#beaugency

[gillesvalery]

Beaugency - Loiret

[go-on-live-a-little]

France 2019

[artdecoandmodernist]

1926 Gerda Wegener (Danish, 1885-1940) On the banks of the Loire (the artists’ colony at Beaugency), Paris

[postcard-from-the-past]

Banks of the Loire river in Beaugency, Orléanais region of France

French vintage postcard

[folichonneries]

Quand le XIIe rencontre le XXIe..

[ingeborgd]

Siste dag i Beaugency

[whencyclopedia]

Interview: French Fashion during the German Occupation (1940-1944)

In 2024, France is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Liberation (1944), and as part of a series of conferences organised by the Société archéologique et historique de Beaugency, Catherine Join-Dieterle, Doctor in History of Art and General Curator of Cultural Heritage, gave a fascinating talk titled Fashion in France under the German Occupation. In this exclusive interview, Ms Join-Dieterle talks more on this subject to Babeth Étiève-Cartwright, revealing a subject that really is a lot less frivolous than it seems.

Dimanches de la femme, 24 April 1938

Dorvyne - Bibliothèque nationale de France (Public Domain)

BEC: Catherine Join-Dieterle, on behalf of World History Encyclopedia, I would like to thank you for agreeing to conduct this interview. When we hear about the German Occupation, we conjure up images that are far removed from the world of fashion and yet, fashion being a reflection of society, it played a sizeable role in those difficult years. Could you start by giving us some examples of how fashion evolved in France in the 1930s?

CJD: At the dawn of the 1930s, fashion had abandoned the short dress that had so marked the Roaring Twenties. Dresses and coats now reached mid-calf and the feminine figure, which had previously been suppressed, was now emphasised. Long, flowing dresses were worn in the evening, while suits and ensembles emphasised the waist. However, as the sound of boots grew more insistent, some designs were influenced by army outfits, with square shoulders, shako-inspired hats and the use of khaki. But there was also a much more optimistic trend, with designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) and Christian Dior (1905-1957) proposing much more romantic and even surrealist outfits, influenced by artists such as Salvador Dali (1904-1989). We then saw the emergence of the shoe hat and fuller long dresses with vaporous sleeves were the order of the day.

BEC: So, what happened once the German Occupation was firmly established? The new political reality of course had many dramatic consequences on the lives of the French people, but what about fashion?

CJD: The German Occupation had many repercussions on fashion in France because of the conditions imposed on the French people. The occupying forces decided to take three-quarters of the country's production, so the French had to make do with what the Germans would be willing to let them have. Rationing was introduced, and the French were obliged to use ration coupons to buy supplies, including clothes. For example, this is what a woman was entitled to at the time:

two dresses

two aprons or blouses

one mackintosh

two pairs of winter gloves

one winter coat

three blouses

two overalls

three pairs of underpants

six pairs of stockings

six handkerchiefs

one pair of flat shoes (which had to last four years).

Fashion Poster, Costumes-Manteau, 1941

Nordiska museet (Public Domain)

Most women turned to sewing, their own resourcefulness (taking old jumpers apart), upcycling (believe it or not, this is not a recent innovation), and even the black market. With certain materials being extremely difficult to find (leather, for example), French creativity adapted by using new materials: wood for shoes, rayon (a textile fibre made from wood cellulose) for clothes and parachute fabric, which is extremely strong, to make men's shirts. Old fabrics lying around in stocks or attics were also reused (the tartan so popular in previous years made a remarkable comeback), and many outfits were in fact made up of different types of elegantly coordinated fabric.

From a stylistic point of view, fashion had to follow a new path; models became utilitarian, strict and responded to the harshness of living conditions. Outfits were therefore warmer (it was difficult to keep warm, and winters were particularly cold), quilted with cotton wool and more innovative to cope with scarcity. As it was difficult, if not impossible, to obtain leather, handbags became rare and we then saw the emergence of large pockets that made it possible to do without them. These could be sewn directly onto the garment or added using a separate belt. There was also a need for all-purpose clothing that could be used in all circumstances, and so the suit made its appearance, with a shorter skirt and a slit at the front to make it easier to ride a bicycle (petrol being a rare commodity, the bicycle experienced a remarkable boom at that time).

BEC: What about men's fashion?

CJD: There were also a lot of restrictions imposed on men. In 1942, suits and overcoats were no longer allowed to have gussets, box pleats or half-belts, and double-breasted waistcoats and knickerbockers were banned. Trousers were allowed only one pocket, and trouser cuffs were absolutely forbidden. All this to save fabric. Boys were no longer allowed to wear sailor collars and were obliged to wear short trousers until the age of 15.

1940s Utility Fashion

Laura Loveday (CC BY-NC-SA)

BEC: All repression eventually has a reaction. Did the French rebel against these rules? Knowing the contesting nature of the French people, I can't bring myself to believe that they accepted all this without batting an eyelid!

CJD: Definitely! The French were quick to get round the rules! You can only buy one pair of flat shoes every four years? Whatever! We'll make wooden shoes with platform soles! Can't find stockings in the shops? No problem, women could resort to stitching or dyeing their legs with walnut oil (not forgetting the thin black line for the seam) ... there were even ready-made kits for this. Large bags were theoretically forbidden; however, carrier bags (some made from the superb cashmere scarves so many had inherited) were worn across the shoulders, very useful for stuffing products bought in shops whenever supplies came in, and if possible, double-bottomed bags, so that documents or other secret messages could be safely transported.

Fashion would also become a means of taunting the occupying Germans as well as a means of propaganda: hats, even though banned, would rise, to keep heads held high, patterns of blue, white and red fabric with words or slogans like travail, famille, patrie ("work, family, homeland") here and there for good measure, buttons in the shape of patriotic Gallic roosters. And then there were the zazous. This French term was used to describe those young people who had "an immoderate passion for American jazz music and who made a name for themselves with their eccentric dress" (Trésor de la langue française informatisé). It was, in fact, an international movement (they were called ‘zooters’ in the United States). The young men would wear baggy trousers (in the face of restrictions on fabric), wear their hair medium-length in reaction to short military haircuts, and the girls, who wore excessive make-up, would have short skirts and puffy hairdos. Needless to say, these young people were frowned upon by Marshal Pétain's moralistic regime!

BEC: So far, we've mainly talked about everyday fashion, the fashion of ordinary people. What about haute couture? Did designers have the right to work in their ateliers, but above all did they have the necessary means to do so?

CJD: Unfortunately, at the start of the Occupation, some major fashion houses had to close down, such as Vionnet (1876-1975) and Schiaparelli. Chanel (1883-1971) moved to the South of France before closing her house too. Young designers who had not yet opened their own houses, such as Pierre Balmain (1914-1982) and Christian Dior, were drafted in. From 1941 onwards, however, there was a resurgence of haute couture work, and French excellence became perceived by many as a form of resistance. Haute couture was also a key sector for the French economy because of the number of people involved. France was providing fashionable outfits for the beautiful ladies of the whole world! People bought their clothes in Paris or copied Parisian models! Unfortunately, shortages and bans made it impossible to publish photos of models in magazines, so we had to resort to illustrations in fashion magazines such as Mode du Jour, Silhouettes, and Marie-Claire.

Post-WWII Paris Fashion Doll Display, Maryhill Museum

Glen Bledsoe (CC BY)

However, if there is one name to remember in connection with haute couture during the German Occupation, it is that of Lucien Lelong (1889-1958), president of the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture (Haute Couture Trade Union Chamber), who did everything in his power to prevent the Germans from moving this economic sector to Germany. At the end of the war, to ensure that France regained its position as champion of fashion, Lelong and Robert Ricci (1905-1988, co-founder of the Fashion house Nina Ricci) initiated a travelling exhibition of miniature mannequins (70 cm or 27.5 in high) dressed by the top designers. This ‘theatre of fashion’ would travel the world for a whole year, signalling the return of French stylists and proving that, thanks to the incredible talent of many artists, French haute couture still deserved its place at the top of the international fashion league.

BEC: Of course, much more could be said on this subject, including the infamous yellow star imposed on French Jews, some of the designers who publicly flaunted their support for the German occupiers, and Coco Chanel's controversial stance, but perhaps all that will be the subject of a future conversation.

Thank you, Ms Join-Dieterle, for sharing your expertise with our readers. It is a fascinating topic and we are very grateful to you for providing us with the opportunity to learn so much about French fashion during the German Occupation. On behalf of everyone at World History Encyclopedia and our readers, thank you again for your valuable contribution.

Catherine Join-Dieterle has a doctorate in History of Art and is General Curator of Cultural Heritage. A leading fashion specialist, she was head of the Objets d'Art department at the Petit Palais from 1974 to 1988 and was later appointed Director of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris from 1989 to 2010. She has curated numerous exhibitions devoted to fashion, including ‘Robes du soir’ (1990), ‘Givenchy’ (1991), and ‘Marlene Dietrich’ (2003), among many others.

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[marianaillust]

"Malheureusement les qualités de ce cheval étaient si bien cachées sur son poil étrange et son allure incongrue que, dans un temps où tout le monde se connaissait en chevaux, l'apparition du susdit bidet à Meung, où il était entré il y avait un quart d'heure à peu près par Laporte de Beaugency, produisit une sensation dont la défaveur rejaillit jusqu'à son cavalier."

- Les trois présents de M. D'artagnan père, Les Trois Mousquetaires

[ardenrosegarden]

"Powerful in eloquence, shrewd in counsel" was how Bishop Marbode of Rennes described Countess Ermengarde of Brittany in a poem he dedicated to her around 1096. Ermengarde's mother, also named Ermengarde, was Ralph I's sister and daughter of Lancelin II. Her father was Count Fulk IV of Anjou and Ermengarde was raised at his court. Count Fulk IV was one of the most powerful men of his day and established a thriving intellectual center at his court in Angers. It was here that Ermengarde learned the rudiments of lordship, but also encountered many of the important intellectuals and clergy of the time. She married Count Alan IV of Brittany around 1093. Three years later, she found herself solely in charge of the county as he departed on crusade (likely in the company of Ermengarde's uncle, Ralph). Ermengarde ruled Brittany in his absence and did an admirable job of maintaining political stability of a county which was often plagued with internal fighting. Once Alan returned in 1101, they ruled the county together. Ermengarde appears in virtually every comital act from the period 1101 to 1112. Like countesses in other regions, she was present at law courts, settled disputes, oversaw vassals and made gifts to the church. Nor was Ermengarde a mere spectator to these events. The verbs used to describe these rulings and actions are plural verbs indicating that Ermengarde and Alan ruled together. In particular, Ermengarde was valuable in helping Alan maintain cordial relationships with the church. As we know from the Beaugency lords, counts and lords alike depended upon the church to help them provide stability but also to support their authority.

-Amy Livingstone, Medieval Lives c. 1000-1292: The World of the Beaugency Family

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Picturesque old town of Beaugency in Loire Valley, France

[gillesvalery]

BEAUGENCY (Bateau de Loire, quai Dunois) (2)

[paulinedorchester]

The High Holy Days, 1944: Scenes from the liberation of Europe: France

Top, First Lt. Arthur H. Saffe leads Yom Kippur services at the synagogue in Verdun. (He doesn't appear to have been a chaplain, which is perfectly fine; in the end, we don't need no stinkin' chaplain! Also, I really love this photo. The women, whatever their charge may have been, are front and center!)

Below, 329th Infantry personnel at a Rosh Hashanah service held somewhere between Beaugency and Orleans.

From The Jewish Chronicle, September 29th:

("It is estimated that of the 400,000 Jews in France 100,000 have been killed." What no one ever seems to mention is that this is a considerably higher survival rate than was the case in most occupied countries, and that this was accomplished with the help of thousands of non-Jews who took tremendous risks in order to protect their Jewish fellow citizens.)

From the biographical sketch in the finding aid to the Morris N. Kertzer Papers at the American Jewish Archives:

Rabbi Morris Kertzer was born on October 18, 1910 in Cochrane, Ontario. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto and his master’s degree from the University of Illinois. He then studied under Mordecai Kaplan at the Jewish Theological Seminary where he earned a doctorate in Hebrew literature and he was ordained in 1934. Rabbi Kertzer would eventually separate from the Jewish Conservative movement to join the Reform rabbinate. Kertzer served congregations in Illinois, Alabama, and Iowa before joining the army to serve as a Jewish Chaplain in World War II. During World War II Rabbi Kertzer was the only Jewish Chaplain at the Anzio beachhead, earning a bronze star for his services there. He entered Rome shortly after the liberation and spoke at the liberation ceremonies. He also served in Africa as well as Southern and Central France before returning home in 1945. Rabbi Kertzer was active in Jewish-Christian relations, earning the International University of Rome’s Pro Deo Medal for promoting understanding between Catholics and Jews. He traveled internationally lecturing in Italy, Rumania, Japan, Turkey, India, Thailand and Israel. Rabbi Kertzer authored several books including With an “H” on my Dog Tag, his memoirs as military chaplain in World War II, What is a Jew?, (which went into more than 30 printings), Today’s American Jew, Tell me Rabbi, and The Art of Being a Jew. He also published numerous articles. Rabbi Kertzer led the first Jewish delegation to the Soviet Union in 1956 and subsequently won the George Washington Medal for his analysis of the Soviet Union’s anti-Semitism. He served as the national president of the Jewish Military Chaplains Association, he was the national chaplain of Amvets and was the chairman of the social action commission of the Synagogue Council of America (1950’s), secretary of the New York Board of Rabbis (1957-1959), member of the executive board of the CCAR (1964-1966), and trustee of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (1962-1967). He served as Rabbi in Larchmont, then in Riverdale, New York in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He retired in Scottsdale, Arizona where he taught at Mesa Community College, and was a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix. He passed away on December 29, 1983.

[scotianostra]

December 4th 1423  saw Treaty of London, releasing James I from his 18 years captivity in England.

Not so much a treaty, the actually treaty releasing James was The Treaty of Durham,the following March. 

James had been captive in England since pirates boarded the ship carrying him to, what was meant to be the safety of France in 1406, his father Robert III, decided to send wee Jamesie to France – for his own protection, not from the English, but from his uncle Robert, Duke of Albany who was already involved in the death of James brother, David, Duke of Rothesay. So this “treaty” was merely the negotiation of the marriage of James I, King of Scots, to Miss Jane (or Joan) Beaufort, daughter of the Earl of Somerset.

That’s not so say there isn’t a lot to say about it, the background is a great insight into the politics of the time.

James’s progressively increasing importance in England from 1420 accelerated rapidly after Henry V’s death at Vincennes outside Paris on 31st  August 1422. James, who had remained with the English king after the successful capture of Dreux and foray to Beaugency, was in the escort of honour that conveyed the the body back to England for burial at Westminster.

In England, the regents for the child-king, Henry VI, were increasingly concerned for the security of the English grip on their French conquests and news that the earls of Douglas and Buchan were planning further campaigns was deeply worrying. Taking James on campaign to France had clearly done little to deter the Scots from fighting against the English army there, so they looked to a new strategy to neutralise this threat. From early in 1423, they were actively seeking to open negotiations with the Scots to arrange his release. Having James home in Scotland was surely the most effective way to end active Scottish participation in the French wars.

Initially, the Scots seemed little inclined to engage in meaningful negotiations, especially since control of the administration was exercised by James’s cousin, Murdock Stewart, 2nd duke of Albany. Like his father, Duke Robert, before him, Murdock had no reason to hand his rule in Scotland over to James. Unfortunately for him, as political relationships within the kingdom began to shift, with senior nobles ranging from Archibald, 4th earl of Douglas, to Donald MacDonald, lord of the Isles and his son (and from 1423 new lord), Alexander, in direct communication with James and building support at home for a serious diplomatic effort to negotiate his release. In August 1423, they secured agreement in a general council held at Inverkeithing for the appointment of envoys. It was now no longer a question of if but when James would be released.

Back in England, the powerful Beaufort family was manoeuvring to make the maximum from the negotiations. The family’s most influential figures, Henry Beaufort, bishop of Winchester and chancellor of England, and Thomas Beaufort, duke of Exeter, played a leading part in framing the treaty which led to James’s release and secured within it provision for the Scottish king’s marriage to an English bride. It was no accident, of course, that the bride should come from within the Beaufort family.

The choice fell on Bishop Henry and Duke Thomas’s niece, Joan, the daughter of their late brother John, earl of Somerset, and his wife Margaret Holland. It is likely that Joan, who had been born in 1404, was well known to James from his recent years of life at court, but he might well have known her earlier, if she was indeed the muse who inspired his love poem, The Kingis Quair. James seems to have agreed readily to the marriage, no doubt partly because of her Beaufort connections, which he knew would give him a degree of influence within England or, at least, an ear amongst those in power there, but she was also reckoned to be of great beauty and accomplishment, so a catch in many ways.

On 12th February 1424, the couple were married in a splendid ceremony in the priory-church of St Mary Overie, the Beauforts ensured that all expense was spared on the marriage, for rather than provide their niece with a dowry to set her up in style as queen in Scotland, they instead arranged for a discounting of £6,666 of the £40,000 agreed as the cost of James’s release.

Within weeks of the marriage ceremony, James and Joan were heading north for the final negotiations for the king’s return to Scotland. On 28th March at Durham, the treaty – with its dowry deduction – was finally ratified and sealed personally by James. Just eight days later at Melrose Abbey, near the border between Scottish territory and the still English-occupied district around Roxburgh and Jedburgh, the king and queen at last entered their kingdom.

[whencyclopedfr]

Interview: Mode Française sous l'Occupation Allemande (1940-1944)

La France célèbre en 2024, le 80e anniversaire de la Libération (1944) et dans le cadre d’une série de conférences organisées par la Société archéologique et historique de Beaugency, Catherine Join-Dieterle, docteur en histoire de l'art et conservateur général du patrimoine, a donné une conférence passionnante intitulée "La mode en France sous l'Occupation allemande". Dans cet entretien exclusif, Mme Join-Dieterle revient sur ce sujet avec Babeth Étiève-Cartwright, afin que nous puissions en apprendre plus sur un thème qui est vraiment beaucoup moins frivole qu’il n’y paraît.

Lire la suite...

[folichonneries]

[ingeborgd]

Beaugency, Loire og Paris!