Paris 1940-1944: Resistance, Passivity, and Collaboration During the Occupation

France in a state of emergency: After the Drôle de Guerre and the Blitzkrieg in the West, the troops of the Nazi regime marched into Paris on June 14, 1940. Journalist and publicist Kersten Knipp highlights the most significant aspects of the occupation period, providing a comprehensive portrayal of the situation in the occupied French capital.

The daily life of Paris residents in contact with the German occupiers, caught between fear and admiration, the fate of French Jews who were deported with the help of French authorities, and portraits of key military figures in France during World War II, such as Marshal Pétain and Charles de Gaulle. An overview of the resistance against the occupation and the Vichy government, both within and outside France.

From the Western campaign to liberation.

Using firsthand documents, writings, notes, and memories from the World War II era, the author paints a picture of a nation caught between collaboration and resistance, both on a grand scale and in everyday life. The antisemitism enshrined in the Statut des Juifs under Marshal Pétain is contrasted with Charles de Gaulle's call for resistance from London. The handling of one’s own history and the relationship with Germany after the war are also addressed.

"Paris Under the Swastika" is a history book that offers an impressive depiction of the occupation in France, rich in fascinating detail, as well as the subsequent consequences for the country.