How three-quarters of French Jews survived the Holocaust, despite the Vichy regime – FRANCE 24 English
Posted By admin on January 30, 2022
The fate of Frances Jews during World War II has become an unlikely topic of debate in the run-up to the French presidential election, exhumed by a revisionist candidates widely debunked claims that the Nazi-allied Vichy regime offered them protection. FRANCE 24 spoke to historian Jacques Smelin, whose latest book sheds light on the real reasons some 200,000 French Jews survived the Holocaust.
Smelins quest began more than a decade ago, following an interview with the late Simone Veil, the revered politician and Holocaust survivor who was recently inducted into the Panthon of French heroes. During their conversation, back in 2008, Smelin found he could offer no easy answer to the following question: How is it that so many Jews were able to survive in spite of the Vichy government and the Nazis?
Of the roughly 320,000 Jews established in France at the start of the war, an estimated 74,150 most of them foreign nationals were deported by Nazi Germany with the complicity of its allies in the Vichy regime, according to data compiled by the renowned French historian and Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld. The figures translate into a survival rate of 75 percent, one of the highest in Nazi-dominated Europe, well above the 25 percent documented for the Netherlands or neighbouring Belgiums 45 percent.
Understanding this French exception is the focus of Smelins recent book, "Une nigme franaise, pourquoi les trois quarts des juifs en France nont pas t dports" (A French enigma, why three-quarters of Jews in France were not deported), based on 10 years of painstaking research on the fate of Western Europes largest Jewish community at the time.
Since 1995, when President Jacques Chirac acknowledged the French state's role in rounding up Jews and handing them over to their executioners, few have challenged the notion that the Vichy regime led by Marshal Philippe Ptain colluded in the arrest, deportation and mass murder of Jews. However, some revisionists continue to minimise the regimes guilt, claiming it sought to protect Jews who were French nationals.
Contrary to the claims made byric Zemmour, a far-right candidate for the French presidency, French Jews who managed to avoid wartime deportation do not owe their survival to Ptains regime, says Smelin.
Such claims are nonsense. There is absolutely no archival evidence to back them up, says the historian, whose book recalls Vichy Frances own antisemitic laws, enacted independently of Nazi Germany, as well as the active role of French police in the arrests and round-ups that preceded deportations. He adds: Zemmour is simply playing on peoples ignorance of the matter.
Macron visits Vichy as revisionist history enters presidential race
To understand why a majority of Frances Jews were not deported during the Holocaust, Smelin combined archival research with witness accounts of wartime France. These included extensive interviews with Jews who were able to avoid deportation, many of whom were either ignored after the war or reluctant to share their personal stories.
There is a sense of guilt among survivors. At first, a lot of them told me they had nothing to say. But when we sat down for a chat, tongues would loosen and their stories eventually unspooled, says Smelin. My aim was to restore the voices of Jews who were persecuted in France by the laws of the Vichy regime. They experienced anguish, separation and displacement. They also suffered.
The first and most obvious escape route for Jews was to cross into the so-called zone libre (free zone), the southeastern part of the country, covering roughly two-fifths of the entire French territory, that was controlled by Vichy but not occupied by the Nazis at least not until November 1942. There, many Jews were able to hide in remote corners of what was still a predominantly rural country.
Two-thirds of Frances Jews fled to the zone libre and scattered across the territory, says Smelin. Stressing that those who spoke French and were better off financially had the best chance of hiding. Still, as late as the spring of 1944, some 40,000 Jews continued to live in Paris, according to the historian, whereas the Jewish communities of Warsaw or Amsterdam had by then been practically wiped out.
Smelin says French Jews best ally during the war was the web of social relationships which they were very much part of. French Jews were highly integrated and had friends, neighbours and colleagues they could call upon. Without minimising wartime collaboration with the Nazis, Smelin rejects the notion of a profoundly antisemitic French public. He cites the more than 4,000 French citizens recognised by Israel as Righteous Among the Nations for their role in saving Jews from deportation. He also points to the multiple round-ups of Jews, including the infamous Vel dHiv round-up of July 1942, which fell short of Nazi targets.
>>Macron restates Frances responsibility for wartime round-up of Jews
When the Vel dHiv round-up took place, something unexpected happened, he explains. The Nazis and their Vichy allies were counting on the arrest of 27,000 Jews, mostly foreigners. In the end, they had to settle for 13,000 though obviously it was still 13,000 too many. More than half the targeted Jews were able to avoid arrest, largely because their fellow Parisians gave them advance warning and helped them to hide. Smelin adds: A large part of the public was outraged that police were going after women and children.
With the unprecedented mass arrest of Jewish women and children, the Vel dHiv round-up marked a turning point in France, exposing in part the sinister motives of the Nazis. It triggered the secretive establishment of rescue networks across the country, including by Catholic and Protestant clergy. Some prominent figures publicly spoke out against the treatment of Jews, including the archbishop of Toulouse, Monsignor Salige, who urged worshipers to respect human dignity in a sermon delivered on August 23, 1942.
Children, women, men, fathers and mothers being treated like a lowly herd; members of a single family being separated from each other and carted away to an unknown destination it is our age which was destined to see this dreadful sight, the archbishop said. Jews are men and women. Foreigners are men and women. One may not do anything one wishes to these men, to these women, to these fathers and mothers. They are part of the human race; they are our brothers, like so many others.
The sermon, which was carried by the BBC and the New York Times, had a considerable impact on the public, says Smelin, who ranks himself among those who believe Monsignor Salige has not been given the recognition he deserves. His words still resonate.
Fourteen years on from his conversation with Veil, Smelin has come up with a detailed, 224-page answer to her question. Establishing historical facts is also the best answer to those who attempt to fabricate history, he says, referring to Zemmours claims. His book helps clarify why a much higher proportion of Frances Jews survived the Holocaust than in other Nazi-occupied countries. It does so without forgetting the 74,150 Jewish men, women and children who were deported from France most of whom perished.
This article was adapted from the original in French.
See the article here:
- Holocaust - Jewish resistance, liberation of camps, Nurnberg - June 8th, 2023
- In first, artificial intelligence used for Holocaust education - The Times of Israel - June 8th, 2023
- Torah transported in bazooka case among artifacts in Toronto's new Holocaust museum - The Globe and Mail - June 8th, 2023
- A first look at the Holocaust Museum set to open in Boston in 2026 - WBUR News - June 8th, 2023
- The mystery of the Holocaust survivor and the Dukes cricket ball - The Guardian - June 8th, 2023
- Opinion: In Poland, the truth about the Holocaust continues to come under attack - The Globe and Mail - June 6th, 2023
- A new miniseries has reminded me again that the Holocaust was not 'long ago or far away' - WBUR News - June 6th, 2023
- Opinion | The Postcard and the Urgency of Holocaust Storytelling - The New York Times - June 6th, 2023
- Harvard affirmative action challenge partly based on Holocaust deniers work - The Guardian - June 6th, 2023
- New images released of Holocaust museum coming to Boston in 2026 - CBS Boston - June 6th, 2023
- Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education plans to reopen this weekend - Oregon Public Broadcasting - June 6th, 2023
- At 12, I was in Auschwitz. My parents and seven siblings were murdered. Here is how I built a life - The Guardian - June 6th, 2023
- We Must Acknowledge Hard Truths About the Holocaust in Poland - Europe - Haaretz - May 20th, 2023
- The Zone Of Interest Review: Jonathan Glazers Stunning Look At The Holocaust In A Way It Has Not Been Seen Cannes Film Festival - Deadline - May 20th, 2023
- Jonathan Glazer On His Holocaust Pic Zone Of Interest & The Dangers Of Far-Right Resurgence Today - Deadline - May 20th, 2023
- The Zone of Interest review Jonathan Glazer adapts Martin Amiss chilling Holocaust drama - The Guardian - May 20th, 2023
- US antisemitism envoy slams Abbas: Goebbels speech an affront to Holocaust victims - The Times of Israel - May 20th, 2023
- The Zone of Interest, a Holocaust Drama, Debuts at Cannes - The New York Times - May 20th, 2023
- The Zone of Interest review from Cannes: Five stars for Jonathan ... - BBC - May 20th, 2023
- Now on display, UK Jews correspondence shows the Holocaust unfolding in real-time - The Times of Israel - May 17th, 2023
- David Starkey lambasted for saying Left-wingers want to 'replace' Holocaust with slavery - The Telegraph - May 17th, 2023
- 2 books on Holocaust rejected by Florida Department of Education - FOX 35 Orlando - May 17th, 2023
- I'm an educator and grandson of Holocaust survivors, and I see public schools failing to give students the historical knowledge they need to keep our... - May 15th, 2023
- Holocaust Museum Houstons newest exhibit celebrates the history, culture, and food of the Jewish deli - Houston Public Media - May 5th, 2023
- Meet the Texan who liberated the first German concentration camp nearly 78 years ago to the day - WFAA.com - May 3rd, 2023
- Ohio draft budget increases security, Holocaust education funding - Cleveland Jewish News - April 30th, 2023
- Andrew Bridgen: MP kicked out of Tory party after comparing COVID vaccines to Holocaust - Sky News - April 27th, 2023
- Fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg: Holocaust survivor mother is my main inspiration - The Times of Israel - April 24th, 2023
- Cello that survived the Holocaust now 'sings' in Cincinnati - WKRC TV Cincinnati - April 24th, 2023
- Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023 honors Jewish victims of WWII Nazi genocide - USA TODAY - April 20th, 2023
- Auschwitz Memorial criticizes WWE for using image of concentration camp in promotion - CBS News - April 10th, 2023
- Michigan GOP faces backlash for tweet tying gun reform to Holocaust - CNN - March 25th, 2023
- The Holocaust: Facts, Survivor Stories, Documentaries & More - PBS - March 14th, 2023
- An apology to the victims of the Holocaust for the silence of my great-uncle Subhas Chandra Bose - Scroll.in - March 14th, 2023
- Rare Marilyn Monroe footage preserved by Holocaust survivor who escaped Nazis with help of Superman publisher - Fox News - February 19th, 2023
- A Timeline of the Holocaust | My Jewish Learning - January 21st, 2023
- British parliament member booted from Conservative Party after comparing COVID-19 vaccination to Holocaust - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - January 12th, 2023
- Trump Meets With White Supremacist And Holocaust Denier Nick Fuentes ... - January 2nd, 2023
- Online Bookstore: Books, NOOK ebooks, Music, Movies & Toys - November 23rd, 2022
- Fact check: Poster was once sold at U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum - November 23rd, 2022
- Two new movies, Till and U.S. and the Holocaust, help us connect the dots between Jim Crow and fascism - Andscape - November 23rd, 2022
- Villager Maggie Wacker recently donated her fathers diary to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - The Villages Daily Sun - November 23rd, 2022
- The Holocaust | Facing History and Ourselves - October 27th, 2022
- Kanye was invited to tour a Holocaust museum. Would it have worked? - eJewish Philanthropy - October 27th, 2022
- Sisters who survived Holocaust die days apart in Alabama - October 19th, 2022
- How one Colorado Republican shaped what students will learn about the Holocaust - Chalkbeat Colorado - October 19th, 2022
- Holocaust-surviving lawmaker opens Italy's Senate, even as the far-right takes office - NPR - October 19th, 2022
- Child Survivor of the Holocaust - aish.com - Aish.com - October 19th, 2022
- The moral corruption of Holocaust fiction - The New Statesman - October 19th, 2022
- Historian: Holocaust Comparisons Are Frequent In US Politics - Texas A&M University Today - October 8th, 2022
- 'Hidden child' Holocaust survivor to speak at S&T - Missouri S&T News and Research - October 8th, 2022
- Powell-Heller Conference explores before, during and after the Holocaust - Pacific Lutheran University - October 8th, 2022
- It's Yom Kippur. What is the holiday? How is it observed? | Opinion - Pennsylvania Capital-Star - October 8th, 2022
- Eastern Michigan University to host "The U.S. and the Holocaust" documentary webinar - Oct. 13 - EMU Today - October 6th, 2022
- S&T professor to give a talk on liberation of concentration camps - Missouri S&T News and Research - October 6th, 2022
- On the Anniversary of the Massacre at Babyn Yar: Joint Statement from Special Envoys for Holocaust Issues Condemning Russian Actions in Ukraine - U.S.... - October 2nd, 2022
- Ken Burns Turns His Lens on the American Response to the Holocaust - The New Yorker - September 23rd, 2022
- 'Shadowland' Could Be a Sequel to 'The U.S. and the Holocaust' - TIME - September 23rd, 2022
- A life of remarkable resolve - The story of Shaul Ladany, survivor of the Holocaust and Munich massacre - ESPN - September 23rd, 2022
- The U.S. and the Holocaust - Eight, Arizona PBS - September 23rd, 2022
- US Response to the Holocaust Explored in New PBS Documentary - WTTW News - September 23rd, 2022
- Iranian presidents remarks on the Holocaust spark outcry in Israel - PBS NewsHour - September 19th, 2022
- The U.S. and the Holocaust. Revisiting America's Role | THIRTEEN - New York Public Media - MetroFocus - September 19th, 2022
- Stand against Israel's attack on Palestinian human rights organisations - rabble.ca - August 30th, 2022
- Japhetites - Wikipedia - August 25th, 2022
- Common sense is not so common! You'll never believe the stupid answers and quotes given by these stars! - The Daily Post-Athenian - August 25th, 2022
- Biden meets with Holocaust survivors at memorial in Jerusalem - ABC News - July 14th, 2022
- Holocaust: Meeting the last witnesses to the Vl d'Hiv roundup, 80 years on - FRANCE 24 English - July 14th, 2022
- 'The Jewish Experience': Films find multiplicity of cultures - Rutland Herald - July 10th, 2022
- New archway brings recognition to Jewish cemetery in South Haven - Herald Palladium - July 10th, 2022
- Libya sees rebirth of traditional jewelry craft once taught by Jewish artisans - The Times of Israel - July 10th, 2022
- Why an Orthodox Jewish organization welcomed the end of Roe v. Wade - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - July 10th, 2022
- Jewish Population of the World - June 30th, 2022
- Good Within Bad - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 30th, 2022
- From Loneliness To Oneness: The Endless Expansion of Self - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 30th, 2022
- What's The Real Purpose Of Aleinu? (Part II) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - June 30th, 2022
- Cambridge to mark Refugee Week and Holocaust Memorial Day at free civic event on Sunday 26 June - Cambridge City Council - June 26th, 2022
- Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff Visits USC Shoah Foundation - University of Southern California - June 14th, 2022
- Opinion | Russia's Missiles Are Burning the History of Ukraine's Babyn Yar Ravine - The New York Times - June 14th, 2022
- Guildhall exhibitions focus on emigration and exile ahead of Refugee Week - Leicester News - June 14th, 2022
Comments