The Musée de la Poste presents the exhibition "War and Post: The Extraordinary Everyday Life of the French in Times of War, 1870 to 1945" from 29 October 2007 to 15 March 2008. More than 600 objects and documents and 20 original drawings by Tardi evoke the daily life of the French during the last three conflicts to mark France (the wars of 1870-1871, 1914-1918 and 1939-1945) with an approach that is resolutely human, but also postal.
"War and Post" is an opportunity to remind visitors of the essential role played by the postal service in war time, a time of absence and a time of hoping for better days…and news. Maintaining the mail link is not only an act of strategic importance. Correspondence is essential to interrupting the waiting of daily life. The purpose of the exhibition is to highlight the particular role the postal service played during times of war from two points of view: institutional and emotional. The extraordinary methods put in place to convey written messages under extraordinary conditions are presented. However, the exhibition also showcases the correspondents themselves—solders and families—to gain insight into the way they perceived the world immediately surrounding them. The letters, whose content is revealed through audio devices, punctuate a visit that blends historical postal service objects and items used in daily life. Hands-on displays are integrated into the exhibition’s layout.
Exhibition-related special events are being offered: "Secret Messages" workshop and guided tours for families.
A catalogue is being published in partnership with Casterman (with reproductions of Tardi’s drawings).
Exhibition partners: Casterman; Nathan; France Bleu Ile-de-France; Historia; Ministry of Defense SGa Department of Remembrance, Heritage and Archives; ECPAD (Communications and Audiovisual Production Office for Defense).
Practical information:
Musée de la Poste
34 Bd de Vaugirard – 75015 PARIS
Tel: 01 42 79 24 24
Nearest Metro station: Montparnasse Bienvenüe
www.museedelaposte.fr
Open every day except Sundays and bank holidays
Hours of operation: 10 am to 6 pm
Admission: € 6.50, Reduced rate: € 5
Free for visitors under the age of 13
Press contact
Marie-Anne TEULAT
Tel: 01 42 79 23 29
marie-anne.teulat@laposte.fr
Images available on request
Exhibition curator
Patrick MARCHAND
Tel: 01 42 79 23 30
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