When gods are mortals

[frenchani]

I am not a big fan of commemorations in general and I am not naive about the political agenda and the communication operation behind such event, but I'm still watching the Panthéonisation ceremony of Germaine Tillion, Geneviève De Gaulle-Anthonioz, Pierre Brossolette and Jean Zay

Comments

[tx_cronopio]

I am relatively well-informed, but nope, haven't heard a thing about it.

I gather it's some kind of Hall of Fame?

[frenchani]

Well, I know it's the way "panthéon" is translated into English but it's quite unfortunate because the religious side of the term is completely lost and it isn't about fame at all!

In Greek pantheon (Πάνθεον) means "all the gods" so pantheon buildings (there's another one in Rome) are basically temples wherein every god is worshipped

[gillo]

We have just arrived in our hotel in Nancy and this was on several channels. I am sorry to say the names do not mean anything to me. I was about to Google to find out about it.

[frenchani]

Oh but since you're in France it doesn't count!

Not that your comment doesn't count, but you know what I mean...I wondered whether the news would cover the event in other countries.

[gillo]

Nothing on BBC World or on the BBC website, so I fear probably not. I fear we are both literally and metaphorically insular.

I do know what the Pantheon is for, though, and, accepting your caveats, think it's a good thing to honour them this way.

[gillo]

There is now an article on the Guardian website.

[sister_luck]

I might have seen a picture on my twitter feed, but I cannot locate it now. A quick check of German online media shows little sign of the story. Die ZEIT has the bare AFP story.

Longest article - with some analysis is in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung here. Subheading calls the ceremony a portent of the coming election campaign. Headline highlights the fact that Panthéon is becoming "more female".
Article itself says that Hollande has a hidden agenda - he is adding women because that's how he wants to be seen. Also wants to reinvigorate Résistance spirit:

Mit der Zeremonie will sich Hollande als großer Frauenförderer verewigen. Zugleich strebt er an, den Geist der Résistance als identitätsstiftenden Faktor wiederzubeleben.Short biographies of the women follow

[sister_luck]

More articles in serious newspapers:

Die Welt.

I think the stories are only being published now.

Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Deutschland Radio.

Quick scan of articles suggest they're emphasizing spirit of Résistance and that it's an important moment for Hollande.

[sister_luck]

New article in Süddeutsche Zeitung describes the "moving ceremony" and quotes Hollande's speech mentioning that he assigned keywords to the four new members of the Panthéon. There are some new biographical details. Especially interesting that Zay is mentioned as being for principle of laïcité in education system.

Now with added link!

[frenchani]

That's a lot of articles now, despite the Fifa stuff being the big news!

BTW I heard this morning, on the radio, that one of your newspapers (was it the Zeitung?) provided a very Wagnerian title: Die Blatter-Dämmerung!

[kazzy_cee]

It was sunny and warm here all day (21degrees!).

I have not seen any reporting about that!

[frenchani]

The Guardian had an article on it.

[lijability]

Seems I read about them a while back, the four having distinguished themselves during WWII. But I've see nothing about them in any of my news feeds of late.

[frenchani]

And yet so many tourists visit the Pantheon every year...