Tobacco Museum, Wervik

The Tobacco Museum in Wervik uses a wide range of artefacts to tell the social and economic history of tobacco growing and tobacco processing in this part of Flanders. It is located in an old mill, which was used by the German Army during the First World War as a look-out post over the River Leie (Lys).

All the armies distributed free cigarettes to their troops during the First World War. They helped to calm the nerves and, according to some at least, prevented the young soldiers from turning to the alternative distractions of drink and women. General Pershing, commander-in-chief of the American forces, was often quoted as saying that his army needed tobacco more than it needed food. The war was responsible for the major economic breakthrough of the cigarette industry, which had only been using machine-manufacturing on a relatively small scale during the last 30 years before 1914. Production - and profits - now increased dramatically, and the British and American tobacco giants quickly became some of the largest companies in the world. The smaller German tobacco industry had a more exotic Turkish image (Turkey was one of Germany's allies).

Organisations that had warned against the dangers of smoking before war now withdrew their objections. Even the YMCA and the Red Cross helped to distribute cigarettes. The cumulative effect of the two world wars resulted in the 'democratization' of smoking, with huge numbers of people smoking ever more cigarettes. This was not without its consequences. The World Health Organization has estimated that approximately 100 million people died of lung cancer during the 20th century - more than the number of dead in both world wars together.

During the period 2014-2018, a new permanent display and a series of annual exhibitions will highlight the impact of the First World War on tobacco use.

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