ACSPMG maintains the memory of Brigadier Lambert
The December 1851 insurrection in the Var is one of the most striking episodes in French republican history, and a decisive moment for the...
Following the coup d'état of December 2, 1851, many villages in the Var, and elsewhere in France, rose up to defend the Constitution and threatened freedoms. In this troubled context, local gendarmerie units were on the front line. They had to maintain order, protect the population, and try to prevent the violence from spreading further.
Among these men, Brigadier Lambert, committed to the service of the law and public safety, died on December 5, 1851, in Cuers, assassinated during local clashes. 'Anxious to preserve this memorial heritage, the ACSPMG (Histoire et patrimoine de la gendarmerie), in a memorial partnership with the Souvenir Français, is the guardian of Brigadier Lambert's grave. Simple, it bears the two association cockades, a sign of the memorial action initiated,' explains Nicolas Moulin, president of the ACSPMG.
He adds: 'This regular maintenance is not limited to an annual commemorative gesture. It is part of a process of transmission, promotion, and safeguarding of the history of the gendarmerie. Thus, several works dedicated to the 1851 insurrection and its actors have been identified and are kept by our association, constituting an essential documentary base for understanding the events and putting the actions of the gendarmerie into context.
The ACSPMG was also able to acquire a specific medallion recounting this period in history. And as an anecdote, this collector's item has a duplicate kept at the Musée Carnavalet in Paris, which highlights its importance and historical interest.'
Through these actions – maintaining graves, preserving objects, collecting books – the ACSPMG helps to keep alive the memory of those who served and to recall the vital role played by the gendarmerie during the dark hours of the 1851 insurrection. It thus participates in the effort to safeguard the historical and moral heritage of the institution, for the benefit of present and future generations, with the valuable support of the Souvenir français and numerous heritage partners.
Nicolas TUDORT (Text and photos).