In the war of 1812, there is much that is not clear, which has already been pointed out by many alternative researchers.
On March 31, 1814, Russian troops led by Emperor Alexander the First entered Paris. They could wipe him off the face of the earth, avenge Moscow and Russia, but they did not.
In Paris, not a single building was damaged and none of the Parisians experienced any harassment. By order of Alexander I, looting and robberies were cruelly suppressed. Museums were especially protected. The Russians refused all trophies and contributions. Historians claim that Alexander the First forgave France 150 million gold francs. I do not even presume to recalculate this huge amount of money at today's rate. But this gold could be used for the good of Russia.
They entered the enemy capital, and did not destroy anything in it. They could burn it, and they had every reason for this, but did not do it. They did not kill civilians or rape their women. Moreover, local beauties themselves were looking for a reason for love. The military did not take food from the population, but paid for it with hard currency. Officers and foremen, after walking in taverns and taverns, paid the bills. And in those cases when too much was eaten and drunk, the Army Commander came to the rescue, and paid all the debts from his own pocket.
The commander of the Russian troops in Paris, Count Vorontsov, paid all the debts of the troops to the Parisian innkeepers, although for this he had to sell three of his huge estates. And the Russian officers were so addicted to Madame Clicquot's champagne that they ensured her astronomical profits and constant sales for a century ahead.
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Works of fine arts, which Napoleon brought from many countries as "spoils of war", and which became an adornment of French museums, at the insistence of Alexander I remained in Paris. He believed that in Paris they would be more accessible to all residents of Europe. But he could, as a winner, take everything and replenish the collection of the Hermitage.
One more thing - all Russians wore white armbands. Such insignia. After the hostilities. What for?
The famous Russian publicist Fyodor Glinka published a translation of the French essay Farewell of the Russians to the Parisians, written on behalf of the Russian officer: “Farewell to the Champs Elysees, goodbye to you, Field of Mars! We set up our bivouacs on you, built up huts, tents, booths for you, and lived in them like in tents. Quite often lovely city beauties visited their nomadic neighbors. They were not frightened by the noise of the battle and jumped like marshmallows over the piles of weapons … We will never forget your wonderful innkeepers, merchants and sweets … Actors and actresses, singers and singers, jumpers and jumpers, goodbye! We will no longer eat oranges in comedy, admire jumps in the opera, amuse ourselves with the tricks of the rogue gaires on the boolears, we will not see wonderful rope-jumpers in Tivoli, monkeys in the Place de la Museum, orators in Antenaeus and Chinese shadows in the Palais Royal."
Paintings by Georg Emmanuel Opitz. We know 40 of his works about our troops in Paris, 10 of them are kept in the Hermitage.