Nature and Functions of Humor in Trench Newspapers (1914–1918)

Abstract

Trench newspapers, otherwise known as “trench journals,” “soldiers’ news-papers,” “unit magazines,” or “field publications,” are generally considered a medium of its own kind. During World War I (WWI), they were published within most of the belligerent armies. The estimated number of titles is impressive: at least 107 in the British and Dominion armies,¹ approximately 400 in France,² 110 in Germany,³ and at least 50 in Italy.⁴ For Belgium, Bulthé and Bertrand counted respectively 131 Dutch language titles and 148 French ones.⁵ Measuring the impact of the medium, however, is less easy, since the category comprises a wide variety of publications, ranging from stenciled leaflets intended for small units to printed magazines with print runs of several thousands of copies. Periodicity and life span varied strongly as well. Whereas R. L. Nelson considers the German field publications “an incredibly popular medium, bought and read by millions,”⁶ Audoin-Rouzeau argues that, in France, “the majority of the soldiers could not have come in touch with these journals, or only very occasionally.”⁷