Last modified: 2009-03-21 by ivan sache
Keywords: ecole polytechnique | x | zurlin |
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École Polytechnique, a.k.a. l'X (the X [letter]), is
one of the most prestigious engineering schools in France.
Founded in 1794 in Paris by Monge and Carnot to train scientists and engineers for the senior branches of
civil service, École Polytechnique was organized as a military college by Imperial Decree of the 27 Messidor of the Year 12 (16 July 1804). École Polytechnique is still placed under the authority of the Ministery of National Defence and the students shall obey the military discipline and wear a uniform. Initially located in Paris, École Polytechnique was transfered in 1976 to Palaiseau, 20 km south of Paris.
Ivan Sache, 12 March 2002
On the 14 Frimaire of the Year 12 (5 December 1804), all Imperial regiments were granted a colour during a ceremony held on
Champ-de-Mars in Paris. Not manufactured in due time, the colour of École Polytechnique could not have been granted to the college, which was awarded instead the colour of the 29th Regiment of the Line (29e Régiment de Ligne).
In a letter dated of the 17 Nivôse of the Year 13 (7 January 1805), General Dejean, Minister-Director of the War Administration, informed
General Lecuée, Governor of the École Polytechnique, that
Marshall Berthier, Minister of War, had proposed "Patrie, Science,
Gloire" (Fatherland, Science, Glory) as the college's motto.
On the 21 Germinal of the Year 13 (11 April 1805), an Internal Decree described the colour officially granted to the college, with Lecuée's agreement. The colour should bear, in gilded letters, on the reverse:
L'EMPEREUR
DES FRANÇAIS,
AUX ÉLÈVES
DE L'ÉCOLE
POLYTECHNIQUE
(The Emperor of the French to the students of Ecole
Polytechnique),
and on the reverse:
POUR
LA PATRIE
LES SCIENCES
ET LA
GLOIRE
(For Fatherland, Sciences and Glory).
This first colour was most probably burned with most of the flags of
the Imperial Army in Hôtel des Invalides on 31 March 1814. A
fac-simile of the original colour, lmanufactured in 1894 for the
celebration of the 100th anniversary of the college, is still displayed in the Council Room of the college.
On 23 March 1901, École Polytechnique was granted a new colour by President of the Republic Émile Loubet. In
1940, after the defeat of the French Army, the college was demilitarized and moved to Lyon, in the non-occupied zone. The colour of the college, secretely given to the Archbishop of Bordeaux, was subsequently brought back to Lyon by three students of the college. In March 1943, following the occupation of the whole French territory by the German army, École Polytechnique was moved back to Paris. The colour seems to have been secretely kept by the staff of the college. After the Liberation, two workers employed by the college were decorated because they had hidden the colour during the occupation.
In the past, the colour of École Polytechnique was
nicknamed Zurlin, after General Zurlinden, who had ordered to
add blinds to the windows of the college. Nowadays, the blinds
themselves are called Zurlin and the flag does not seem to
have got a new nickname.
Source: Website of École Polytechnique
Ivan Sache, 12 March 2002