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Georges Braive World War I Photographs of the Macedonian Front
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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
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).
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.
Purchase, 2017 (AM 2018-26).
Acquired with matching funds provided by the Program in Hellenic Studies, with support of the Stanley J. Seeger Hellenic Fund.
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
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.
No materials were separated during 2017 processing.
Organization
Subject
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Author
- Faith Charlton
- Finding Aid Date
- 2017
- Access Restrictions
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Open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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Collection Inventory
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.
Physical Description1 box
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).
Physical Description1 folder
1 box
1 folder
1 folder
1 box
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 box
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Some photos of Albania show: road construction by women near Zelova, Albanian Komitadjis (rebels) in Korytza (Korçë), festive dancing in Brod, and others.
Physical Description2 boxes
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).
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
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.
Physical Description1 box
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
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
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.
Physical Description2 folders
1 folder
2 boxes
Some captions and numbers are included. Some locations include: Slivica, Skocivir, Albania, Borova, Bikilsta, Rula, Armenoko, Smrdes, and Pogradec.
Physical Description1 folder
Include numbers 4-232; no captions.
Physical Description1 folder
Numbers range from 233-400s (some overlap with Album #2); no captions.
Physical Description1 folder
Captioned and numbered (in the 1000's). Some locations include: Smrdes, Salonique, Korytza, Bikilsta, Zeliva, Vodena, Rula, and Obstrina.
Physical Description1 folder