Cross-dressed French prisoner of war postcards, 1915?-1916 November 9.
Collection Number: 7795
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
Cross-dressed French prisoner of war postcards, 1915?-1916 November 9.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
7795
Abstract:
Photographic postcards of French soldiers held as prisoners of war in German internment
camps during World War I. Two of the postcards have "Kriegsgefangenensendung" (prisoner
of war communication) and the name of the internment camp, the Neues Lager at Königsbruck
in Saxony, printed on the back. Both are dated and addressed from René Bossion, a
member of the 4th Infantry Batallion, one addressed to Albert Bossion and one to Marie
Louise Bossion in Lorient, France, but neither card bears a stamp or postmark. The
soldiers may have been appearing in a theatrical of the sort that was common at the
front. Both are cross-dressed in conservative clothing. The other two postcards, blank
on the back, clearly depict scenes from theatricals presented by French prisoners
of war interned at a camp in Münster, Germany. The shows featured painted backdrops
and elaborate costumes, with all the female roles played by cross-dressed men. One
of the postcards portrays a scene from "Les deux canards."
Creator:
Koskovich, Gerard
Bossion, René.
Bossion, Albert.
Bossion, Marie Louise.
Quanitities:
4 items.
Language:
Collection material in German
Written by Tristan Bernard (1866-1947), the play "Les deux canards" is a comedy about
battling right-wing and left-wing newspapers secretly overseen by the same editor.
It was first produced in Paris in December 1913. When it was reprised in Paris in
2008, media reports incorrectly indicated that it hadn't been presented again since
the original production.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Cross-Dressed French Prisoner of War Postcards, #7795. Division of Rare and Manuscript
Collections, Cornell University Library.
Photographic postcards of French soldiers held as prisoners of war in German internment
camps during World War I. Two of the postcards have "Kriegsgefangenensendung" (prisoner
of war communication) and the name of the internment camp, the Neues Lager at Königsbruck
in Saxony, printed on the back. Both are dated November 9, 1916 and addressed from
René Bossion, a member of the 4th Infantry Batallion, one addressed to Albert Bossion
and one to Marie Louise Bossion in Lorient, France, but neither card bears a stamp
or postmark. The soldiers shown on the front of the postcards may have been appearing
in a theatrical of the sort that was common at the front. Both are cross-dressed in
conservative clothing.
The other two postcards, blank on the back, clearly depict scenes from theatricals
presented by French prisoners of war interned at a camp in Münster, Germany. The
shows featured painted backdrops and elaborate costumes, with all the female roles
played by cross-dressed men. One of the postcards portrays a scene from "Les deux
canards."
Names:
Bernard, Tristan, 1866-1947. (Title of work: Deux canards..)
France. Armée. Bataillon de chasseurs à pied, 4ème
Subjects:
World War, 1914-1918 -- Prisoners and prisons, German.
Soldiers -- Germany -- Portraits.
Transvestism -- Germany.
Prisoners of war -- Germany.
Prisoners of war -- France.
CONTAINER LIST
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Container
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Description
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Date
|
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| Single Folder |
4 photographic postcards of cross-dressed French soldiers
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1916-1945 | |