{{Short description|French journalist and writer}} {{Infobox person | name = Auguste Vitu | image = Nadar - Auguste Vitu.jpg | imagesize = | caption = Portrait by Nadar | birth_name = Auguste-Charles-Joseph Vitu | birth_date = 7 October 1823 | birth_place = Médon | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1891|08|05|1823|10|07}} | death_place = 8th arrondissement of Paris | othername = | occupation = Writer, journalist | years_active = | spouse = | signature = }}
'''Auguste-Charles-Joseph Vitu''' (7 October 1823<ref>Departmental Archives of Hauts-de-Seine, civil status of Meudon, register of births 1823 (vues 28 and 29/38) [http://consultation.archives.hauts-de-seine.net/mdr/index.php/docnumViewer/afficheDocnum/28/N/vue] The act states that the mother usually resides rue Bleue in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.</ref> – 5 August 1891<ref>Digital archives of the City of Paris, civil status of the 8th district, register of 1891 deaths, act n° 1364 (vue 11/31) [http://canadp-archivesenligne.paris.fr/archives_etat_civil/1860_1902_actes/aec_visu_img.php?registre=V4E_06153&type=AEC&&bdd_en_cours=actes_ec_1883_1892&vue_tranche_debut=AD075EC_V4E_06153_0034&vue_tranche_fin=AD075EC_V4E_06153_0064&ref_histo=3454&cote=V4E]</ref><ref>See {{cite news|author=La Rédaction|title=Auguste Vitu |publisher= Journal des finances, de l'agriculture, du commerce et des travaux publics|journal=Le Journal des Finances|date=15 August 1891|url =http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5562489m/f1.image.r=|accessdate=14 August 2013}}</ref>) was a 19th-century French journalist and writer.
== Biography == [[File:Père-Lachaise - Division 46 - Auguste Vitu 02.jpg|thumb|Vitu's grave at Père Lachaise Cemetery.]]
The natural son of a Parisian rentier, Vitu began his career as a typographer-worker before becoming a journalist. In 1867<ref name="pnath">''Panthéon de la Légion d'honneur : dictionnaire biographique des hommes du XIXe'', Volume 6, par Théophile Lamathière, page 500</ref> he founded ''{{Interlanguage link multi|Le Journal des Finances|fr}}'' (which he directed until his death in 1891<ref>''Médias et journalistes de la République'', by Marc Martin - 1997 - page 155</ref>) and later created the newspaper ''L’Étendard'' from which he was lucky to be deposed in August 1868, before the sensational trial filed against the manager Jules Pic. He was chief editor of the ''Peuple Français'' at the request of Napoleon III from 1869.<ref name="pnath"/>
Vitu is mostly known for his book ''Paris, images et traditions'', reprinted several times. He also published a book on the popular jargon of the 15th century and another on Napoleon III whose style of moustache and goatee he adopted.
Auguste Vitu was in turn publisher, political and military historian, literary and theatre critic, novelist, author of finance textbooks.<ref>[http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=45554 Explanation of the picture of Vitu by Nadar on the site of J. Paul Getty Museum]</ref> He collaborated with numerous Parisian newspapers and founded ''Le Bons sens d'Auvergne'' in Clermont-Ferrand and ''L'Ami de l'ordre'' in Grenoble to local policy purposes.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130418234441/http://www.patrimoine.edilivre.com/paris-450-dessins-d-apres-nature-auguste-vitu-vitu-auguste-1823-1891-ark-12148-bpt6k205612q.html Biographie de Vitu sur patrimoine.edilivre.com]</ref>
He is buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery (46th division) in Paris. The {{Interlanguage link multi|rue Auguste-Vitu|fr}} in the 15th arrondissement of Paris was named after him in 1912.
== Main publications == *date unknown: ''Histoire de la Typographie'', librairie Ch. Delagrave, Paris *1845–1846: ''Les Chauffeurs du Nord'', novel published under the name Vidocq *1851: ''Révision ou révolution'' *1852: ''L’Empereur à Grenoble'' *1854: ''L’Histoire de Napoléon III et du rétablissement de l’Empire'' *1854: ''Études littéraires sur la Révolution française'' *1860: ''La Résurrection de Lazare'', with Henri Murger *1860: ''Ombres et vieux murs'' *1860: ''Contes à dormir debout'' *1861: ''Le Budget de 1862'' *1864: ''Le Guide financier'' *after 1867: ''Paris : 450 dessins inédits'' *1868: ''L’Histoire civile de l’armée'' *1868: ''Le Bilan de l’Empire'' *1869: ''Qui mange le budget ?'' *1869: ''Les Réunions publiques à Paris'' et ''Les Réunions électorales à Paris'', brochure où l’auteur n’a pour documents que des rapports de police qui dénaturent complètement presque partout la pensée des orateurs *1873: ''Notice sur François Villon'' *1874: ''Le Lendemain de l’Empire'' *1883: ''La maison de Molière'', winner of the prix Montyon in literature awarded by the Académie française.
== Honours == * Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur (15 March 1862 decree) * Officier of the Légion d'honneur (30 June 1867 decree)<ref>Base Léonore on the site of the Ministère de la Culture.[http://www.culture.gouv.fr/LH/LH277/PG/FRDAFAN83_OL2733065V001.htm]</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Auguste Vitu}} *[https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Auteur:Auguste_Vitu Auguste Vitu] on Wikisource * [http://gallica.bnf.fr/Search?ArianeWireIndex=index&lang=FR&q=auguste+vitu&p=1&f_creator=Vitu%2C+Auguste+%281823-1891%29 His books digitized by the BNF] {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vitu, Auguste}} Category:People from Meudon Category:1823 births Category:1891 deaths Category:19th-century French journalists Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour Category:Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery Category:French recipients of the Legion of Honour Category:19th-century French male journalists