28 septembre 1892
8 juin 1944
Quotidien français créé par Fernand Xau (1852-1899), le premier numéro du Journal paraît le 28 septembre 1892. La rédaction s’installe au 100, rue de Richelieu, dans le IIe arrondissement de Paris.
Ancien imprésario de la tournée du cirque de Buffalo Bill en France devenu journaliste, Xau souhaitait lancer un « journal littéraire d’un sou » à la portée des petits commerçants, ouvriers, instituteurs et employés. Il parvient à s’entourer des plus grands noms de la littérature de l’époque, dont Maurice Barrès, Émile Zola, Léon Daudet, Jules Renard, Alphonse Allais et Georges Courteline et attire également des acteurs de la scène politique française ; notamment Georges Clemenceau qui écrit dans le Journal de 1895 à 1897. De sensibilité républicaine, Le Journal tire jusqu’à 450 000 exemplaires à la fin du XIXe siècle.
En 1893, Xau lance un supplément hebdomadaire illustré, Le Journal pour tous, avant de racheter la revue littéraire Gil Blas qui disparaît en 1914.
Après la mort de Fernand Xau, Le Journal est dirigé par Henri Letellier qui nomme Gabriel Hanoteaux directeur politique et José Maria de Heredia directeur littéraire.
La ligne politique du quotidien reste modérée jusqu’en 1911, année où Charles Humbert, sénateur de la Meuse, devient directeur politique du Journal et lui fait prendre un virage conservateur et nationaliste.
À partir de 1913, le tirage du Journal atteint le million d’exemplaires.
Après la Première Guerre mondiale, l’arrivée à la direction politique de François-Ignace Mouthon, journaliste catholique et antisémite, renforce la ligne conservatrice du quotidien.
En 1917, l’affaire Pierre Lenoir affecte durablement la réputation du Journal dont le lectorat diminue de moitié. L’affaire débute au printemps 1915 lorsque Pierre Lenoir, fils d’un riche publiciste parisien, rencontre un industriel suisse, Schœller, désireux d’investir des fonds dans un journal français. Le 7 juin 1915, au terme de la signature d’un contrat entre les deux hommes, Lenoir se voit confier la somme de 10 millions de francs par son associé afin d’acquérir Le Journal qui est alors en vente. En échange de cet apport financier, Lenoir s’engage à suivre la ligne éditoriale dictée par Schœller. Mais ce dernier agit vraisemblablement pour le compte d’un consortium allemand. L’affaire se complique lorsque Charles Humbert, prenant connaissance de la vente, s’impose dans la transaction en menaçant Lenoir de révéler l’origine de ses fonds. En juillet, Pierre Lenoir, Charles Humbert et Guillaume Desouches, un avoué prête-nom, font l’acquisition du quotidien grâce à la somme mise à leur disposition par Schœller. Toutefois, dès la fin de l’année, Humbert obtient de Lenoir la vente de la majorité de ses parts. Pour ce rachat, Humbert se fait prêter 5.5 millions de francs par plusieurs personnes dont Joseph Caillaux et Paul Bolo dit Bolo Pacha, un sulfureux homme d’affaire parisien. L’affaire éclate lorsque Raymond Poincaré, président de la République, ordonne l’ouverture d’une enquête suite à une entrevue avec Paul Bolo. Charles Humbert, Guillaume Desouches, Pierre Lenoir et Paul Bolo sont aussitôt arrêtés. Paul Bolo est jugé puis condamné à mort en 1918. Le procès de Charles Humbert, Guillaume Desouches et Pierre Lenoir se déroule en avril 1919. Au terme du procès, Charles Humbert est acquitté, Guillaume Desouches est condamné à cinq ans de réclusion et Pierre Lenoir est condamné à mort pour intelligence avec l’ennemi. Il est exécuté au Fort de Vincennes, le 24 octobre 1919.
Malgré le développement d’une nouvelle formule privilégiant les grands reportages et les enquêtes, Le Journal ne parvient pas à renouer avec le succès. En janvier 1925, le titre est vendu par Henri Letellier à un groupe d’investisseurs composé du directeur du casino de Deauville, de l’agence Havas, des Papeteries Darblay et de la Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas.
Ce changement ne modifie pas l’orientation politique du Journal qui reste ancrée à droite. Dans les années 1930, le quotidien affiche une tendance anticommuniste et se montre favorable à une alliance avec l’Italie fasciste. En mai 1937, il publie une interview d’Hitler et s’enthousiasme pour le régime nazi. Parallèlement, Le Journal conserve une ligne littéraire de qualité : Colette y tient un feuilleton hebdomadaire jusqu’au 16 juillet 1938, tandis que Blaise Cendrars fait partie de l’équipe des reporters.
En août 1929 , Le Journal rachète L’Écho des sports, quotidien sportif concurrent de L’Auto. Sur le modèle des autres grands quotidiens, Le Journal utilise des effets promotionnels considérables : campagnes de lancements de romans-feuilletons (en particulier, ceux de Maurice Leblanc), patronages de manifestations sportives, souscriptions de bienfaisance et campagnes publicitaires.
Durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, la rédaction du Journal se replie en zone libre, d’abord à Limoges, puis à Marseille, avant de gagner Lyon. Le Journal continue de paraître jusqu’à la Libération. Suspendu en 1944, il tente vainement de faire lever l’interdiction dont il est l’objet et cesse définitivement de paraître le 8 juin 1944. Son riche fonds photographique est alors attribué au quotidien L’Aurore.
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