Refugees: A Continent in Motion

France became Europe's primary refugee destination, hosting millions fleeing combat zones. Belgian refugees, arriving from August 1914, numbered 1.5 million at peak. French communities, initially welcoming, grew resentful as refugees competed for jobs and resources. The government dispersed Belgians throughout France, preventing concentration in border regions.

Belgian refugees maintained distinct communities. Schools taught in Flemish and French, newspapers published Belgian news, and Catholic organizations preserved religious traditions. Yet integration occurred through shared suffering. Belgian men enlisted in French forces, women worked in war industries, children attended French schools. Henri Davignon, Belgian writer exiled in Nice, observed: "We came as foreigners fleeing German barbarism. We leave as part of France's suffering family."

Serbian refugees, evacuated through Albania after their country's collapse, arrived in desperate condition. 150,000 Serbian soldiers and civilians reached France via Corfu and North Africa. The Serbian government-in-exile operated from Bordeaux. Serbian soldiers, re-equipped by France, fought on the Salonika front. Their presence created unexpected cultural exchanges—Serbian Orthodox churches appeared in French cities, Serbian restaurants introduced Balkan cuisine.

Russian refugees, initially military personnel from the Russian Expeditionary Force, increased dramatically after the 1917 Revolution. White Russians, fleeing Bolshevism, established communities that would persist for decades. Paris became a center of Russian exile culture—newspapers, schools, churches, and cabarets preserved pre-revolutionary traditions. French authorities, fearing revolutionary contagion, monitored Russian communities closely.

Armenian refugees, survivors of genocide, arrived in smaller numbers but left lasting impact. Marseille became a major Armenian center. These refugees, skilled artisans and merchants, integrated successfully while maintaining cultural identity. The Armenian church in Paris, consecrated in 1924, symbolized permanent presence born from tragedy.