- Fourmies, Nord
French commune
nomcommune=Fourmies
région=Nord-Pas-de-Calais
département=Nord
arrondissement=Avesnes-sur-Helpe
canton=Trélon
insee=59249
cp=59610
maire=Martine Roux
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=Communauté de communes Action Fourmies et environs
longitude=4.05388888889
latitude=50.0180555556
alt moy=202 m
alt mini=174 m
alt maxi=247 m
hectares=2,298
km²=22.98
sans=13,867
date-sans=1999
dens=603
date-dens=1999Fourmies is a commune of the Nord "département", in
France . The inhabitants are called "Fourmisiens".Geography
Fourmies is situated in the
Euroregion of Thiérache, a region of Northern France and SouthernBelgium . It is 50 km fromValenciennes , 100 km fromLille , and 175 km fromParis . The city is surrounded by forests and ponds.History
On May 1, 1891, the Fusillade de Fourmies was declared. It was the first French and international celebration of the
International Workers' Day onMay Day . In Fourmies, troops shot at peaceful strikers: nine died, including 8 demonstrators of under 21 years old, among which a young worker who will remain a symbol, Marie Blondeau. Thirty-five were wounded.The shooting of the 1st of May in Fourmies caused a sharp emotion in whole France. It is regarded today as one of the founding events of the
French Section of the Workers' International .Jean Jaurès went afterwards to Fourmies to make a speech there whileGeorge Clemenceau declared in front of the French Parliament that "it is the Fourth state which rose".Events
* Each year, since 1928, the city hosts the
Grand Prix de Fourmies , a professional cycle race.
* The festival of the music ("fête de la musique")
* The traditional fun fair (traditionnelle fête foraine) attracts many people each summer.Sister cities
* - Fridley,
Minnesota ,United States
* -Bernburg ,Germany since 1967
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