Courage and Conscience during the German Occupation of France
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document in english
history 1789 to present
presentation
date published 17/04/2008
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SummaryThe indescribable mistreatment of Jews and other refugees, both French and foreign, during the German occupation from 1940 to 1944 is a chapter of France’s history that many people have difficulty coming to terms with even today. Building upon the influence of pre-existing Anti-Semitism, the Vichy government that existed during the period systematically stripped innocent people of their rights, eventually holding large groups of them in internment camps; families were often separated, and ultimately men, women, and children alike were deported to concentration camps where the vast majority of them were killed. While the French government collaborated with the Germans and often orchestrated these roundups and deportations, there were Frenchmen as well as foreigners who recognized injustice and chose to act against it by helping to save these refugees, especially children, as seen in historical records and in the documentary film, The Children of Chabannes (Lisa Gossels and Dean Wetherell, 1999).
Table of Contents- Anti-Semitic sentiments in France had been present long before the 20th century.
- The general public as a whole offered very little active resistance to the two Vichy Statutes for Jews.
- While not officially allowed by Vichy to aid in the release of Jewish refugees, the majority of those in the camps were Jews.
- After the OSE and other groups were forced underground, all efforts of members to continue helping Jews escape deportation became necessarily clandestine
- Protestant pastors, parishes, and communities throughout France took in, hid, and helped to relocate Jews.
- In the later stages of the occupation, as the Germans moved into the southern ‘free zone', problems arose.
- While his plans were successful, Chevrier and the other caretakers had risked their own safety in order to protect and care for others.
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