▁period ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Republic ▁which ▁had ▁preced ed ▁the ▁Second ▁Empire . ▁▁ 1 8 7 0 – 1 8 7 1 ▁All ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁building ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁halt ▁during ▁the ▁Franco - Pr uss ian ▁War ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁sie ge ▁of ▁Paris ▁( Se ptember ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁– ▁January ▁ 1 8 7 1 ). ▁Const ruction ▁had ▁so ▁advanced ▁that ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁could ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁food ▁w are house ▁and ▁a ▁hospital . ▁After ▁France ' s ▁defeat ▁G arn ier ▁became ▁seriously ▁ill ▁from ▁the ▁dep riv ations ▁of ▁the ▁sie ge ▁and ▁left ▁Paris ▁from ▁March ▁to ▁June ▁to ▁recover ▁on ▁the ▁Lig ur ian ▁coast ▁of ▁Italy , ▁while ▁his ▁assistant ▁Louis ▁Lou vet ▁remained ▁behind ▁during ▁the ▁tur mo il ▁of ▁the ▁Paris ▁Comm une ▁which ▁followed . ▁Lou vet ▁wrote ▁several ▁letters ▁to ▁G arn ier , ▁which ▁document ▁events ▁rel ating ▁to ▁the ▁building . ▁Because ▁of ▁the ▁theatre ' s ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁the ▁fighting ▁at ▁the ▁Place ▁V end ôme , ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Guard ▁b iv ou ack ed ▁there ▁and ▁were ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁its ▁defence ▁and ▁distrib uting ▁food ▁to ▁soldiers ▁and ▁civ ili ans . ▁The ▁Comm une ▁authorities ▁planned ▁to ▁replace ▁G arn ier ▁with ▁another ▁architect , ▁but ▁this ▁un named ▁man ▁had ▁not ▁yet ▁appeared ▁when ▁Republican ▁troops ▁ou sted ▁the ▁National ▁Guard ▁and ▁gained ▁control ▁over ▁the ▁building ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁May