Private Life (France)

Abstract : The war radically disrupted the private lives of French families who were practically all affected by the departure of a loved one for the frontlines. The ensuing economic, social and intimate disruptions are particularly visible when we look at the relationships of couples. This article examines the conjugal ties created while couples were separated by the war. It addresses the government measures aimed at couples separated by the war; the economic upheaval and reorganization required of families; and the reinvention of marital relations forged almost exclusively through correspondence.