The authorities did not think the war would last long. As a result, solidarity networks for the poor first formed informally based on the model of 19th-century charities at the initiative of private philanthropists and sponsors. The social elite often involved the same individuals as the political elite, and charities began to surface in every one of the twenty administrative divisions or arrondissements. Here, we offer a small sampling of the many charities, with various purposes and recipients, that connected the areas of the capital and appealed to Parisians’ generosity.
Refugees being welcomed onto a river barge
Charles Lansiaux created a series of photographs of the river barges lined up along the Quai de la Gare to offer shelter to homeless refugees. The result was a veritable village that included dormitories, an infirmary, kitchens, a dining hall, and a classroom.
Photograph, February 1915
