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This collection consists of over a thousand original photographs that provide a wide-ranging visual account of areas along the Macedonian Front during the last phase of World War I. The photographs were taken by Georges Braive, a lieutenant commander of the "Section sanitaire automobile 27" of the Armée d'Orient. They depict vast territories and numerous settlements on the border between modern Albania, Macedonia, and Greece, as well as Thessaloniki, Athens and several other locations; and document military operations, soldiers and officers of the Armée d'Orient, fortifications, landscapes, settlements, civilians, refugees, and scenes of destruction after bombardments or explosions.
There are over 430 loose gelatin silver prints (13 x 18 cm). Most of these include pencil captions by Braive on the verso; over a hundred include ink stamps with "Section Photographique de l'Armée" on versos. Also included are four albums with about 600 photographs (4 x 6.5 cm). Most are copies of the loose prints, though they also contain additional original views and portraits. The majority are numbered in pencil; many are also captioned in pencil or ink on the mounts.
Much of the description for this collection came from information provided by the dealer.
Primarily arranged by geographic location and format.
Open for research.
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under
Purchase,
Acquired with matching funds provided by the Program in Hellenic Studies, with support of the Stanley J. Seeger Hellenic Fund.
No materials were separated during 2017 processing.
This collection was processed by Faith Charlton in October 2017. Finding aid written by Faith Charlton in October 2017. Folder inventory by Fiona Bell '18.
Georges Braive (1884-1963) served on the Macedonian Front as a lieutenant commander of the "Section sanitaire automobile 27" of the Armée d'Orient during World War I. Later, he was employed as an "architecte diplômé par le gouvernement" (DPLG).
Some images of Greece and Thessaloniki include: gun batteries on the Zeppelin (July 1917), three portraits of General Adolphe Guillaumat (1863-1940), taken in Thessaloniki while the Commander of the Allied Army of the Orient (served in December 1917 - June 1918), including a scene of him attending a parade, and a group portrait with Admiral Jean Merveilleux du Vignaux (1865-1930) and General Charles-Antoine Charpy (1869-1941), French floating plane in Thessaloniki harbor, a zeppelin under construction, night fire in Thessaloniki on the 18th August 1917 (the entire city center and overall 32 percent of the city territory was destroyed), Christian and Muslim refugees staying in Thessaloniki churches and mosques, and French troopship "Liamore" in Corfu, among others.
Among views of Northern Greece are photos of town and village panoramas, streets, churches, markets (including portraits of French soldiers buying things from the locals), local peasants, priests, Romani people, a member of the Cretan guard of Eleftherios Venizelos (1864-1936)(on a Florina market), a series of fifteen photos showing Easter celebration in Rakovo in April 1918 (now Kratero, near Florina); top of Mount Kajmakchalan showing the construction of the chapel commemorating Serbian victory over the Bulgarian troops in 1916; railway construction near Ostrovo (Arnissa); celebration of a Macedonian wedding in Klestina, and others.
Other images of Thessaloniki include city panoramas, views of streets and embankments (including views of the Venizelos street before and after August 1917 fire), the White Tower, markets, churches, mosques, local people (vendors, passers-by, children, musicians, and others), two images of the ceremony of the immersion of the Cross in the Thessaloniki harbour featuring Eleftherios Venizelos (1864-1936), a prominent Greek politician and Prime Minister in 1910-20 and 1928-33, and many others.
Includes photos of the following: Vambeli (Moschochori), Mount Kajmakchalan (9/18), Sakulevo (near Florina, 4/18), Ostrovo (Arnissa, 6/17, 4/18), Negokani (Niki, 4/17), Sorovicevo (near Florina, 6/17), Pisoderi (3/17, 7/17), Route de Pisoderi (7/17), Vasilika (1917), Verria (Veria, 1917), Klestina (6/18), Thasos Island, Delphi, Corfu (all dated 1917).
Some photos of Albania show: road construction by women near Zelova, Albanian Komitadjis (rebels) in Korytza (Korçë), festive dancing in Brod, and others.
Includes photos of the following: Kastoria (1917), Plajsa (Placë, 8/17), Kapistica (8/17), Trnovo (8-10/17), Congonj (Cangonj, 8/17), Zvezda (Zvezdë, 7/17), Borova (Borove, 9/18), Prodgorie (8/17), German, Laisica, Pustec, Zemlac (Zëmblak).
Some images of Macedonia include over twenty views of Monastir (now Bitola; show ruins after bombardment, Turkish arsenal, military barracks, Turkish cemetery and mosque, et al.), photos of a wedding and Easter celebrations in Obstrina, wedding celebration in Sveta Petka, various agricultural operations (i.e. drying and beating of the corn), and others.
Includes photos of the following: Grod (6/17), Sveta Petka (6/18), Mont Seganska (6/18), Zivonja (4/17), Slivica (4-7/17), Rula (7/17), Orizari-Celtiksi (4/18), Trajko-Cesme (1/18), Greznica (7/17), Obstrina (1918), Ciabresh
Some scenes from the Macedonian Front proper include: encampments of the "Section sanitaire automobile 27" where Braive served (in Obstrina, Brod, and other places); the Allied trenches and encampments on the front line with soldiers and officers posing to the camera (including African soldiers from the French Foreign Legion, soldiers going in an attack, portrait of a soldier living in a wheat basket, and others); a series of views of the roads and communications (including a cableway near Gnilés, Crna River valley); Red Cross nurses; a bridge exploded by the Bulgarian army on retreat; a review of Serbian soldiers by a general; graves of French soldiers; oxen-driven carts (some carrying wounded soldiers); truck convoys (with a series of photos showing cars stuck in mud and water, broken or burned); military boats being transported to Lake Ohrid (Macedonian-Albanian border); a crashed plane near Bilisht; a military camel convoy; Bulgarian prisoners of war repairing the road; mules transporting munitions; Macedonian refugees going on roads laden with their belongings; and the burial of a local child killed in a bombing; among many others.
Some captions and numbers are included. Some locations include: Slivica, Skocivir, Albania, Borova, Bikilsta, Rula, Armenoko, Smrdes, and Pogradec.
Include numbers 4-232; no captions.
Numbers range from 233-400s (some overlap with Album #2); no captions.
Captioned and numbered (in the 1000's). Some locations include: Smrdes, Salonique, Korytza, Bikilsta, Zeliva, Vodena, Rula, and Obstrina.