1914-1918 : The occupation

Rich and Poor

An ordinary scene in 1915. On Rue Ernest Allard, a woman hands out bread and milk to mothers who came with their newborns. Her hat betrays her social condition: she belongs to the bourgeoisie. For the wealthier classes, philanthropy was a form of patriotic engagement during the war. Caring for the weak was a battle waged in the name of national survival. However, for the middle classes, German occupation was also a synonym of scarcity.