A distinctive feature of the Third Republic was its constitution and dissolution in the context of war and invasion. The loss of Alsace and Lorraine was a blow to France's sense of itself, and until the territory was regained after World War I, it became a unifying focus for the nation's problematic relations with the newly formed Germany. Indeed, France was most united when threatened from outside—and also when it presented its achievements to the outside world, for instance, during the 1878, 1889, 1900, and 1937 exhibitions. At the root of much of France's disunity was the issue of identity and what constituted the true France. This tension was apparent not only between Left and Right political polarizations but also over the issue of centralization. French Music, Culture, and National Identity considers and questions the role and ability of music and the arts to represent the Republic and nation and to reflect particular political ideologies.

Defining the Republic: Symbols, Festivals, and Figureheads

The Third Republic emerged out of defeat against Prussia, the loss of territory, and a great uncertainty concerning the political future of France. It was not clear until 1877 that France would remain a Republic, since the monarchists were numerous and influential, although divided in the early years following the defeat. France had also been threatened from within by the Communards’ insurrection in 1871. The assembly in Versailles responded forcefully, retaking Paris in the semaine sanglante of May. Chief among the challenges facing successive conservative governments was bringing about a regeneration of political, civil, and cultural life, and giving the French Republic and the nation it sought to control a renewed and strengthened sense of its identity.

Republican leaders sought to create festivals and select symbols and figureheads to celebrate and represent the Republic. To this end they redefined existing symbols, including the idea of republicanism itself, the flag, and the Marseillaise, to represent the values they wanted to emphasize and to minimize less palatable associations. For instance, the idea of republicanism was associated with revolution and unrest, an association the country's leaders wanted to change. Lehning writes about the ominous potential of the crowd to revolt and how the Third Republic sought to encourage popular participation in significant events, without endangering its political institutions.