New Napoleonic Society Formed

To bring together the tremendous number of fans of Napoleon Bonaparte, both in this country and abroad, and give them a means of communicating with each other, The Napoleonic Society of America was formed last spring in Florida by Robert M. Snibbe, Managing Director.

Mr. Snibbe, who has been reading about Napoleon for many years and who has a modest collection of books and a number of prints, medals, vases, miniature soldiers, buttons and even door knobs, believed there must be thousands of buffs like himself who would be eager to know more about the fascinating Frenchman and would be hungry to share their interest with other Napoleon enthusiasts. "My purpose in founding the Society was simply to find them and bring them together", Mr. Snibbe said.

Before he took the plunge, he sounded out everyone he knew who were interested in Napoleon, including curators of museums, the French Embassy in New York, members of the Appliance Francaise and many others. Although he learned there was a Souvenir Napoleonien in Paris with chapters in Belgium, Great Britain and Canada, he could find no record of any active group in the U.S. It wasn't until much later that he learned of wargaming and the various symposiums, magazines, suppliers of miniatures, etc.

Starting very slowly he sent out a news release to some of the magazines and newspapers announcing theSociety and its purpose and plans forthe future. He then began to get inquiries and in reply sentout a form letter in which he promised a quarterly Member's Bulletin, plans for an annual meeting in New York on the anniversary of Napoleon's birthday, and the hope of organizing conducted tours of Napoleonic sites in France, for an annual membership fee of $24 (U.S.).

The first issue was mailed the first week in September to over 500 prospects, most of whom are in the U.S., with a large contingent in Canada and the rest scattered all over the world. The four-page newsletter contained such articles as On Elba, Napoleon Was Napoleon; a review of Ben Weider's book, The Murder of Napoleon; an article on the vandalism of the Legion of Honor Museum in Paris; How Big is Napoleon?; New Sunken Treasures in Egypt; Napoleon's K-Rations; A query from a lady who claims to own the Capo-cli- Monti vase that Napoleon allegedly smashed in the presence of Count Cobentzel at Campo Formio; a story on wargaming. There is also an article wondering whether there is a need f or a National Napoleonic Museum in the U.S. and a questionaire for readers to fill out and mail back to the Society on the subject. Finally, there is an Articles for Sale section which lists items ranging from a $2,500 letter signed by "Buonaparte" to a brass spoon and a pair of cuff links from the period.

The Society is incorporated in the State of Florida as a non-profit membership corporation and has its office at 640 Poinsettia Road, Belleir, FL 33516. Mr. Snibbe explained that it has distinguished "Founding Members" who have no duties, and no financial responsibilities. They include Philippe cle Montebello, Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (who is related to Marshall Lannes, Duc cle Montebello); Arthur L. Harris, former Honorary Consul to the French Consulate in Atlanta; Lawrence H. Rogers 11, President of Omega Communications in Cincinnati; Dr. Guy Godlewski, President of the Souvenir Napoleonien in Paris and Ben Weider, President of their affiliate in Montreal; Daniel S. Gray, author and military historian; Mabel Bennett, author, of Arlington, Va.; Hugues cle Kerret, Cultural Attache in the French Embassy in New York; James H. Goodyer, Vice President of Calvin Bullock, Ltd. of New York City; Gerald Carson, author, of Newtown, Pa.; David Goudy of D.W. Goudy, Guelph, Ontario and Thomas E. DeVoe, Senior Editor, Empires, Eagles and Lions, Budd Lake, N.J.

Mr. Snibbe also has dreams of bringing to major museums in the U.S. an Art Treasures of the Napoleonic Era exhibit, similar to the Treasures of King Tut and the Art of the Vatican, tied in with the premier of a new movie that is currently being planned, based in Ben Weider's book, The Murder of Napoleon. With its release, many more thousands will become interested in Napoleon so Mr. Snibbe is confident that his fledgling Society will grow and prosper.

As J. Christopher Herold pointed out in his book, The Age of Napoleon.... no other mortal has received so much attention from historians and biographers, critics and enthusiasts, and Mr. Snibbe is convinced that this attention toward one of the most unique and fascinating individuals who ever lived, will not diminish in the future.

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