N°31 : War Lace. Making Lace to Survive the First World War

Lace is an important part of the Belgian cultural heritage.

During the First World War, humanitarian organisations supported the Belgian lace industry. A young mother, an amateur, even started this activity to cope with the terrible events. The lace produced at that time became known as “war lace”. Its unique iconography refers directly to the conflict.

Wendy Wiertz reveals how lace-making became a means of survival for professional and novice lace-makers during the war. She reveals for us the link between the women’s lives, their craft, the production of lace and the preservation of self, community and nation.