In 1914, the breakthrough of German troops in Belgium and the north of France was so rapid that hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing the combat zones were on the roads. In addition, public opinion is alerted by refugees accusing the Germans of committing atrocities, executing civilians, cutting the hands of prisoners so that they can no longer fight and trash houses, castles, churches.

Belgian cities are under sack and fire and civilians are shot. The devastations and war crimes extend to the north of France and the cathedral of Reims is seriously damaged by the German artillery, which arouses the indignation of the public opinion. The civilian populations are relocated "behind". Those displaced between 1914 and 1918 are sometimes referred to as "evacuees", "civilian prisoners" or "returnees".

They will spend four years of war in these areas of adoption where they will sometimes settle permanently.

• Official lists published by the Ministry of the Interior and the Swiss Repatriation Office

Compilation of the nominative lists of evacuees due to war during the First World Conflict