Eugène Varlan (1839-1871), an ordinary binding worker, was an outstanding activist of the First International and secretary of the Paris branch of the First International. He was the first proletarian revolutionary to participate in the March 18, 1871 Movement. He was elected as a member of the Paris Commune election on March 26.

Varlan is usually taciturn, but at the right time, he can explain extremely complex issues clearly in a sentence or two. Ducerno, a participant in the Paris Commune, recalled: "I will never forget this young man's beautiful head, which was covered with white hair, his deep gaze with black eyes, his sincere and peaceful tone, his treatment with all virtues... Varlan's role in the Commune is known to everyone. He said very little and did a lot of things in the Commune." He studied very seriously. In order to educate and liberate the people, he always used his little spare time at night to study. He was diligent, cautious and humble. Throughout the entire Paris Commune period, he persisted in working, and at the last moments of the Paris Commune, he persisted in fighting on the barricades. In the last days of the May Blood Week, Varlan led the soldiers of the Paris Commune and bravely killed the enemy in street battles. Unfortunately, he was injured and was captured by the opposition troops in Versailles.

On May 28, 1871, Varland was recognized in the Rue Lafayette in Paris and dragged to the reactionary generals of the Versailles army who were in charge of the Montmartre Heights. The Versaillers ordered Varland to be shot in the Rue Rotier. They paraded Varland through Montmartre for a full hour, his hands tied behind his back, his forehead covered with wounds from enemy sabers, his eyes drooping out, his face covered in blood. However, Varland, the hero of the Paris Commune, did not grunt, but held his chest up and raised his head, fully demonstrating the fearlessness of a proletarian revolutionary who looked at death as if he were at home. In this way, Varland, the outstanding son of the working class and one of the outstanding leaders of the Paris Commune, died tragically at the hands of Thiers of Versailles who opposed the army.