information in 32 languages around the world with TV, online and radio services reaching 320 million users every week and employs around 4,000 people from 140 different countries DW's work focuses on topics such as freedom and human rights, democracy and the rule of law, world trade and social justice, health education and environmental protection, technology and innovation.
Cision Canada
5 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
"AI and the Art Market" by Arte, with Artprice by Artmarket and analysis by Perplexity.AI Labs
PARIS, /CNW/ -- This Sunday, June 15th, 2025, the Franco-German TV channel Arte broadcast the documentary "AI and the Art Market", directed by Frédéric Biamonti, as part of its series on AI. Artprice and its founder and president, thierry Ehrmann, contributed their expertise on AI in the Art Market. To ensure additional objective and impartial expertise about the documentary, Artprice engaged Perplexity and its Perplexity Labs to conduct an independent analysis of Artprice's strategic positioning and the impact of its proprietary AI, Intuitive Art Market®, on the Art Market. Artprice also commissioned Perplexity to examine its future developments and provide an unbiased assessment of the core innovations through which Artprice and its Intuitive Artmarket® AI represent a significant breakthrough as a global leader—benefiting all stakeholders in the Art Market. In its R&D and strategic monitoring activities, Artprice subscribes to virtually all AI platforms. It is indisputable that Perplexity's approach—particularly through its new Premium service, Perplexity Labs — represents the most advanced AI to date, with an error rate close to zero and an unmatched depth of research. Perplexity Labs relies exclusively on official sources, which it systematically cites along with their URLs. At the same time, Artprice is seriously exploring, in collaboration with Perplexity, how this technology could complement Artprice's proprietary databases, which remain accessible exclusively by subscription and are hosted on Artprice's own Data Centers. Read the free report from Perplexity Labs in English here: About Perplexity Labs : Excerpt from the press release "Introducing Perplexity Labs" dated May 29, 2025. « We built Perplexity Search for people who want answers. Later, we launched Deep Research, for users who want deeper, richer analysis. Today we are launching Perplexity Labs. Since launching the world's first answer engine two and half years ago, millions of people turn to Perplexity every day for a more accessible way to fuel their curiosity. Labs allow you to convert your curiosity into action. A Perplexity Lab is for anyone who wants to bring an entire idea to life.« Labs can craft everything from reports and spreadsheets to dashboards and simple web apps — all backed by extensive research and analysis. Often performing 10 minutes or more of self-supervised work, Perplexity Labs use a suite of tools like deep web browsing, code execution, and chart and image creation to turn your ideas and to-do's into work that's been done.» « Most importantly, the magic behind Labs is what Perplexity is best known for — accurate answers that help you make better decisions. « Copy of Perplexity Report on Artprice by Artmarket (a French version is available here): Artprice: Global Leader in Art Market Intelligence and Innovation Artprice stands as the undisputed world leader in art market information, distinguished by its comprehensive database covering over 861,000 artists and 30 million auction results spanning more than three centuries of art history. The company's unique position combines cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology with an unparalleled documentary collection, all housed within the extraordinary contemporary art museum La Demeure du Chaos, recently recognized by France's Minister of Culture as a "total work of art". Founded by visionary entrepreneur and artist Thierry Ehrmann, Artprice has revolutionized art market transparency through scientific methodology and technological innovation, serving 9.3 million users worldwide while maintaining the largest art market database in existence. Artprice's comprehensive database coverage demonstrates its position as the world leader in art market information. See the Perplexity Labs illustration: Thierry Ehrmann: The Visionary Founder Thierry Marie Nicolas Pierre Joseph Ehrmann, born March 13, 1962, in Avignon, embodies a unique combination of entrepreneurial genius and artistic vision that has shaped Artprice's distinctive identity. According to his certified biography in Who's Who in France, Ehrmann has been recognized as a visual artist since 1980, alongside his role as company president and sculptor-artist. His educational background encompasses theological studies at the Faculty of Theology of Lyon and classical education at prestigious institutions including Lycées Fénelon, des Maristes, and Pascal. See thierry Erhmann's biography here: Ehrmann's entrepreneurial journey began in 1983 with the creation of an audiphone device, followed by the development of an electronic freight exchange in 1985. His founding of Groupe Serveur in 1987 established the technological foundation that would later support Artprice's revolutionary approach to art market data management. The creation of the Judicial Server in 1993 demonstrated his early understanding of digital database applications, preparing him for the art market revolution that would follow. His artistic identity is deeply intertwined with his business vision, as evidenced by his creation of La Demeure du Chaos in 1999, a contemporary art museum that serves simultaneously as Artprice's global headquarters. This dual identity as both artist and entrepreneur has enabled Ehrmann to understand the art world from multiple perspectives, contributing to Artprice's unique positioning in the market. Artprice's Strategic Advantages and Global Leadership See the timeline of Artprice's key milestones from its founding to becoming a leader in AI-driven art market analysis: Artprice's strategic dominance in the art market stems from several key competitive advantages that have been developed over 28 years of continuous innovation. The company maintains the world's largest art market database, encompassing 181 million images and historical data spanning from 1700 to the present day. This comprehensive coverage includes partnerships with 7,200 auction houses globally, creating an unmatched network for real-time market intelligence. The company's proprietary approach to data collection and analysis represents a fundamental strategic advantage over competitors. Unlike other art market platforms that rely on limited datasets or external sources, Artprice has systematically acquired legendary editorial funds and databases across Europe, the United States, and Asia, representing assets worth over €30 million. These acquisitions include the prestigious Enrique Mayer Guide (1962-1987), the Dictionary of Art Sales 1700-1900 by Doctor H. Mireur, Sound View Press with nearly 50 databases in the USA, and Franck Van Wilder editions. Artprice's technological infrastructure, built upon the foundation of Groupe Serveur's expertise in judicial and scientific databases, provides unparalleled processing capabilities. The company processes 35MB of data per second per employee, outperforming European averages by over 20 times. This technological superiority enables real-time analysis of complex art market trends and provides users with instantaneous access to comprehensive market intelligence. The company's global reach extends to 119 countries with support for 11 languages, positioning it as the definitive international authority on art market information. Its press agency distributes content to 6,300 newspapers worldwide, while annual reports reach 122 countries, establishing Artprice as the primary source for art market analysis globally. Unique Documentary Background and World's Largest Art Archive Artprice's documentary collection represents one of the most significant and unique archives in the art world, comprising hundreds of thousands of manuscripts and sales catalogs spanning from 1700 to the present day. This extraordinary collection has been methodically assembled through strategic acquisitions of legendary art publishing houses and editorial funds worldwide. The scope and depth of this documentary heritage make it unparalleled in the global art market, providing researchers and professionals with access to historical documentation that exists nowhere else. The collection includes original manuscripts, annotated auction catalogs, and historical documents that have been carefully preserved and digitized by Artprice's team of art historians. Each document in the collection has been reviewed and annotated by specialists, creating a scholarly resource that combines historical accuracy with contemporary accessibility. The archive serves not only as a commercial database but as a vital repository for art historical research, supporting academic institutions and museums worldwide. The uniqueness of Artprice's documentary background lies in its comprehensive coverage of auction results and market transactions across multiple centuries. While other databases focus on contemporary markets or specific periods, Artprice's collection provides an unbroken chain of market documentation that allows for unprecedented historical analysis and trend identification. This temporal depth enables the company to identify long-term patterns and provide insights that would be impossible with more limited datasets. The physical archive is housed at La Demeure du Chaos, where it forms part of the museum's extensive collections. This integration of commercial database management with artistic and cultural preservation reflects Ehrmann's vision of art market transparency as both a business imperative and a cultural responsibility. The collection continues to grow through ongoing acquisitions and partnerships with auction houses worldwide, ensuring that future generations will have access to comprehensive art market documentation. Artificial Intelligence Innovation: Intuitive Artmarket® and Blind Spot AI® Artprice's technological leadership reached a new pinnacle with the official launch of its Intuitive Artmarket® AI on January 9, 2025, marking the company's emergence as the global leader in AI-driven art market intelligence. This revolutionary artificial intelligence system represents the culmination of nearly two decades of algorithmic learning and data accumulation, processing hundreds of millions of anonymized proprietary logs and tens of millions of artworks to identify previously hidden patterns and connections. The cornerstone of Artprice's AI innovation is its proprietary Blind Spot AI® technology, inspired by Marcel Duchamp's concept of "infrathin" and Henri Poincaré's work on mathematical models. This unique approach avoids traditional fuzzy logic systems, instead using degrees of truth to explore connections between structured data elements that conventional Boolean logic cannot detect. The methodology seeks to capture subtle relationships and patterns that exist in the liminal spaces between clearly defined data points, revealing insights that escape traditional analysis methods. The Intuitive Artmarket® AI encompasses several specialized tools designed for different aspects of art market analysis. The AIDB Search Artist® function enables image recognition for artwork identification, allowing users to identify pieces through visual analysis similar to Google Lens technology. The AIDB Signatures & Monograms® database provides expertise in recognizing and validating artist signatures and monograms from the 4th century to the present day, trained using three of the world's largest databases in this field. Perhaps most significantly, the AI system can anticipate future value fluctuations for artworks, including totally unique pieces, by analyzing traceability and historical auction results over time. This predictive capability extends beyond simple price estimation to identify complex transversal artistic trends that largely escape academic, institutional, and commercial analysis. The system's ability to calculate reliable price information while exploring artwork provenance represents a breakthrough in art market valuation methodology. The AI's proprietary nature provides Artprice with significant competitive advantages, as it draws exclusively from the company's vast collection of intellectual property-protected content. This approach eliminates dependencies on external data sources and potential legal complications while ensuring the system's responses remain within Artprice's ethical and quality standards. The gradual integration of AI-enhanced data into Artprice's existing databases has already demonstrated significant impact, with premium subscriptions showing substantial growth as users recognize the enhanced value of AI-enriched content. Abode of Chaos/La Demeure du Chaos: A Prestigious Global Headquarters See 3 images from the Abode of Chaos/Demeure du Chaos: A large skull sculpture partially submerged in a pond in front of the art-covered building of La Demeure du Chaos (lien) An intricate view of the rusted metal structures and artistic elements composing La Demeure du Chaos, Artprice's headquarters and contemporary art museum The unique, deconstructed architecture of La Demeure du Chaos, the contemporary art museum serving as Artprice's social headquarters La Demeure du Chaos, known internationally as "The Abode of Chaos" according to The New York Times, represents a groundbreaking fusion of contemporary art and corporate headquarters that has recently achieved official recognition from France's highest cultural authorities. On March 20, 2025, French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati granted official recognition to this extraordinary complex as a "total work of art," placing it alongside legendary installations such as Jean Tinguely & Niki De Saint Phalle's Cyclop and the Palais Idéal of Facteur Cheval. The museum complex spans 7,555 square meters and features a unique museum trail set in the heart of nature, conceived as a total work of art that ensures accessibility and inclusion for all audiences. Since its creation in 1999 by Thierry Ehrmann as "a mirror of our world," the site has evolved into a comprehensive artistic statement comprising nearly 7,200 distinct works of art. The collection includes 4,500 laser-sculpted steel artworks, some weighing several hundred tons, alongside 1,800 portraits representing geopolitical, philosophical, and scientific themes. The recognition by the Minister of Culture represents a significant milestone for both Artprice and the contemporary art world, validating the complex's artistic and cultural importance on a national level. This official designation provides Artprice with a prestigious global headquarters that reflects the company's innovative approach to business and culture. The museum operates as an ERP (Établissement Recevant du Public) open-air museum, classified by the Prefecture and open to the public free of charge. Since its opening in 2006, the Contemporary Art Museum has received 2.5 million visitors free of charge, with 25% coming from outside France. The international impact of La Demeure du Chaos is evidenced by nearly 3,600 written and audiovisual press reports from 72 countries over 25 years. The complex maintains a global following of more than 10.9 million subscribers on its social media accounts and has garnered 720,000 signatories to a petition for its preservation and recognition by France's public authorities. The integration of Artprice's documentary archives within this artistic environment creates a unique synthesis of commercial database management and cultural preservation. This physical manifestation of Ehrmann's vision demonstrates how business innovation and artistic expression can coexist and mutually reinforce each other, providing Artprice with a headquarters that embodies its mission of art market transparency and accessibility. Reputation and Recognition in the Art World Artprice's reputation in the international art world has been solidified through nearly three decades of consistent innovation and reliable service to art market professionals. A comprehensive study conducted during the CIHA Lyon 2024 congress, the 36th world congress devoted to research in Art History with participants from more than 70 countries, revealed Artprice's dominant position in academic and professional circles. When 378 congress attendees were asked "Which databases on the Art Market do you know?", 325 cited Artprice first, representing 86% recognition and clearly establishing Artprice as the "top-of-mind" art market databank. The company's reputation extends across multiple sectors of the art world, serving auction houses, experts, insurers, private bankers, galleries, dealers, art professionals, and collectors. Artprice's twice-awarded "Innovative Company" label from the French Public Investment Bank (BPI) recognizes its technological leadership and strategic importance to the French economy. The company's annual art market reports, now in their 30th edition, are distributed in 122 countries and 11 languages, serving as authoritative references for art market analysis worldwide. Professional recognition of Artprice's expertise is demonstrated through its collaboration with major institutions and its role as a primary source for art market intelligence. The company continuously publishes art market trends for major agencies and press titles worldwide, establishing itself as the definitive voice on market developments. Its partnership with the Chinese State group Artron for the past 15 consecutive years has enabled comprehensive global coverage of art auctions and structural analysis of market evolution. The integration of advanced artificial intelligence capabilities has further enhanced Artprice's reputation as a technological innovator in the art world. The successful launch of Intuitive Artmarket® AI has positioned the company as the global leader in AI-driven art market intelligence, attracting increased attention from both traditional art market participants and technology-focused investors. The company's ability to maintain accuracy and reliability while incorporating cutting-edge technology has strengthened its position as the trusted authority in art market information. Scientific Innovation and Future Vision Artprice's commitment to scientific methodology and technological innovation represents a fundamental aspect of its global leadership position. The company's approach to artificial intelligence development reflects a deep understanding of both technological capabilities and art historical methodology, resulting in tools that enhance rather than replace human expertise. The Blind Spot AI® concept, inspired by Marcel Duchamp's aesthetic theories and Henri Poincaré's mathematical work, demonstrates the sophisticated theoretical foundation underlying Artprice's technological development. The company's 2025-2029 strategic roadmap, unveiled at the Global AI Action Summit in Paris, positions Artprice at the forefront of France's ambition to become the world's third-largest AI hub after the United States and China. This alignment with national AI development priorities reflects the recognition of Artprice's technological capabilities and its potential contribution to France's digital economy. The company's processing capacity of 35MB of data per second per employee demonstrates the practical implementation of this technological vision. Ehrmann's vision for Artprice extends beyond traditional database management to encompass a comprehensive transformation of how the art world accesses and utilizes market information. The integration of AI technology with the company's extensive documentary archives creates unprecedented opportunities for art historical research and market analysis. This synthesis of historical documentation and cutting-edge technology reflects Ehrmann's unique perspective as both entrepreneur and artist, enabling Artprice to serve both commercial and academic constituencies. Conclusion Artprice's position as the world leader in art market information results from a unique combination of comprehensive data collection, technological innovation, and visionary leadership that has been sustained over nearly three decades. The company's unparalleled documentary collection, spanning from 1700 to the present day, provides the historical foundation for its AI-driven analysis tools. The recent recognition of La Demeure du Chaos by France's Minister of Culture validates the integration of artistic vision and commercial excellence that characterizes Thierry Ehrmann's approach to business. Watch the documentary on the Arte website: "AI and the Art Market" directed by Frédéric Biamonti, available until 17 th July, 2025. Artprice's econometrics department can answer all your questions relating to personalized statistics and analyses: [email protected] About is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris. The latest TPI analysis includes more than 18,000 individual shareholders excluding foreign shareholders, companies, banks, FCPs, UCITS: Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Watch a video about and its Artprice department: Artmarket and its Artprice department were founded in 1997 by thierry Ehrmann, the company's CEO. They are controlled by Groupe Serveur (created in 1987). cf. the certified biography from Who's Who In France©: Artmarket is a global player in the Art Market with, among other structures, its Artprice department, world leader in the accumulation, management and exploitation of historical and current art market information (the original documentary archives, codex manuscripts, annotated books and auction catalogs acquired over the years) in databanks containing over 30 million indices and auction results, covering more than 865,100 artists. Artprice Images® allows unlimited access to the largest art market image bank in the world with no less than 181 million digital images of photographs or engraved reproductions of artworks from 1700 to the present day, commented by our art historians. Artmarket, with its Artprice department, constantly enriches its databases from 7,200 auction houses and continuously publishes art market trends for the main agencies and press titles in the world in 119 countries and 9 languages. makes available to its 9.3 million members (members log in) the advertisements posted by its Members, who now constitute the first global Standardized Marketplace® for buying and selling artworks at fixed prices. There is now a future for the Art Market with Artprice's Intuitive Artmarket® AI. Artmarket, with its Artprice department, has twice been awarded the State label "Innovative Company" by the French Public Investment Bank (BPI), which has supported the company in its project to consolidate its position as a global player in the art market. (more than 6.5 million subscribers) La Demeure du Chaos/Abode of Chaos – Total Work of Art and Singular Architecture. Confidential bilingual work, now made public:
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stymied French politicians turn to the sins of the past
On Thursday, two years after France's controversial retirement age increase, the National Assembly voted to withdraw the reform. While the news was politically explosive because the far-right National Rally helped the left-wing opposition gain a majority in the vote, the decision hasn't yielded any actual legal results. The situation reflects the country's ongoing failure to address structural reforms since the parliamentary elections last summer, which left the government won without an absolute majority. But in the area of remembrance policy there has been significant movement. In the same week as the toothless retirement resolution, parliamentarians adopted three texts that reclassify historical events or offer the prospect of reparations. On June 2, the French parliament voted unanimously to posthumously appoint Alfred Dreyfus to the rank of brigadier general. The Jewish officer was wrongly accused of high treason in 1894, based on falsified evidence that he revealed military secrets to the German embassy in Paris. Dreyfus subsequently spent four years in the notorious Devil's Island penal colony off the coast of French Guiana. The Franco-German dimension of the case had explosive foreign policy implications even then. The suspect's Jewish origins and his family background in the Alsace-Lorraine region, which came under German rule after the Franco-Prussian War, and strained relations with Germany, made him an ideal target for the nationalist mistrust many French people harbored at the time. Writer Émile Zola famously sided with Dreyfus in his essay "J'accuse…!", which played a critical role in the officer's exoneration and military rehabilitation in 1906. Nevertheless, after serving in the First World War as a lieutenant colonel, Dreyfus was only reinstated at a lower rank. This posthumous promotion for Dreyfus still has to pass the Senate. Alsatian MP Charles Sitzenstuhl, a member of French President Emmanuel Macron's center-right Renaissance Party, who introduced the initiative, offered a link to the present as a warning: "The anti-Semitism that plagued Alfred Dreyfus is not a thing of the distant past," he said. Just one day after the Dreyfus vote, the National Assembly also passed a law to recognize and compensate former returnees from French Indochina after the colonial rule of territories including Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia ended in 1954. Around 44,000 people were repatriated to France, among them colonial officials, soldiers and their families, the descendants of French colonizers and local women, as well as local collaborators. Between 4,000 to 6,000 returnees ended up in temporary camps, which were often outfitted with wooden barracks that lacked heating and plumbing. Returnees were also subject to degrading policies that included bans on going out and owning cars or other luxury goods. The new law introduced by the left-wing Socialist Party now provides for financial support based on someone's length of stay in the camps. It is estimated that up to 1,600 people could claim compensation. On June 5, the Assembly adopted a resolution addressing a "double debt" to Haiti that goes back to 1825. That was the year that France forced Haiti, which had declared independence in 1804, to pay compensation of 150 million gold francs. This was intended as a recognition of independence that would also compensate for the loss of French colonial possessions, including income from slaves. Haiti was forced to settle this "independence debt" over decades — a considerable economic burden that contributed to long-term poverty and instability on the island. The resolution, initiated by the Communist Party, calls for recognition, repayment and reparations for Haiti. But the text does not include concrete political steps or financial agreements. Nevertheless, the far-right National Rally voted against it. Remembrance politics have some tradition in France. In 2001, the "Taubira" law, named after the parliamentarian who introduced it, recognized the slave trade and practice of slavery as crimes against humanity. The topic has been a part of school curricula in France ever since. In October 2006, the National Assembly passed a bill to criminalize the denial of the Armenian genocide of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire with a year in prison or fine of €45,000 ($51,300). The bill never came into force after it failed to pass in the Senate, and was followed by a similarly doomed initiative introduced under President Nicolas Sarkozy. That draft law passed both chambers of parliament, but was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Council in February 2012, which said that it amounted to unlawful interference with freedom of expression and research. Another example is the treatment of the so-called "Senegalese riflemen," the colonial soldiers from Africa who fought for France in the two world wars. For decades, many received significantly lower pensions than their French comrades, especially if they lived outside of France after decolonization. It was not until 2009 that President Sarkozy decreed an equalization of pension benefits, a step that held great symbolic significance. The latest spike in such initiatives has been met with mixed interpretations by political scientists. Some experts see the willingness to take historical responsibility as a form of social maturity. But others point out that in a politically paralyzed legislature, symbolic initiatives are easier to pass than structural reforms in areas such as pensions, education or the budget. This article was originally written in German.
DW
07-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
Stymied French politicians turn to sins of the past – DW – 06/07/2025
Amid parliamentary deadlock, the politics of remembrance has gained momentum in France. Three new initiatives attempt to recognize and heal historical injustices — at least symbolically. On Thursday, two years after France's controversial retirement age increase, the National Assembly voted to withdraw the reform. While the news was politically explosive because the far-right National Rally helped the left-wing opposition gain a majority in the vote, the decision hasn't yielded any actual legal results. The situation reflects the country's ongoing failure to address structural reforms since the parliamentary elections last summer, which left the government won without an absolute majority. But in the area of remembrance policy there has been significant movement. In the same week as the toothless retirement resolution, parliamentarians adopted three texts that reclassify historical events or offer the prospect of reparations. Alfred Dreyfus, shown here in the 1930s, is considered a national hero by many French people today Image: epa/AFP/dpa/picture alliance Alfred Dreyfus posthumously promoted On June 2, the French parliament voted unanimously to posthumously appoint Alfred Dreyfus to the rank of brigadier general. The Jewish officer was wrongly accused of high treason in 1894, based on falsified evidence that he revealed military secrets to the German embassy in Paris. Dreyfus subsequently spent four years in the notorious Devil's Island penal colony off the coast of French Guiana. The Franco-German dimension of the case had explosive foreign policy implications even then. The suspect's Jewish origins and his family background in the Alsace-Lorraine region, which came under German rule after the Franco-Prussian War, and strained relations with Germany, made him an ideal target for the nationalist mistrust many French people harbored at the time. Writer Émile Zola famously sided with Dreyfus in his essay "J'accuse…!", which played a critical role in the officer's exoneration and military rehabilitation in 1906. Nevertheless, after serving in the First World War as a lieutenant colonel, Dreyfus was only reinstated at a lower rank. This posthumous promotion for Dreyfus still has to pass the Senate. Alsatian MP Charles Sitzenstuhl, a member of French President Emmanuel Macron's center-right Renaissance Party, who introduced the initiative, offered a link to the present as a warning: "The anti-Semitism that plagued Alfred Dreyfus is not a thing of the distant past," he said. In June 1954, Indochinese conscripts hastily erect new fortifications for French colonial forces in Phu Ly, south of Hanoi, Vietnam Image: AP/picture alliance Recognizing returnees from Indochina Just one day after the Dreyfus vote, the National Assembly also passed a law to recognize and compensate former returnees from French Indochina after the colonial rule of territories including Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia ended in 1954. Around 44,000 people were repatriated to France, among them colonial officials, soldiers and their families, the descendants of French colonizers and local women, as well as local collaborators. Between 4,000 to 6,000 returnees ended up in temporary camps, which were often outfitted with wooden barracks that lacked heating and plumbing. Returnees were also subject to degrading policies that included bans on going out and owning cars or other luxury goods. The new law introduced by the left-wing Socialist Party now provides for financial support based on someone's length of stay in the camps. It is estimated that up to 1,600 people could claim compensation. Haiti is one of the world's poorest countries today Image: Java Reparations for Haiti? On June 5, the Assembly adopted a resolution addressing a "double debt" to Haiti that goes back to 1825. That was the year that France forced Haiti, which had declared independence in 1804, to pay compensation of 150 million gold francs. This was intended as a recognition of independence that would also compensate for the loss of French colonial possessions, including income from slaves. Haiti was forced to settle this "independence debt" over decades — a considerable economic burden that contributed to long-term poverty and instability on the island. The resolution, initiated by the Communist Party, calls for recognition, repayment and reparations for Haiti. But the text does not include concrete political steps or financial agreements. Nevertheless, the far-right National Rally voted against it. The "Senegalese riflemen," or "tirailleurs sénégalais," were a colonial infantry recruited by the French army during the First World War Image: The Print Collector/Heritage-Images/picture alliance A history of remembering Remembrance politics have some tradition in France. In 2001, the "Taubira" law, named after the parliamentarian who introduced it, recognized the slave trade and practice of slavery as crimes against humanity. The topic has been a part of school curricula in France ever since. In October 2006, the National Assembly passed a bill to criminalize the denial of the Armenian genocide of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire with a year in prison or fine of €45,000 ($51,300). The bill never came into force after it failed to pass in the Senate, and was followed by a similarly doomed initiative introduced under President Nicolas Sarkozy. That draft law passed both chambers of parliament, but was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Council in February 2012, which said that it amounted to unlawful interference with freedom of expression and research. Another example is the treatment of the so-called "Senegalese riflemen," the colonial soldiers from Africa who fought for France in the two world wars. For decades, many received significantly lower pensions than their French comrades, especially if they lived outside of France after decolonization. It was not until 2009 that President Sarkozy decreed an equalization of pension benefits, a step that held great symbolic significance. Social maturity or empty gestures? The latest spike in such initiatives has been met with mixed interpretations by political scientists. Some experts see the willingness to take historical responsibility as a form of social maturity. But others point out that in a politically paralyzed legislature, symbolic initiatives are easier to pass than structural reforms in areas such as pensions, education or the budget. This article was originally written in German.
Budapest Times
06-06-2025
- Business
- Budapest Times
Orbán: We must take Brussels while the emperor wages war
PM Orbán used the gathering to deliver a comprehensive and critical assessment of Brussels' current political and military posture, especially concerning the war in Ukraine and its implications for Hungarian sovereignty and the wider region. 'A real hussar's trick is needed,' declared the prime minister. 'While the emperor wages war, we must take Brussels; while Brussels prepares for war, we must strengthen Europe's anti-war initiatives.' He argued that the EU, once legitimized by its promise of peace and prosperity, has now lost its way. 'This is no longer the European Union we joined,' he said. 'The legendary quality of life in the West is gone.' Central to PM Orbán's critique was what he called Brussels' 'war policy,' which he claims has inflated energy prices, drained investment funds, and pushed the continent towards militarization. 'War has made everything more expensive,' he said, 'and now they want to solve economic problems through increased arms spending.' He described the EU's economic cycle as 'Brussels gives weapons to Ukraine, Ukraine buys them with EU loans, and Brussels buys Ukrainian goods,' asserting that this is not genuine economic growth but a 'war-based economic cycle.' He was especially candid about Ukraine's EU integration. 'Integrating Ukraine would break the Hungarian economy,' he warned. 'Full integration would cost €2.5 trillion over several years — 12 times the EU's current annual budget.' Beyond that, he noted, 'running Ukraine already costs €100 billion annually. For Hungary, this would be a burden of HUF 20 trillion.' On European centralization, PM Orbán said that Brussels is using the war as a pretext to grab more power. 'This is a coup,' he said. 'They want to eliminate national sovereignty and establish the United States of Europe.' He said that EU institutions are 'interfering in elections, monitoring sovereigntist parties, shutting down right-wing events, and financing federalist and pro-war fake civil society and media across Europe.' He further warned against new fiscal mechanisms proposed by Brussels: 'They want direct EU taxation, taking €37 billion a year from member states. They'd take money meant for our farmers and regional development and funnel it into the war effort.' Addressing Hungary's geopolitical role, PM Orbán emphasized regional cooperation. 'We must not join the Franco-German axis—we must strengthen the Visegrád cooperation,' he said, highlighting Poland's recent presidential election as 'particularly encouraging.' He envisioned a robust Central Europe that can 'block Brussels' federalist and pro-war agenda.' Finally, he reiterated his opposition to Hungary becoming a 'migrant country' and stressed the strategic importance of maintaining the Hungarian language and identity in the Carpathian Basin. 'The task is to teach 1 million people Hungarian over the next decade,' he said, adding that peaceful coexistence with neighbors is essential but must not come 'at the cost of national interest.' 'Our mission is clear,' concluded PM Orbán. 'Brussels must not sit on our necks. We stayed, they fell. But the wounds suffered by the Hungarian nation from the (last) empire have not yet healed. Let's not ask for a repeat—especially not in a Brussels uniform.'
