Figure 1.--It is a little difficult to figure out the organization of the Galeries Lafayette catalog. Here in the summer 1937 catalog they mix boys pants and suits with womens dresses and skirts. The page here was headlined "Pour oevres de de bienfaisance". That translates as something like "For works of benevolence". We are not entirely sure what that means. A reader writes, "About the French text of that catalogue: Even if you know the French language (I studied it for 8 years)' it's kind of difficult to know what they mean with "Pour oevres de bienfaisance". Œuvres = works. (Pronounced like in "horse d'oevre"). It could be "Works of benevolence" or perhaps "Works of generosity". A French reader has explained whatvthis meant.

The page here from the Galeries Lafayette summer 1937 catalog was headlined "Pour oevres de de bienfaisance". That translates as something like "For works of benevolence/charity". We were not entirely sure what that meant. A reader writes, "About the French text of that catalogue: Even if you know the French language (I studied it for 8 years)' it's kind of difficult to know what they mean with "Pour oevres de bienfaisance". Œvres means work or works in the plural. (Pronounced like in "horse d'oevre"). It could be "Works of benevolence" or perhaps "Works of generosity or charity". A French reader explains what this meant. "'Œuvres de bienfaisances' means 'work of charitable institutions'. After Wold War I they were many charitable institutions to support war orphans and handicapped soldiers. all were Catholic. While the children by 1937 were mostly grown up, thre were still a lot of handicapoped veterans. World War had seriously affected an entire generation. These garments here were made by manufacturrs employing partially disabled veterans. The stores like Galeries Lafayette were required to market the output of these institutions without making any profit.

Our French reader tells us that we did not get this qute right. He writes, "Almost right. An " Œuvres de bienfaisances " means a " Charitable Institutions " and not " work of charitable institutions". The iterms sold inside this catalogue page could be bought by everybody and most specialy by the others charity Institution itsself. Normaly these garment were made by the charity Institutions, but not spécialy by wounded veterans. Into French we have two words to say work: travail and oeuvre. Œuvre is often used in connection with art or in this case charity rather work for personal gain. The rest of the HBC-text is right. After World War I these Institutions did important work to address the health of French children. An important group was the " Petites Soeurs de Saint Vincent de Paul ". Of course , today the Œuvres de bienfaisances still exist but we now use the term Organisations non-gouvernementales (ONG)."

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Created: 6:29 AM 1/17/2009
Last updated: 6:30 AM 1/17/2009