The Commune remitts all payments of rent for dwelling houses from October 1870 until April 1871. In return for the 5 billion francs indemnity payment, Bismarck agrees. The French Army begins seige of Paris. Paris is continually bombarded and, moreover, by the very people who had stigmatized as a sacrilege the bombardment of the same city by the Prussians. The Commune decrees the separation of the Church from the State, and the abolition of all state payments for religious purposes as well as the transformation of all Church property into national property.
Religion is declared a purely private matter.
Decree on hostages adopted by the Commune in an attempt to prevent Communards from being shot by the French Government. Under this decree, all persons found guilty of being in contact with the French Government were declared hostages. This was never carried out. The guillotine was brought out by the 137th battalion of the National guard, and publicly burnt, amid great popular rejoicing. On April 7, the French army captures the Seine crossing at Neuilly, on the western front of Paris.