Figure 1.--One of the countries that did the best to care for refugees during World War I was France. Virtually all of the refugees who reached France survived the war which was not the case in most other countries. Here unidentified refugee children in France are getting hair cut. One reason that the French did so well was that they had access to American relief supplies. This is a scene from the Anmerican Red Cross home at St. Lunaire.

Germany launched World War I by attacking France through Belgium (August 1914). Thus the first World War I refugees were Belgian. The German Army poured across first the Belgian frontier and within a month the French frontier as well cearing French refugees. Thus France becme a country inundated with refugees from the very beginning of the war. The Germany Army at the time was not motorized. Belgian and French civiians had time to flee before the Germans arrived. The German Army moved on foot. This refigees had more time to escape than would ve the case in World War II. Reports of German atrocities added to the refugee flow. And thus substantial numbers of civilians poured into France. The Germans occupied large areas of northern France. Only the Miracle on the Marne (September 1914) prevented the Germans from reaching Paris and probably winning the War. Many Belgians sought refuge to the north in the Netherlands. Others headed south toward France and were joined by French refugees as well. Thus France became a country which had many people turned into refugeees as well as a country caring for refugees. The Germans occupied most of Belgium and large areas of northern France until the final months of the War. Some of the Belgians reached Britain by sea, but the lrgest number sought refuge on foot in France. Many of the Belgians in the Netherlands returned to their homes in a relatively short period. The refugees in France were unable to do so. They spent the entire war in France south of the trench lines. Thus France throughout the War had a sizeable refugee population and all the problems associated with caring for displaced people. By the end of the War there were more than 2 million refugees in France. Most were from Belgium and northern France, but there were also small numbers of refugees from other Allied countries. France was self-sufficent in food, but feeding such a large number of refugees was beyond their means. The agricultural sector was affected by the conscription of such a large number of men, especially men comprising the rural work force. Unlike Britain, there was no woman's land army. Only American food relief prevented severe shortages. Unlike German-occupied Belgium, it was a simple matter for America to get food to the refugees in France.

German Invasion (August 1914)

Germany launched World War I by attacking France through Belgium (August 1914). Thus the first World War I refugees were Belgian. The German Army poured across first the Belgian frontier and then on to the France. The small Belgian Army to the surprise of the Germans, stood and fought. The Belgians put up much stronger resistance than anticipated. This bought time for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to cross the Channel and come to the support of the Belgians. The BEF was small, but higky professional. This further slowed the German advance and bought time for the French. making the Mircale on the Marne which stopped the Germans possible. (September). The Germans occupied large areas of northern France. Only the Miracle on the Marne (September 1914) prevented the Germans from reaching Paris and probably winning the War. All of this set a massive refugee flow in motion. The Germans occupied most of Belgium and large areas of northern France until the final months of the War.

German Attrocities

Reports of German atrocities added to the refugee flow. The German invasion of neutral Belgium was a clear violation of international law. This was tragically not the only outrage committed by the Germans. The Getmans in their drive through Belgium commited serious attrocities against Belgian civilians. After the War, the British were charged with exagerating German attrocities as a way of drawing America into the War. This was true, but it does not change the fact that the Germans committed very serious attrocities. Nothing like the behavior of the race obsessed NAZIs, but attrocities that should not be lost to history. This included the shooting of civilian hostages and the destruction of cultural treasures. This included Leuven University and its priceless library. It also included the destruction of so churches and cathedrals at Visé, Diksmuide (Dixmude), Louvain, the Cathedral at Ypres, the Cathedral at Malines, and others. [Denry] Perhaps even worse than the actual attrocities, as bad as they were, is the fact that they were part of a German policy of terror adopted by the German Army's High Command. These attrocities were not the inevitable reults of civilians and cultural trasures caught in the crossfore of war, unintened casualties. They were the result of am intentional policy decesion of the German Genetal Staff.

First Refugees

Thus France becme a country inundated with refugees from the very beginning of the war. The Germany Army at the time was not motorized. Belgian and French civiians had time to flee before the Germans arrived. The German Army moved on foot. This refugees had more time to escape than would ve the case in World War II.And thus substantial numbers of civilians poured into France. Many Belgians sought refuge to the north in the Netherlands. Others headed south toward France and were joined by French refugees as well.

Subsequent Refugees

Refugees were not just created in 1914 with the German invasion. In fact, most of the refiugees were duspalced after the initial German invasion. There ere intially only 150,000 trgugees (August 1914), but by the end of the year the nimber had increasrd to mote than 0.5 million (Decemnber). There were other dispalcemnents and thus new refugees were created throughout the War. The largest numbers were caused by the German invasioin, bit the refugee flow contiunu=ued after the front stabikiuzed. The French military and cuvil authorities issued evacuation orfers. In addition German shellings vaused civilians to flee even when mot ordered. North of the front, the German authorities issued repatriation orders from the occupied areas (10 partially or wholly occupied departments). Refugees continied to increase to 0.9 million (1915). The ibcreased then tapered off (1916-17). The millionth refugee was only recorded (December 1916) 1.3 million (Decemnber 1917). As fighting increased and the frint moved in 1918, first with a German and than the final Allied offensive, the refugege flow again increaased. The peak came with the Allied Hundreds Day Campaign with 1.9 milliin (September 1918). The final figure topped out at 2.0 million after the War. The Ministry of the Interior ended refugee services (October 1922).

Refugee Situation

France became a country which had many people turned into refugeees as well as a country caring for refugees, boith French and foreign. Some 2 million French citizens were displaced during the War becoming refugees. France has both foreign and domestic refugees. There were some 2 million French refugees. We do not yet have a number for the foreign refugeess. French aithorities established three categories of refugees, including: 1) refugees who fleed or were ordered from their homes, 2) refugees who were liberated from occupied areas and sent to secure areas, and 3) refigees those who were repatriated by the Germans through Switzerland. The liberated refugees did not come about until the last phase of the War when the Allied began gaining territiory and then the war-winning Hundred Days Campaign cracked through the formidable Hindenburg Line. The largest numbers of foreign refugees were Belgian. Some of the Belgians reached Britain by sea, but the largest number sought refuge on foot in the Netherlands or France. Most of the refugees for understandable reasons wanted to stay as close to their homes as possible. French officials, however, saw a problem with this. Having the refugees so close to the front in the Allied rear would complicate military operations. French authorities saw the need limit demographic and logistical pressures in the regions close to the front. Enormous quantities of miliitary equipment and supplies had to be transported to the front. Having the refigees in the same area would put additional stress on the already havily strained supply lines, mostly the rail network. The refugees in France spent the entire war in France south of the trench lines which despite massive efforts on both sides, did not change significantly. Thus France throughout the War had a sizeable refugee population and all the problems associated with caring for displaced people. Some of the refugees had family or friends who could take them in, most required assiatance which was provided by the French Governmbt and private charities. The plight of the refugees symolized the suffering of the French nation. The French Governmeny and private charities mobilized to aid the refugees.

Assistance Groups

We do not yet have detailed information on the groups aiding French refugees during World War I. There were children who lost their parents, but mostly the refugees included family groups. Fathers for the most part were at the Front, but mothers and other relatives were with the children. So it was not just orphanages caring for the children. We know the Red Cross and Church were active, but there were a range of other groups, including many private grouops, espcially American groups. One of these groups was Anne Morgan's American Committee for Devestated France which worked with the american Red Cross and was active in Pikardy. This was a major area of northerrn France where the war on the Western Front was fought.

Refugee Centers

The World War I Western Front was fought over for 4 years in a narrow band across through northern France and southwestern Belgium from Swuitzerland to the coast. After the German invasion was stopped at the Marne (September 1914), the front line did not change materially until the Allied Hundred Days Campaign cracked the front wide open (August-November 1918), forcing the Germans to ask for an armistice. Both Belgians and French civilans fled the Germns. And French officials moved civilians out of areas close to he front lines. These prople were moved into safe areas of France well away from the Front. There was an effort to spread out the refugee so that no French communitirs would be unduly burdened to care for the huge numbers of refugges. Thankfully the refugees in France ere better cared for because not only they brought to safe areas, but had access to French and American resourcesto care for the refugees with inundated thec country. Here the role of the Catholic Church and the Ameican Red Cross was especially important. Unfortunately, while we have noted several centers mentioned, rarely have we found a good description of the facilities and history of these centers.

Bons de Villes

We note some efforts to help the refugees that we do not fully understand and do not appear to ne describes in internet sites. One of these efforts is Bons de Villes apparentky means something alomg the line of municipal vouchers. Which sonds like funs being given to the refugees which seems to be who the French call 'rapatries'. That means reptriates. Most of the French refugees are people from from norther France who fked from the German Army as they invaded Bekgium and France. Apparenty they were seen as oeioe reckaimed by the nation. We note the Repatries reclains viuchers at municipal casinos (city gambing sites). We are not sure why it was done there. French authorities and American Red Cross were on hand to greet and assist the Repatries. Now hooefully some one can piece all of tha together.

Adoptees

With so many dispaced children in France. some were eventually attracted to the he huge numner of American Doughboys that began arriving in France after America declared war on Germany (April 1917). The destitute children and the Doughboys away from family and friends were attracted to each other. The Doughboys spent months in training in remote camps behind the front lines before actually going into combat, at least the first units to arrive in France. Soon American units began 'adopting' some of the children. As far as we know, there were no provision for such action in Army regulations. And the units were not equipped for properly caring for the children. The units could provide food and clothes, but schooling for example was another matter. The American Expeditionary Force developed an official approach, homes were found for the children, but contact was continued. Administrators were were assigned to oversee the funds donated by the troops. We are not sure how many refugees were adopted. Nor do we know what happened to the adoptees after the War. We do know that some of the children were actually adopted and brught back to America.

Created: 7:36 PM 11/11/2022
Last updated: 7:37 PM 11/11/2022