Bataillon Scolaire. Czy historia czegoś nas uczy?
Bataillon Scolaire. Does history teach us anything?

Summary/Abstract: The article recalls a little-known episode in the history of European education,when in reaction to the trauma of the lost war in 1870, France, developing the ideolo-gy of Esprit de revanche (spirit of revenge), established the so-called “School battalions”in which children were trained in military practice, using weapons and shooting. Thematter was treated so seriously that the mass production of fake weapons and uniformswas initiated and the best children’s units participated in parades on the national holiday,along with regular army formations. The “battalions” formed a particular group of Frenchvictims of World War I. The battalions also inspired imitators. The current political situa-tion in Europe and the reassertion of nationalism that is obvious in this context make thehistory of the children’s army a particularly topical warning.

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