Consigned to Oblivion: Rehabilitation of First World War Disabled Veterans in Portugal (1917–1927)

Abstract

The First World War is known for its use of advanced weaponry, which caused massive injuries. Over 8,000 Portuguese soldiers who had fought in the African and European theatres of war returned home with a disability. Through a qualitative analysis of archival data, newspaper articles, and legislation, this article examines what was done for these disabled veterans in Portugal between 1917 and 1927, drawing comparisons with similar situations in other countries. As it will be noted, voluntary organisations and the State took limited measures to rehabilitate disabled ex-servicemen, who were consigned to oblivion.

Keywords:

• Great War
• Portugal
• maimed soldiers
• re-education
• disabled war veterans

Notes

1 J. Pontes, Mutilados portugueses, narrativas de guerra e estudos de reeducação (Lisboa: Guimarães e Cª, 1918), 56–8.

2 Note: historical terminology concerning disability is used in this article. J. Bourke, Dismembering the Male: Men’s Bodies, Britain, and the Great War (London: Reaktion Press and Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996); D. Cohen, The War Come Home: Disabled Veterans in Britain and Germany, 1914–1939 (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001), 1.

3 P. Verstraete, M. Salvante and J. Anderson, ‘Commemorating the disabled soldier: 1914–1940’, First World War Studies, 6:1 (2015), 1–4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19475020.2015.1047464 [accessed 12 Jan. 2017].

4 W. J. Gagen, ‘Remastering the Body, Renegotiating Gender: Physical Disability and Masculinity during the First World War, the Case of J. B. Middlebrook’, European Review of History: Revue européenne d’histoire, 14:4 (2007), 525–41, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13507480701752169 [accessed 12 Jan. 2017]; A. Carden-Coyne, The Politics of Wounds: Military Patients and Medical Power in the First World War (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014), 341–2.

5 Cohen, 2–12.

6 M. Salvante, ‘“Thanks to the Great War the blind gets the recognition of his ability to act”: the rehabilitation of blinded servicemen in Florence’, First World War Studies, 6:1 (2015), 21–35 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19475020.2015.1047892 [accessed 12 Jan. 2017].

7 M. Price, ‘Bodies and Souls: The rehabilitation of Maimed Soldiers in France and Germany during the First World War’ (PhD dissertation, Stanford University, 1998) In ProQuest Digital Dissertations [database on-line]; https://search.proquest.com/docview/304455312?accountid=28004 [accessed 2 Feb. 2017].

8 Casa Pia was a Portuguese secular institution founded in 1780 by Pina Manique under the reign of Maria I to educate orphans and to rehabilitate beggars and idlers through work: C. P. Ribeiro, ‘Os Outros… A casa Pia de Lisboa como espaço de inclusão da diferença’ (PhD dissertation, Universidade do Porto, 2009).

9 S. Correia, ‘Políticas da memória da I Guerra Mundial em Portugal 1918–1933: entre a experiência e o mito’ (PhD dissertation, FCSH-UNL, 2010).

10 A. Afonso and C. de M. Gomes, Portugal e a Grande Guerra 1914–1918 (Vila do Conde: Verso da História, 2013), 103–6; 140–9; 522.

11 Ibid., 320, 374–7, 444–52.

12 Portuguese troops arrived in France from February 1917 onwards but these statistics only started in the following month. Most of the troops returned to Portugal between March and May 1919, although April is the last month mentioned: Serviços de Estatística e Estado Civil do CEP, Livro de Estatística do CEP, PT/AHM/DIV1/35/1401/6.

13 People from Angola and Mozambique were also engaged in the Portuguese army but were rarely mentioned in statistics, especially on disability: Afonso and Gomes, 522.

14 Post-war government statistics were not always considered objective. In the case of France, the problem was underlined by Antoine Prost when he analysed the number of war victims and disabled veterans: A. Prost, ‘I. Démographie : anciens combattants et victimes de guerre dans la population française’, in Les anciens combattants et la société française 1914–1939, Tome II : Sociologie (Paris: Presses de Sciences Po, 1977), 3–27.

15 John Horne mentioned 8,000,000 disabled veterans worldwide, 750,000 from Great Britain and 1,500,000 from Germany. In France, in 1922, over 1,100,000 veterans received a disability pension: J. Horne, ‘The living’, in The Cambridge History of the First World War, ed. by Jay Winter, volume III Civil Society (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014), 600; Prost, 19.

16 ‘Os mutilados e inválidos da guerra procuraram ontem ser recebidos pela comissão encarregada de codificar toda a legislação sobre o assunto’, Unknown Newspaper (1926), PT/TT/MI-DGAPC/2/706/310; L. Além, ‘Mutilados e inválidos, os 10,000 parasitas da verdadeira Leva da Morte’, Unknown Newspaper (1926), PT/TT/MI-DGAPC/2/694/213.

17 J. G. C. Melo, Mutilados da Guerra e Acidentados de trabalho: da Reeducação Profissional (Coimbra: Casa Tipográfica de Alves & Mourão, 1923), 25–7.

18 C. P. Ribeiro, ‘Os heróis que a Guerra invalidou… reeducar o soldado no Instituto de Mutilados de Santa Isabel (1917–1921)’, Revista da Faculdade de Letras História, III série, vol. 9 (2008), 315.

19 See Revue interalliée pour l’étude des questions intéressant les mutilés de la guerre http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb43649608b [accessed 9 May 2018].

20 The Institut Nationale Professionnel des Invalides de la Guerre, the Laboratoire des recherches sur le travail professionnel au Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers and Val de Grâce re-educational section. Ribeiro, ‘Os heróis…’, 316–21.

21 After its opening, disabled veterans did not stay longer than a fortnight at Saint Isabel’s. ‘Decreto nº3.751’, Diário do Governo, 12 (1918), 35–6.

22 Ribeiro, ‘Os heróis…’, 322–25.

23 This situation was not unique to Portugal, as other media worked on the image of disabled war veterans.

24 Livro de Actas da sub-comissão técnica, Acta nº1, 19.11.1919, PT/AHM/DIV1/35/442/3.

25 ‘Ouvindo “alguém!”’, Vítimas da guerra “… e cuidar dos vivos”, 59 (1933), 3.

26 Pontes, 56–8.

27 Ibid., 73–8.

28 Ibid., 24; Boletim individual de E. Duarte, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35A/2/14/12623; Instituto Medico-Pedagógico da Casa Pia de Lisboa, Wounded of the war at the Institute of Sta Izabel (Lisboa: Imprensa Libanio da Silva, 1918), 18–21.

29 Usually, disabled veterans were allowed to go back home during two or three months to verify if they had been able to adapt to the prosthesis: Pontes, 131.

30 Instituto Medico-Pedagógico da Casa Pia de Lisboa, 22–5.

31 Pontes, 29–33, 190; Boletim individual de N. Robalo, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35A/2/11/09170.

32 Pontes, 54, 60; Boletim individual de J. Duarte, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35A/2/02/009981.

33 Pontes, 139–41; Boletim individual de J. da Costa, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35A/2/16/14428.

34 Pontes, 10, 36–8; Boletim individual de J. Vieira, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35A/2/14/12081.

35 Also according to Ribeiro, he also received a donation from D. Emília Bensaúde of 2.500 escudos, which allowed him to buy a house and some land: C. P. Ribeiro, ‘Os Outros’, 335.

36 Army statistics mention a reduced number of Portuguese blind veterans, around 20, and only two of these were completely blind. They were entitled to a disability pension, even if they were only partially blind. This low figure did not permit the creation of specific rehabilitation institutions or associations for blind veterans, as in other countries: letter from Doctor Artur Eugénio de Almeida e Silva to the Portuguese War Minister, 03.03.1919, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35/1275/07.

37 Pontes, 17–22; Boletim individual de M. F. Sequeira, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35A/2/02/01132.

38 Pontes, 52.

39 Pontes, 89.

40 Ibid., 108–9; Boletim individual de M. C. Melo, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35A/2/16/14083.

41 From 1918 onwards, in addition to the retirement pension, disabled veterans were entitled to a disability pension if they had a disability of at least 20 per cent: ‘Decreto nº4.868’, Diário do Governo, 217 (1918), 1753–4.

42 Livro de Actas das Sessões da Comissão de Estudo das Condições de Reforma e Pensões Temporárias e Assistência a Fornecer aos Mutilados da Guerra, Acta nº2, 24.11.1919, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35/442/3.

43 ‘Decreto nº4.154’, Diário do Governo, 89, (1918), 517.

44 Livro de Actas das Sessões.

45 Ribeiro, ‘Os heróis…’, 330.

46 PT/AHM/DIV/1/35/1275/07.

47 In March 1916, after the declaration of war, a group of women from the Portuguese high society created the Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesas. The wife of the President of the Republic was among its members. With different commissions, this female organisation aimed at supporting soldiers that had been sent to the front and their families through different activities, namely by distributing clothes and donations, by creating day care centres or having wartime godmothers: Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesas (Comissão de Propaganda e Organização de Trabalho), Relatório e contas apresentadas à Assembleia Geral de 9 de Março de 1917, Gerencia de 1916 a 1917 (Lisboa: n.ed., 1917); Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesas, Comissão de Assistência aos Filhos dos Militares Mobilisados ou em Campanha, Relatorio e Contas, Gerencia de 1917 a 1918 (Lisboa: n.ed., 1918).

48 The Crusade’s political bonds with the President of the Portuguese Republic were not always positive, due to political changes. As a consequence, the Institute of Arroios was managed by the Minister of War between January 1918 and March 1920: Correia, ‘Políticas da memória’, 100–113.

49 C. P. Ribeiro, ‘Os “maluquinhos” de Arroios… A reeducação dos mutilados da Guerra no Instituto de Arroios (1916/1923)’, Revista Portuguesa de História, XLV (2014), 69–94.

50 Melo, 27.

51 T. de Lemos, A Reeducação Profissional dos nossos Mutilados de Guerra (Lisboa: Comissão de Enfermagem da Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesas, 1918), 46–9.

52 Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesa, Instituto de Arroios, Terminada a Guerra, a obra de reeducação dos mutilados da guerra. Sua integração na vida social (resultados obtidos. O que é preciso fazer) (Lisboa: A Americana, 1920), 16–22.

53 PT/AHM/DIV/1/35/1486.

54 Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesas, Instituto de Arroios, Mutilados de Guerra, Relatório da 3ª Secção (reeducação profissional) (Lisboa: Tip. Lusitania, 1921), 8.

55 Ibid., 33–8.

56 Ibid., 39–40.

57 Ibid., 17; Livro de Actas das Sessões.

58 ‘O Instituto para Reeducação dos Mutilados de Guerra’, O Mutilado, 14 (1921), 6.

59 ‘Depois da tormenta’, Vítimas da Guerra “… e cuidar dos vivos”, 76 (1933), 1, 3; Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesas, Boletim Mensal nº7 (Lisboa: Secretaria da Cruzada, 1921), 149–50.

60 Melo, 51.

61 Actas da Direcção, Pasta 2, Arquivo da Liga dos Combatentes – Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesas.

62 Price, 77.

63 This newspaper was published between July 1920 and April 1921 with only fourteen issues. Directed by Alberto Baptista Alvares and edited by António Augusto Barnabé, it was partially financed by publicity and subscriptions. The newspaper informed the maimed on their rights and demands and did not hesitate to criticise the Portuguese state or rehabilitation institutes.

64 ‘A quem competir providenciar’, O Mutilado, 2 (1920), 3.

65 ‘Decreto nº4.868’, Diário do Governo, 217 (1918), 1753–4.

66 Correia, ‘Políticas da memória’, 114–38.

67 Liga dos Combatentes da Grande Guerra, Relatório das Gerências de 1923 a 1928 (Lisboa: Imprensa da Armada, 1929), 34; ‘Justiça!’, Vítimas da Guerra “… e cuidar dos vivos”, 10 (1931), 4; ‘Porquê?’, Vítimas da Guerra “… e cuidar dos vivos”, 11 (1931), 1; Clipping on First World War disabled veterans, Library of the Combatants League in Lisbon.

68 L. de Gusmão, Visão da guerra (Lisboa: Emp. Nac. de Publicidade, 1932), 293–4.

69 Z, ‘A situação dos inválidos de guerra’, Unknown newspaper, 8.04.1925, PT/TT/MI-DGAPC/2/692/164.

70 Relatório da Comissão de Estudo das Condições de Reforma e Pensões Temporárias e Assistência a Fornecer aos Mutilados da Guerra, 20.3.1920, PT/AHM/DIV/1/35/442/3; Pontes, 7–8; Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesas, Boletim Mensal nº 2 (Lisboa: Secretaria da Cruzada, 1921), 28; Clipping on First World War disabled veterans.

71 ‘Triste situação’, O Mutilado, 2 (1920), 1.

72 ‘Lei nº993’, Diário do Governo, 134 (1920), 873.

73 ‘Lei nº1.128’, Diário do Governo, 57 (1921), 339.

74 Military men who wanted to remain in service could also find a suitable position in the army if their disability was between 20 and 70 per cent: ‘Lei nº1.170’, Diário do Governo, 105 (1921), 750–2.

75 Cruzada das Mulheres Portuguesas, Boletim Mensal nº 1 (Lisboa: Secretaria da Cruzada, 1921), 12.

76 Letter from the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance to the Exchequer, 27.05.1921, PT/TT/MF-SG/001-66/18081.

77 Vítimas da Guerra “… e cuidar dos vivos”, 11 (1931), 1.

78 ‘A lei nº933’, O Mutilado, 1 (1920), 3.

79 ‘Mais uma lei’, O Mutilado, 10 (1921), 1.

80 E. Mata and N. Valério, ‘Capítulo X: a época das guerras e das crises’ in História Económica de Portugal, uma perspectiva global (Lisboa: Editorial Presença, 1993), 181-7; J. da S. Lopes, ‘Capítulo 8: Finanças públicas’, in História Económica de Portugal 1700–2000, ed. by Pedro Lains and Álvaro Ferreira da Silva, vol. III O Século XX (Lisboa: ICS, 2005), 267–9.

81 J. do Monte, ‘Inválidos de Guerra, elementos subsidiários para a solução das questões que lhes interessam’, Vítimas da guerra “… e cuidar dos vivos”, 43 (1933), 2.

82 S. B. Correia, ‘The veterans’ movement and First World War memory in Portugal (1918–33): between the Republic and Dictatorship’, European Review of History: Revue européenne d’histoire, 19:4 (2012), 534–535, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13507486.2012.697872 [accessed 12 Jan. 2017].

83 ‘Um dever’, Vítimas da guerra “… e cuidar dos vivos”, 101 (1934), 1.

84 ‘O Congresso dos Mutilados e Inválidos da Guerra’, A Guerra, 1 (1926), 13. ‘O 1º Congresso dos Mutilados e Inválidos da Guerra inaugurado na Sala dos Capelos da Universidade de Coimbra’, A Guerra, 2 (1926), 13–17.

85 ‘II Congresso dos Combatentes portugueses (circular)’, Vítimas da guerra “… e cuidar dos vivos”, 1 (1930), 2.

86 Carden-Coyne, ‘Ungrateful Bodies’, 551–8.

87 Carden-Coyne, The Politics of Wounds, 342–50.

88 Prost, 16, 26.

89 Horne, 601; Cohen, 4–5.

90 Horne, 601; M. Kowalsky, ‘“This Honourable Obligation”: The King’s National Roll Scheme for Disabled Ex-Servicemen 1915–1944’, European Review of History: Revue européenne d’histoire, 14:4 (2007), 567–84, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13507480701752201 [accessed 12 January 2017].

91 J.-C. Fichou, ‘De l’irrationalité de la loi de 1923 sur l’emploi des mutilés de guerre dans le service des Phares et Balises’, Annales de Bretagne et des Pays de l’Ouest, 121 :1 (2014), 150, http://abpo.revues.org/2737 [accessed 27 March 2016]; P. Sofia, ‘La blessure et la mutilation des combattants dans les affiches françaises de 1914–1918’, Matériaux pour l’histoire de notre temps, 103 (2011), 53.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Helena da Silva

Helena da Silva is currently working on the project ‘Medical and Healthcare services in the First World War: the case of the Portuguese soldiers during and after the Great War (1914–1960)’ at the Institute of Contemporary History (IHC-NOVA-FCSH) in Lisbon. She holds a PhD in History from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (France) and by the Universidade do Minho (Portugal) with a thesis on nursing history. She has published several articles on these topics.