A soldier's life on the front and the Swiss borders: celebrating Christmas away from home and yearning for peace and their families.
(Postcards: Collection of the Museum of Cultures, Basel, picture editor Ester Unterfinger)
Away from home Sad Christmases 1914-16
By Ester Unterfinger
"Tea with sugar, 5 cents": a price list that was hung up in all the "soldiers' taverns", a Swiss army institution that was set up in 1914. Despite the name these places did not serve alcohol.
Military postcard for Christmas and New Year on the theme "yearning of the Swiss border soldier for Christmas with his family", Zurich, 1916
Left: military postcard on the theme "Christmas yearning for warmth and security", Geneva, Switzerland, 1916. Right: Christmas card, "The French infantryman as Father Christmas for the people of Alsace", Alsace, France, 1918
'Christmas 1915'. Military postcard, promotional gift from the H. Bahlsen biscuit factory. Design: Julis Diez, Hannover, Germany 1915.
Military postcard for the 6th Division for Christmas, Engadine, canton Graubünden, Switzerland, 1916
New Year's military postcard, Geneva, Switzerland 1916
Postcard "Christmas in the army camp", Switzerland, 1914
Postcard "Christmas in the field". Design: Albert Welti, Switzerland, 1914 (private collection)