36 Facts About Germaine Berton

Germaine Berton was a French anarchist and trade unionist.

Germaine Berton is known for the murder of Marius Plateau, an editor for the Action Francaise journal and a leader in the royalist organisation Camelots du Roi, in January 1923.

Germaine Berton was defended by Henri Torres during her trial and surrealists have used her mugshot in a number of art pieces.

In 1925, Germaine Berton married Paul Burger, a painter before leaving him in 1935 for Rene Coillot, a printer.

Germaine Berton died in 1942 due to an intentional overdose.

Germaine Jeanne Yvonne Berton was born in Puteaux on 7 June 1902, to a working class family.

Germaine Berton's father was a mechanic, Republican, Freemason, follower of Jean Jaures and an anticlerical activist.

Germaine Berton had a good relationship with her father but a difficult relationship with her mother.

Germaine Berton was known as a good student at this time, graduating from primary education before attending The School of Fine Arts in Tours.

In 1915, after turning 13, Germaine fell in love with a soldier who later died during World War I She then attempted suicide unsuccessfully by throwing herself into the Loire.

Germaine Berton was later recruited to work in Tours' railway workshops where Berton came in contact with Confederation Generale du Travail-Syndicaliste Revolutionnaire and joined the Trade Unionist Defense Committee.

In 1920, Germaine Berton became assistant secretary of the Revolutionary Trade Union Committee of Tours, briefly served as a member of the French Communist Party, and wrote articles calling for violence in the newspaper Le Reveil d'Indre-et-Loire.

Germaine Berton worked as a newspaper saleswoman at the time, aiming to launch her own journal named De l'acte individuel a l'acte collectif, where she defended her ideals of direct action and social vengeance.

Germaine Berton then joined the Anarchist Union of Paris where she continued to write about antimilitarist ideals and encouraged revolutionary action.

An article written in Le Reveil d'Indre-et-Loire garnered police scrutiny when Germaine Berton called for soldiers to desert, specifically stating:.

On 20 November 1921, Germaine Berton went to the Pre-Saint-Gervais police station to report her identity papers as stolen.

Germaine Berton was incarcerated at Saint Lazare Prison and held in the same cell that once occupied Madame Bermain de Ravisi.

In 1922, Germaine Berton was employed at the Libertaire in an administrative position before being fired for theft of money and letters.

Germaine Berton began to believe in the ideology of "taking back or equalizing" conditions by stealing from the wealthy.

Germaine Berton began to incurred debts she refused to repay and quit working due to health problems following an abortion.

Germaine Berton fell in love with an anarchist named Armand who later committed suicide when drafted to the military, further inflaming her anti-militaristic ideals and inspiring her to prepare a coup against Action Francaise, an organization Leon Daudet was influential in.

Germaine Berton blamed Action Francaise and The Camelots du roi for the rise of fascism in France and aimed to assassinate Daudet.

Germaine Berton further blamed Daudet for the assassination of Jean Jaures and made plans for the assassination of Charles Maurras, but ultimately chose to assassinate Marius Plateau instead.

On 22 January 1923, Germaine Berton assassinated secretary of Action Francaise and leader of The Camelots du roi Marius Plateau with five revolver shots at the organization's headquarters.

When police arrived, Germaine Berton declared she was avenging the assassination of Jean Jaures, Miguel Almereyda's mysterious death, and France's occupation of the Ruhr.

Germaine Berton attempted suicide to escape prosecution but was unsuccessful.

Germaine Berton was imprisoned for 11 months in Saint-Lazare prison before her trial.

Germaine Berton returned to the convent following her brother-in-law's advice.

The trial of Germaine Berton was highly publicized, with many in the public finding fascination in a political assassination committed by a woman.

Germaine Berton was defended by Henri Torres who argued that Germaine Berton should receive the same treatment as Raoul Villain, the man who assassinated Jean Jaures and was acquitted four years earlier.

Germaine Berton began lecturing on anarchist ideals following her acquittal, joining the Anarchist Group of Aimargues.

On 17 November 1925, Germaine Berton married Paul Burger, a painter.

In 1935, Germaine Berton left Burger to live in the 15th arrondissement with Rene Coillot, a printer.

On 6 July 1942, Germaine Berton intentionally overdosed on Veronal, dying at the age of 40 at the Boucicaut hospital.

Germaine Berton's death came four days after the death of Leon Daudet.

Germaine Berton's mugshot was published in the surrealist magazine La Revolution surrealiste in December 1924.