Marthe Pichorel

Overview

Marthe Pichorel (née Collard) born Cherbourg, France August 10, 1878 (d. 1968). Militant pacifist; French syndicalist leader of teachers. Fired as teacher for pacifism, 1917. Condemned wartime “blind hatred” of the enemy, prophesying ill future; signed women’s manifesto against World War II, 1938.

Quotations

“I am convinced that women can do much for the abolition of war, and they will fight with all their strength and all their activity to achieve this goal, because, more than men, they have the horror of these bloody battles, bloody [events which] crush the hearts of mothers and wives. So let us work to waste no time to work: the work is arduous and delicate, but we will never fail!” (appeal on eve of WWI, L'Action Féministe (Laxou-lès-Nancy)-Gallica; photo yves.cordelle.free.fr)