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Originally produced in: France
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1. Photographs and texts


1a. An aerial photograph of the town of Ypres (Belgium) after bombardments, published in the weekly newspaper Le Miroir, Sunday, August 22, 1915

Click image to enlarge
Source: Unknown, “The luckless town of Ypres and its cloth covered market in the current state presented from the bird’s eye view” Le Miroir, n° 91, Sunday, August 22, 1915, pp. 8-9, s.d., 275 mm x 447 mm, © Le Miroir, Collection and reproduction J.-M.B.

Photograph caption

“This photograph, taken from a plane, has not been in any way touched up. When we look at the houses, we can see that few of them are intact.”

“Like Nieuport and the unfortunate villages located in Yser’s region, the town of Ypres is now a rough heap of rubble. This beautiful photograph, taken from a plane, shows the damage done by bombs. On November 22, the famous covered market of Beaudouin in Flanders suffered from the first German attacks. The covered market was rebuilt and, as in case of the Reims Cathedral, destroyed by fire. It no longer exists. Only the walls have remained. But they have a deep breach, particularly visible near the big belfry. The Saint Martin’s Cathedral, which we can see behind the covered market, was destroyed by flames too. And the Nieuwerk, the city hall and the meat market, where the city museum was located, have been burnt down. From the Ypres’s main market square, we can see one of Belgian architectural glories, and, behind the covered market, the Vandenpeereboom Square. Many old interesting houses have no roof anymore. Many of other ones, struck by bombs, demolished and cracked, still stand miraculously.“

Presentation

The first issue of Le Miroir, founded in 1910, comes out on April 4, 1912 as "a weekly fully illustrated with photographs". Released in 300,000 copies at the beginning of the war and one million in 1918, it aims to impart the experience of war to the readers at home and to do so, publishes photographs from various sources, offering "particularly interesting photographic materials relating to the War."

The town of Ypres / Ieper is located in Belgium. During the Battle of Flanders or the first battle of Ypres, the German army offensive was arrested by the French and British armies, which cost a substantial number of lives. In December 1914, the General Staff realised that the victory will not be won quickly and both sides built new trenches. During the second battle of Ypres in April-May 1915, in which the Canadian troops also fought, the city was bombed and the German army began using gas on the Western Front.

Published on central double pages of the weekly, the photograph is anonymous and is not dated precisely. It comes from the Photographic Section of the Army, so it's a photograph that has been censored. It has turned out that the photograph was slightly cut to match the size of the double page and that it dates from the beginning of summer 1915, after the Second Battle of Ypres (April 20 - May 24, 1915) although the caption only refers to the First Battle of Ypres (October 29 to November 24, 1914). The orientation of the shadow indicates that the photograph was taken in late afternoon.

The Photographic Section of the Army was established in April 1915 to serve the French propaganda and respond to adverse propaganda. The Ministers, the Committee on Damages as well as the War Archives required evidence of the destruction of historical monuments “to discredit the German lies” and depictions of the life of the Army (Paul Ginisty, "La bataille devant l’objectif", Le Petit Parisien, Friday, June 11, 1915).

The photographs of urban ruins had been common since the Crimean War and the War of Secession. Faced with the difficulties of capturing the right moment, the photographers often made a lot of preparations and certified the results. The publication in the weekly aimed to inform others about the suffering of the people and denounce the enemy who does not even respect the historical heritage.

Questions 1a

  1. How does this document illustrate modern forms of war?
  2. Why can photography be an efficient tool for reporting fights and destruction (do not forget that a photograph and a caption make a whole)?
  3. Pick out and then analyze the characteristic vocabulary used in the text accompanying the photograph.
  4. What is “beautiful” about this photograph?

Display teacher's view to find the answers.


1b. Albert Londres, “The basilica in agony”, Le Matin, September 29, 1914

« Elle est debout, mais pantelante.

Nous suivons la même route que le jour où nous la vîmes entière. Nous comptions la distance, guettant le talus d'où elle se montre au voyageur, nous avancions, la tête tendue comme à la portière d'un wagon lorsqu'en marche on cherche à reconnaître un visage. Avait-elle conservé le sien ?

Nous touchons le talus. On ne la distingue pas. C'est pourtant là que nous étions l'autre fois. Rien. C'est que le temps moins clair ne permet pas au regard de porter aussi loin. Nous la cherchons en avançant.

[...] Les premières maisons de Reims nous la cachent. Nous arrivons au parvis.

Ce n'est plus elle, ce n'est que son apparence.

C'est un soldat que l'on aurait jugé de loin sur sa silhouette toujours haute, mais qui, une fois approché, ouvrant sa capote, vous montrerait sa poitrine déchirée.

Les pierres se détachent d'elle. Une maladie la désagrège. Une horrible main l'a écorchée vive.

Les photographies ne vous diront pas son état. Les photographies ne donnent pas le teint du mort. Vous ne pourrez réellement pleurer que devant elle, quand vous y viendrez en pèlerinage.

Elle est ouverte. Il n'y a plus de portes. Nous sommes déjà au milieu de la grande nef quand nous nous apercevons avoir le chapeau sur la tête. L'instinct qui fait qu'on se découvre au seuil de toute église n'a pas parlé. Nous ne rentrions plus dans une église.





Il y a bien encore les voûtes, les piliers, la carcasse mais les voûtes n'ont plus de toiture et laissent passer le jour par de nombreux petits trous ; les piliers, à cause de la paille salie et brûlée dans laquelle ils finissent, semblent plutôt les poutres d'un relais ; la carcasse, où coula le réseau de plomb des vitraux n'est plus qu'une muraille souillée où l'on ne s'appuie pas.

Deux lustres de bronze se sont écrasés sur les dalles. Nous entendons encore le bruit qu'ils ont dû faire. Des manches d'uniformes allemands, des linges ayant étanché du sang, de gros souliers empâtés de boue, c'est tout le sol. Comment l'homme le plus catholique pourrait-il se croire dans un sanctuaire !..

.

Nous prenons l'escalier d'une tour. Les deux premières marches ont sauté. Tout en le montant, notre esprit revoit les blessures extérieures. Nous devons être au niveau de ce fronton où Jésus mourait avec un regard si magnanime. Le fronton se détache, maintenant, telle une pâte feuilletée, et Jésus n'a plus qu'une partie sur sa joue gauche. Plus haut est cette balustrade que, dans leur imagination, les artisans du moyen âge ont dû destiner aux anges les plus roses ; la balustrade s'en va par colonne, les anges n'oseront plus s'y accouder. Puis c'est chaque niche, que l'on n'a plus, maintenant qu'à poser horizontalement, à la façon d'un tombeau, puisque les saints qu'elles abritaient sont pour toujours défaits ; c'est chaque clocheton, dont les lignes arrachées se désespèrent de ne plus former un sommet ; c'est chaque motif qui a perdu son âme de sculpteur. Et nous montons sans pouvoir chasser de nous cette impression que nous tournons dans quelque chose qui se fond autour.

Nous arrivons à la lumière. Sommes-nous chez un plombier ?

Du plomb, du plomb en lingots biscornus. La toiture disparue laisse les voûtes à nu. La cathédrale est un corps ouvert par le chirurgien et dont on surprendrait les secrets.

Nous ne sommes plus sur un monument. Nous marchons dans une ville retournée par le volcan. Sénèque, à Pompéi, n'eut pas plus de difficultés à placer le pied. Les chimères, les arcs-boutants, les gargouilles, les colonnades, tout est l'un sur l'autre, mêlé, haché, désespérant.

Artistes défunts qui aviez infusé votre foi à ces pierres, vous voilà disparus.

Le canon, qui tonnait comme de coutume, ne nous émotionnait plus. L'édifice nous parlait plus fort. Le canon se taira. Son bruit, un jour ne sera même plus un écho dans l'oreille, tandis qu'au long des temps, en pleine paix et en pleine reconnaissance, la cathédrale criera toujours le crime du haut de ses tours décharnées.

Nous redescendons. Nous sommes près du chœur. De là, nous regardons la rosace - l'ancienne rosace. Il ne lui reste plus qu'un tiers de ses feux profonds et chauds. Elle créait dans la grande nef une atmosphère de prière et de contrition. Et le secret des verriers est perdu !

En regardant ainsi, nous vîmes tomber des gouttes d'eau de la voûte trouée. Il ne pleuvait pas. Nous nous frottons les yeux. Il tombait des gouttes d'eau. C'était probablement d'une pluie récente ; mais pour nous, ainsi que pour tous ceux qui se seraient trouvés à notre côté, ce n'était pas la pluie : c'était la cathédrale pleurant sur elle-même.

Il nous fallut bien sortir.

[...] Les maisons qui l'entourent sont en ruines. Elles avaient profité de sa gloire. Elles n'ont pas voulu lui survivre. On dirait qu'elles ont demandé leur destruction pour mieux prouver qu'elles compatissent. En proches parents, elles portent le deuil.

Le canon continue de jeter sa foudre dans la ville. Les coups se déchirent plus violemment qu'au début. Que cela peut-il faire maintenant ? La cathédrale de Reims n'est plus qu'une plaie. »

1 2
Source: Albert Londres, « L’agonie de la Basilique », Le Matin, September 29, 1914. © BnF (French National Library) (http://gallica.bnf.fr/). There is a transcription of the text available at « Histoire et patrimoine » on the French Parliament website (http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/histoire/guerre_14-18/reims_albert-londres.asp)

Presentation

Albert Londres (1884-1932), a journalist of Le Matin, became a military correspondent of the Department of War in 1914. As a war correspondent, he covered the bombardment of Reims in September 1914. Later, he wrote reports on the war in the Southeast Europe for Le Petit Journal. Concerned about the quality of his reports, he fought against censorship and propaganda. His reports of the years 1917-1918 on the various fronts have been published in a book entitled Contre le bourrage de crâne.

Questions 1b

  1. According to Albert Londres, what are the things that cannot be rendered on the photographs of ruins? Why?
  2. Why did the bombing of the Reims Cathedral deeply shock the public opinion in 1914?
  3. What are the advantages and the drawbacks of texts and photographs in war reports?

Display teacher's view to find the answers.


Historical Context and Analysis

The new genre of photographs of towns ruined in the course of war developed together with the wide spread of photography by the press. Even if the photographs could not offer a faithful image of the reality because of the shooting time, since the Crimea War or Secession War, photography had become a powerful weapon. It was widely used by newspapers. The photographs of bomb-attacks show the link between military fights on battlefields and the regular destruction of cities. These actions help to present the enemy in a bad light and boost the sense of civic duty in daily life. Faithful photographs of ruined cities, published without touching up, serve as a picture of breaking all the rules and war traditions. They show the enemy’s barbarity and ignominy. Captions and comments underline the tragic dimension of the destruction of the national heritage(the old covered market, the cathedral, the city hall...). They stimulate an emotional response and stress the lack of stable points of reference.. Furthermore, they emphasize privacy and empathy as well as the ambiguous fascination with death, suffering and nothingness. They were usually published immediately after the event as a “true” picture under such titles as: “The unfortunate town”, “luckless villages”, “awful ravages”, etc. Photographs, published in contemporary books, contribute to building collective memory And play a vital role in the more recent debates on the conversion of the ruins.

Then, after Crimea and Secession Wars, the photographs of ruins, which were deliberately aestheticized (The expression “this beautiful picture” is here ambivalent), changed the aesthetic aspect of photography. Pacifist denunciation and criminal accusations use poetic images: ruins as a theatre of light and shadow, formal individualisation, awkward perspectives, etc.

There are many representations of the bomb attack on Reims Cathedral. (Example: the analysis of Emile Boussu’s drawing available at : http://www.histoire-image.org/site/oeuvre/analyse.php?i=311&d=371)

They often accompany subjective denunciations of the attacks. The photograph gives evidence of intentional destruction, an annihilation of the symbol of national identity by those who respect nothing. These photographs were widely published during WWI. After 1918, they were spread as postcards with the title: “French citizens remember”. This facilitates the propaganda which presents the enemy as a maladjusted barbarian, insensitive to the achievements of civilisation. Tuesday, September 14, 1914, Le Petit Journal (all copies could be downloaded from Gallica: http://gallica.bnf.fr), The title of the photograph: “The German vandalism” (Unknown paper), expresses anger and condemns what is qualified as a cowardly act. It refers to an architectural masterpiece and its relevance for the national identity.

“We often talk about vandalism without having reflected on the meaning of this word. The modern vandals are even worse than their ancestors who, in 406, slaughtered St Nicaise on the threshold of Reims main church, because they do not take the risk and fight with swords and axes.

Hidden faraway, with their strong artillery ready to besiege Paris after their defeat in the battle of Marne, Germans, or modern vandals, drop bombs on the capital of Champagne where they have not drunk enough delicious wines that their counterfeiters couldn’t imitate.”

A newspaper from September 22, published a statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister Delcassé, formulated in different words :

“Without keeping up the appearances of military necessity, German troops, who derive their only pleasure from destruction carry out furious and systematic bomb-attacks on Reims Cathedral. Now, the famous basilica is just a heap of ruins. The republican government has a duty to universally denounce the outrageous and disgusting act of vandalism. Setting fire to the sanctuary of our history, this act destroys a unique part of our heritage and our contribution to human art and architecture.”

Some days later, an article entitled “Useless cruelty” by Raoul Beauveau commented on the destruction of Senlis.

“Humanity is not responsible for scourges that hit people: smallpox, plague or cholera cannot be controlled by humans. If we just consider the facts, we can ask if the abject race who fight against us is not entirely struck by a mental disease. I don’t want an apology for these mindless awful acts but I just want to receive an explanation. An ordinary brain could not give birth to such horrors; this morbid attack is an effect of depravity and moral corruption.

Why are there so many innocent human victims who were killed for no reason? All these ruins, is this all for pleasure? The satisfaction derived from an unhealthy enjoyment, fondness for a spectacle of misery and evil atrocity guide invaders everywhere [...] the barbarians’ hordes have taken this way and spread dead, foolish devastation [...] these rough drunk soldiers acted like dangerous wild animals [...]” Le Petit Journal, Sunday, September 27, 1914.

Albert Londres and other journalists officially intended to fight against propaganda. He only compares what he has seen to a heap of ruins. He avoids considering adversaries as devils even if he calls them “Huns”. He struggled against censorship when he became a war reporter (cf. Pierre Assouline, Albert Londres. Vie et mort d’un grand reporter 1884-1932, Paris, Balland, 1989).

Articles from the September and October issues of Le Miroir (cf. http://www.1914-1918.fr) also include more factual information, photographs of ruins, and some incisive comments:

“A view from the western part of the Cathedral. It was after the Marne victory when the offensive return of French troops forced Germans to leave Reims. Thus, there was no limit to their rage and they deliberately destroyed the cathedral.” Le Miroir, October 4, 1914, p.9

“A new German crime in Reims” Le Miroir, September 3, 1916, p.2

Le Miroir published more and more photographs of the ruins of Reims until 1918. It was presented from various perspectives: factual, emotional and aesthetic (cf. Joëlle Beurier, Images et violence 1914-1918. Quand le Miroir racontait la Grande Guerre..., p. 41-49).Although less involved than text press, illustrated press was affected by the propaganda. It is conspicuous in the accumulation and recurrence of the photographs of ruins in the different newspapers, which testified to damages and denounced the enemies who caused them without any military reasons. This also explains the use of the verb “to dare” in the issue of September 13, 1914: “What Germans have dared to destroy...”, referring to the destruction of the cathedral and the cloth covered market of Malines, the city hall of Louvain... and the repetition of the same verb in the issue of October 4, 1914 “They dared to bombard” as a caption of “a photograph of Reims Cathedral some months before WWI”.

Questions 1a

  1. How does this document illustrate modern forms of war?
    On the one hand, the photography emphasizes the range of used weapons and war from a distance (cf. article from Le Petit Journal, Tuesday, September 21, 1914, which comments on the destruction of Reims Cathedral). On the other hand, it focuses on the use of aviation and aerial photographs. In the 1860s, Nadar in France and James Wallace Black in the USA shot the first aerial photographs from a balloon. The first aerial photograph from a plane was taken around 1910; then, after the battle of Marne, aviation was used to do reconnaissance or observation in order to adjust arsenal to the potential of the enemy. More than ground photography, aerial photography is a useful informative document. Since WWI, it has been used to draw topographic maps.
  2. Why can photography be an efficient tool for reporting fights and destructions (do not forget that a photograph and a caption make a whole)?
    A photograph presents a specific reality at a given moment from an individual point of view. So it reflects the reality at a specific time. Because of little information we are given, the intentions and impressions of the photographer at the moment of shooting and printing are unknown. This also concerns the person who designed the page of the newspaper. Thus, the photograph should be analysed from a contemporary point of view. Because the photographer was at the same times a soldier, despite having a possibility to take good pictures facilitated by the lighting conditions and the quality of old cameras, he could not take his photographs at the best moment, but only before or after a military action.
  3. Pick out and then analyze the characteristic vocabulary of the text accompanying the photograph.
    The nationalistic vocabulary is quite important. There is an opposition between the culture of the Allies’ civilisation and the enemies’ barbarism. It’s a frequent topic in propaganda. The vocabulary aestheticising the ruins is also frequently used. This can be illustrated with Hubert Robert’s paintings (18th century).
  4. What is beautiful about this photograph?
    This photographic aesthetic vocabulary boosts the quality of a photograph. The image puts an emphasis on testimony and empathy.

Questions 1b

  1. According to Albert Londres, what are the things that cannot be rendered on the photographs of ? Why?
    A photograph is just a representation of reality. One may fully experience the event only when one participates in it.
  2. Why did the bombing of the Reims Cathedral deeply shock the public opinion in 1914?
    The bomb-attack on the national heritage, especially in Reims where the sense of national identity is very strong, is not considered as an attack on a military objective. It is seen as useless and cowardly and doesn’t correspond to our understanding of war. It affects human heritage and destroys our common aesthetic achievement. This is the testimony of la Gazette de Francfort from September 8, 1914, quoted in Le Petit Journal from September 21, 1914 (downloadable from Gallica : http://gallica.bnf.fr/)
  3. What are the advantages and the drawbacks of texts and photographs in war reports?
    See the presentation of documents.