Elvira Aldao de Díaz, an Argentine Reporter of the First World War
Abstract
This article examines the observations of the Argentine writer, Elvira Aldao de Díaz (1858-1950), on World War I during her stay in Paris. Using a perspective grounded in the cultural history of war and through a discursive analysis of her two texts on the conflict, Horas de guerra y horas de paz (1923) and París 1914-1919, impresiones (1926), my work analyzes Aldao’s vision of European society during the war and its effects on Argentina. With a style that combines personal impressions and interviews, the author assumes the position of an observer oscillating between tourist curiosity and journalistic investigation, approaching the profile of a war reporter. Her writings reflect the political and intellectual divisions in Argentina between the pro-Allies (aliadófilos) and pro-Germans (germanófilos), and they explore the cultural and political dimensions of the war with a particular focus on women’s lives. Aldao highlights the prominent role of women in the war, paying particular attention to the “war godmothers” (madrinas de guerra) and the donneuses d’eau. Her observations provide valuable insights into the social dynamics and gender divisions of the turn-of-the-century period. Horas de guerra y horas de paz and París 1914-1919, impresiones represent a significant contribution to war literature, especially from the perspective of foreign women documenting conflicts from the social and national margins.Downloads
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