Christian Brothers As Diplomats and Advocates

A Christian Brother saves a French citizen from being shot by Prussian troops.

An engraving by Charles LaPlante after a work by Paul Philippoteaux, ca. 1872

The Brother Director of Beauregard goes before the Prussian General to plead on behalf of the inhabitants of Thionville.

Within six weeks of the start of the war, the French had been routed by the Prussians, leaving French villagers at the mercy of the Prussian troops. This engraving illustrates an incident related in the book "Les Frères Chrétiennes Pendant la Guerre 1870-1871," in which a Christian Brother arrives just in time to save a farmer from execution. The farmer was accused of aiding French troops. The engraving shows the Brother throwing himself between the Prussians and the defiant farmer, while villagers are held back by the Prussian soldiers.

The scene below shows the leader of the Christian Brothers in Thionville proceeding through the Prussian camp blindfolded for a diplomatic meeting. The Brother Director sought an audience with the Prussian General to ask his permission for the Christian Brothers to give their house as shelter to the women and children of Thionville during the Prussian bombardment.