1915 WWI Reims Cathedral France Vintage Postcard

About This Vintage Postcard

This somber monochrome postcard documents the severe structural damage inflicted upon the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims (Our Lady of Reims) during World War I. The image captures the northern tower's shattered upper turrets and missing stone columns, a direct result of the relentless German artillery fire that plagued the city between 1914 and 1918. Historically known as the site of the coronation of French kings, the cathedral became a primary target early in the conflict; a massive fire on September 19, 1914, ignited by shelling, melted the building's 400-tonne lead roof. This specific view, numbered 42 in a documentary series, was widely disseminated to symbolize the impact of the war on European cultural heritage.

Details

Era: Divided Back (1915–1918)
City: Reims (Rheims)
State or Region: Marne, Grand Est
Country: France
Topic: WWI War Damage, Reims Cathedral, Gothic Architecture Ruins, French National Heritage
Condition: Uncirculated
Postage: None
Address Side: divided back
Orientation: Vertical (Portrait)
Artist / Photographer: Unknown
Publisher: J. Bienaimé, Reims (No. 42)
Printer: Phototypie J. Bienaimé, Reims
Print Type: Collotype

Additional Information

The manufacturing date for this card is narrowed to 1915–1918. This is confirmed by the Phototypie J. Bienaimé, Reims imprint on the reverse. Jules Bienaimé was a prominent local publisher who remained in the besieged city throughout the war to document the destruction, often working under heavy fire. Unlike cards produced after the war for tourists, this edition was printed during the conflict itself, as indicated by the simple, utilitarian layout of the reverse side and the absence of postwar decorative logos. The cathedral sustained nearly 300 shell hits during the war, and Bienaimé's series provided the world with immediate visual evidence of the damage. Restoration of the site was a massive international effort that only began in earnest in 1919 after the armistice.

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