A look back at a cruel conflict, the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), which changed the political geography of Europe and sowed the seeds of a deep antagonism between France and Germany that culminated in two world wars. Excerpts from the diaries of the witnesses, photographs and painted panoramas tell the truth about a forgotten war.
Geneviève Bréton, a 20-year-old woman belonging to the Parisian intellectual bourgeoisie, recounts in her diary the siege of the city from September 1870 to January 1871.
Considered one of the first war correspondents, the British journalist William Howard Russell was sent to the Prussian General Staff by the London Times to cover the war. From the Battle of Bazeilles in August 1870 until the proclamation of the German Empire at Versailles after the French defeat in January 1871, his observations depict the cruelty of the conflict for both military and civilians.
Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Bronsart von Schellendorff greatly contributed to the success of the army of the Prussian King William I. He also led the preliminary negotiations for the surrender of the French in Sedan. In his secret war diary, he recounted his daily life with almost scientific precision.
