A Biribi 1891

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made this print “A Biribi”, which includes musical notation, at an unknown date. Biribi was the nickname for a disciplinary battalion located in French North Africa. Steinlen’s image depicts a column of soldiers on the march, and the lyrics describe an experience of misery and brutality. The soldiers endure hunger, hard labour, and ultimately death. Biribi was part of a wider colonial project of France. Its expansion into North Africa, including Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco, was motivated by economic interests, strategic concerns, and national prestige. By the late nineteenth century, the French colonial project was under pressure. Anti-colonial movements were taking place in the colonies themselves. In France, intellectuals and artists questioned the human cost of colonialism. Steinlen’s print challenges any romantic vision of the army that the institution might cultivate. As historians, we can use sources such as military archives, colonial records, and personal accounts to better understand the lived experiences of the soldiers.