Sphere cover - Germans leave French village, 1918
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Sphere cover - Germans leave French village, 1918
Ruckwarts (meaning backward-going) - the Long March of Grey Uniforms towards the Rhine. A scene drawn by The Sphere special artist Fortunino Matania, showing German soldiers leaving a French village after four years of occupation, while the French inhabitants watch their departure silently but scornfully. Among them are a gaunt old man, a girl, an old woman making the sign of the Cross in thankfulness for her deliverance from German rule and a small boy with a wooden gun - young France in judgment on the ancient foe. Date: 1918
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Media ID 14167206
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Backward Civilians Days Departure Fortunino Germans Hundred Inhabitants Leave Leaving Matania Occupation Retreat Retreating Sphere Villagers
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image, titled "Ruckwarts: The Long March of Grey Uniforms towards the Rhine," was drawn by renowned special artist Fortunino Matania for The Sphere magazine in 1918. The scene depicts the departure of German soldiers from a French village after four long years of occupation during World War I. The villagers, represented by a gaunt old man, a girl, an old woman, and a small boy with a wooden gun, watch the soldiers' retreat with a mixture of relief and scorn. The old woman makes the sign of the Cross in gratitude for their deliverance from German rule. The title "Ruckwarts" translates to "backward" in English, symbolizing the Germans' departure from the occupied lands. The image captures the historical significance of the 100 Days Campaign, a series of battles fought between August and November 1918, which led to the end of the war and the expulsion of the German army from France. This poignant illustration offers a glimpse into the emotional aftermath of the war and the determination of the French people to reclaim their land and their lives.
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