First World War postcards

[Eduardo]

The church of St. Pierre at Soissons. Shows in the corner a small view of the church before the destruction. This card was isued by Edit. Nougar?de.

[Eduardo]

A general view of .the city of Dormans in ruins and the river. This card was printed by "Levy Fills & Cie. from Paris. The card was mailed from Dormans on 22 July 1921 and in it "Helene" explains that they are still repairing their buildigs and a small house they have.

[Eduardo]

This postcard and the next were writen in Esperanto and send from France to Barcelona, Spain, during the war. This card was send on early December 1916 and shows a view what was left of the church at Ville-sur-Tourbe in Champagne. Eduardo

[Eduardo]

This card is, as the previous one, writen in Esperanto. The date is July 1917 and shows the church of Hebuterne near Arras, the way it was left after the bombing.

Eduardo

[Benas]

Eduardo,

Nice images!

You have in your collection Russian postcards from WW1 ???

if possible please show in forum.

Sincerely,

Benas

Edited July 1, 2007 by Benas

[Eduardo]

Thanks Benas for your words.

Unfortunately I don't have any Russian postcards from the First World War. Hope to have some in the future and will post them

Eduardo

[Eduardo]

Before I had posted some cards of the propaganda serie of Cesare Battisti trial and dead made by the Austrian. This card shows the Italian hero in Vallarsa studying a map with three of his officers. The postcard was made by "G. Pedrotti" from Trento.

Eduardo

[Eduardo]

The Italian ship "Amalfi" was sunk in 1915. This postcard shows the sailors of that ship going now to the combat lines in Carso. The card was printed "Reparto fotografico del Comando Supremo" and witht the inscription "La Guerra Italiana" in spanish.

Eduardo

[Eduardo]

This postcard printed on 21 August 1917, is very strange. Although the inscription "War zone.... 1917" and the picture itself showing military tents and uniforms, the subject, two soldiers showing a bird to a baby, show an intention of presenting peace and calm as if nothing terrible is happening.

Eduardo

[Eduardo]

Previously I have posted a group of Italian soldiers with a machine gun. This is a second one, now in action near Fossalta during the Battle of Piave in June 1918. This card was printed by "Casa Ed. d'Arte Bestetti & Tumminelli" from Milano. It is mentioned that the picture itself belongs to the Cinematographic Section of the Supreme Comand of the Italian army.

[Eduardo]

The next two postcards are Italian cartoons. The first one made by the Institure of Graphic Arts of Bergamo and was issued by the "Banca Italiana di Sconto" (Discount Italian Bank) and reads "Give Money for the Victory: The Victory and Peace".

Eduardo

Edited July 15, 2007 by Eduardo

[Eduardo]

Although if prefer photographs, as a Historian I have to accept that sometimes the cartoons and propaganda drawings are very important sources for understanding the moment in history or how the people saw it at the time. The previous card with the soldiers in the seesaw making tha Kaiser, the turk and other characters jump, is a good example. The card I present here though scapes my capacity to understand. Maybe just a good drawing? Could someone give me an exlanation?

The card was printed by "Stab. L. Salomone, Roma" and issued by National Loan.

[Guest Rick Research]

IT says "Subscribe, so they'll surrender." So-- give money to the war loan so the defeated enemy will slouch back home.

[Eduardo]

Thanks Rick. It makes sence. The back is a long publicity to the bank loans indicating even the % out of taxes to be paid in the loans.

Eduardo

[Eduardo]

I just got this card of King Albert I of Belgium in an airplane.

Eduardo

[Eduardo]

This card and the following one have arrived today from France. This first one shows a parade of the Imperial Guard in front of the Kaiser. The french terxt explains that same troop, pride of Germany, was anihilated by the French "Turcos" at the battle of Charlerois. The card in hand dated in both sides and was issued by A. Richard. 84, Faubourg du Temple.

[Eduardo]

This second pic of today, a static baloon, has the leyend: "One of the Army's eyes" and belongs to "The Daily Mirror Canadian Official Series". The card was printed in London by the "Pictorial Newspaper C?".

Eduardo

[Eduardo]

This card if from BREMENIL and dated 1915. It was printed by N? 3 Walter TechNeugersdorf i. Sa. and has two seals stamped. One, blue ink "Koninglich Preussische Festu_gs-Masch. Gewehr - Komp. Nr. 9" and the other one in black ink "Fels...si Expedition 2.7.15. 1-2N XIX. Wersatz Division.

Eduardo

[Eduardo]

I am interested in photographs of the Great War, not in drawing, cartoons and alike. I have presented some of the former but they have arrived as gift and must say that even when I find them also fascinating I don?t want to open a new front to my already too many fields of interest. The card presented here, non the less, was purhased directly by me because I love it as soon as I saw it. It is signed by "Hans Rudolf Schulze". I cannot read German so I know I am loosing part of the fun by not understanding the two blocks in the back. I am including them here for the preasure of those who might want to read them.

Eduardo

[Hendrik]

Hello Eduardo,

On the right it says (and as literally as I can get it) :

German Air Fleet Society

for the creation of a strong German air fleet

and in support of the air crew school.

Yearly fee : including the society's magazine

"Die Luftflotte" (= the Air Fleet), as per your discretion,

minimum 3.-- Reichsmark ... followed by (presumably) the Berlin address of the society.

The bottom one goes like this :

Military Air Cruiser "Hansa" in battle with enemy fliers,

from a painting by Prof. Dr. Hans Rudolf Schulze, Berlin

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Eduardo]

Thank you Hendrik, I will add that information to my file. I tought that the planes were escorting the "Hansa", not attaking her. Just to clear the point. How could they protect themselves from attacks comming from above?

Eduardo

[Eduardo]

This card has no reference to the place it depicts in the front. As for the printer there is very light blue triangle with a sun in the center. And there is also what I understand to be the geographical reference, also in very light blue but which I have been able to scan with a contrast light. I guess it is from St. Baussant but have no idea of the rest of the inscription.

Eduardo

[Hendrik]

Hello Eduardo,

It reads : Destroyed row of houses in St. Baussant

As to Zeppelins ... didn't they have a few machine guns on top (and in a few other places) ?

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Kev in Deva]

Hello Eduardo,

It reads : Destroyed row of houses in St. Baussant

As to Zeppelins ... didn't they have a few machine guns on top (and in a few other places) ?

Cheers,

Hendrik

Hallo Gents,

with regards the defence of the Zeppelins, they were heavilly defended by machine guns and they did have a couple of exposed machine gun posts on the upper surface, however the main defence against attack was to quickly gain height against the attacking planes and against anti-aircraft artillery, in the early days of the Zeppelin raids it was found that ordinary machinegun bullets were next to useless as they just passed through the gas bags many of which were quickly patched up by the crew before to much gas had been lost.

Also the planes flown against the Zepp's had a lot of difficulty getting up to them and later a more powerful engine was designed and used in the Sopwith Camel to enable the RFC / RAF to bring the fight to the Zeppelins.

It was not until the developement of a special .303 tracer round that the Zeppelins had much to fear as the tracer ignighted the gas with disasterous effects.

Kevin in Deva.

[Eduardo]

Thanks Hendrik for the translation on the St Baussant card, and Kevin in Deva for the interesting explanation on the Zeppelins. I have always liked them but just realize have never read much about these machines.

Eduardo

Edited September 28, 2007 by Eduardo