Commentry

{{distinguish|commentary (disambiguation)}}

{{Expand French|topic=geo|date=December 2008|Commentry}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}

{{Infobox French commune

|name = Commentry

|commune status = Commune

|image = Hôtel de Ville de Commentry.JPG

|caption = Town hall

|image coat of arms = Blason de la ville de Commentry (03).svg

|arrondissement = Montluçon

|canton = Commentry

|INSEE = 03082

|postal code = 03600

|mayor = Sylvain Bourdier{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|publisher=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=13 September 2022|language=fr}}

|term = 2020–2026

|intercommunality = Commentry Montmarault Néris Communauté

|coordinates = {{coord|46.2897|2.7422|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

|elevation m = 385

|elevation min m = 332

|elevation max m = 462

|area km2 = 20.96

|population = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}

|population date = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}

|population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}

}}

Commentry ({{IPA|fr|kɔmɑ̃tʁi}}; Auvergnat: Comentriac) is a commune in the department of Allier in central France. It lies {{Convert|42|mi|km|0}} southwest of Moulins in the valley of the Œil. It is within 8 km of one of the geographic centres of France. The film actress Yvonne Rozille (1900–1985) was born in Commentry.

Population

{{Historical populations

|align = none

|cols = 2

|percentages = pagr

|source = EHESS{{Cassini-Ehess|10024|Commentry}} and INSEE (1968-2017)[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-03082#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE

|1793 |600

|1800 |498

|1806 |565

|1821 |601

|1831 |1277

|1836 |1126

|1841 |1424

|1846 |3015

|1851 |5465

|1856 |8484

|1861 |8582

|1866 |9978

|1872 |11698

|1876 |12978

|1881 |12416

|1886 |12515

|1891 |12618

|1896 |12632

|1901 |11169

|1906 |10205

|1911 |10112

|1921 |10256

|1926 |10089

|1931 |10136

|1936 |8827

|1946 |9119

|1954 |9259

|1962 |9711

|1968 |10026

|1975 |10043

|1982 |9195

|1990 |8021

|1999 |7204

|2007 |6803

|2012 |6592

|2017 |6239

|2020 |6100

}}

History

Commentry was home to Compagnie de Commentry-Fourchambault-Decazeville, thanks to an important coal deposit. The coal mine fueled a huge growth in population, from under 1,000 to more than 12,000, while Stéphane Mony was its CEO (1840–1884).{{in lang|fr}} L'Administration industrielle et générale par Henri Fayol {{ISBN|978-2-903628-09-3}} https://f-origin.hypotheses.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1931/files/2016/09/Fayol-1916.pdf{{Archive url|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207015326/https://f-origin.hypotheses.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1931/files/2016/09/Fayol-1916.pdf|date=2019-02-07}}

Commentry was the first commune ever to elect a socialist mayor: Christophe Thivrier was elected 6 June 1882.{{in lang|fr}} [http://centenaire.parti-socialiste.fr/article.php3%3Fid_article=264.html Election of the first socialist mayor] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181126/http://centenaire.parti-socialiste.fr/article.php3?id_article=264.html |date=2016-03-03 }}

During the repression of January and February 1894, the police conducted raids targeting the anarchists living there, without much success.{{Cite news |date=3 January 1894 |title=Les anarchistes |trans-title=The anarchists |work=La Dépêche |pages=2}}{{Cite journal |date=2 January 1894 |title=Deux mille perquisitions |journal=L'Estafette |pages=2}}{{Cite news |date=3 January 1894 |title=Une série générale de perquisitions : résultat négatif des recherches |trans-title=A general series of raids: negative results |work=L'Éclair}}

The Socialist Party of France was founded in Commentry in September 1902.

Economy

Commentry gave its name to a coal field over 21 square kilometres in extent, and historically had important foundries and forges.{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Commentry|volume=6|page=766}}

Science

Charles Brongniart discovered many fossils near Commentry, including Meganeura in the Stephanian stage coal measures in 1880.

Personalities

  • Jean Bayet (1882–1969) Professor of Latin Language and Literature at the Sorbonne, whose grandfather Gilbert Bayet was mayor of Commentry 1871–1873.
  • Henri Fayol (1841–1925) mining engineer, developed Fayolism, an approach to management and administration.
  • Abel Gance (1889–1981) film director and producer, raised by maternal grandparents in Commentry until the age of eight.
  • Jacques Hillairet (1886-1984) historian specializing in the history of Paris, officer of the Legion of Honour.
  • Émile Mâle (1862–1954) art historian and member of the Académie française.
  • Stéphane Mony (1800–1884) Engineer, director of the colliery at Commentry; mayor from 1854 to 1883; deputy from 1868 to 1871.
  • Christophe Thivrier (1841–1895) first elected Socialist mayor in France.
  • Roger Vergé (1930–2015) Celebrated chef and restaurateur.

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See also

References