"Honest men, what would you like to eat: čompe or polenta?"

Everyday Provisions in life behind the front line in the Bovec region between 1915 and 1917

Abstract

The outbreak of the war between Austria-Hungary and Italy dramatically changed the lives of people on the border with Italy. Only three towns remained partly populated in the Bovec area after the evacuation from the war zone. Life in this area became immensely difficult between 1915-1917 because the military had commandeered all usable areas in the hinterland, and the population had to be resourceful to survive with their traditional farming habits. The defining feature of life during the war was food scarcity. Some people relied on government support; others thought of alternative ways to survive. Various forms of trade formed part of everday life in the Bovec hinterland. Regular interaction between the military and civilians in some cases touched on the intimate sphere. Warnings and bans were in vain, and many illegitimate children were born. Life in the hinterland thus mostly revolved around the supply chain, which often separated life from death.