Paris at War chronicles the lives of ordinary Parisians during World War II, from September 1939 when France went to war with Nazi Germany to liberation in August 1944. Readers will relive the fearful exodus from the city as the German army neared the capital, the relief and disgust felt when the armistice was signed, and the hardships and deprivations under Occupation. David Drake contrasts the plight of working-class Parisians with the comparative comfort of the rich, exposes the activities of collaborationists, and traces the growth of the Resistance from producing leaflets to gunning down German soldiers. He details the intrigues and brutality of the occupying forces, and life in the notorious transit camp at nearby Drancy, along with three other less well known Jewish work camps within the city.
The book gains its vitality from the diaries and reminiscences of people who endured these tumultuous years. Drake’s cast of characters comes from all walks of life and represents a diversity of political views and social attitudes. We hear from a retired schoolteacher, a celebrated economist, a Catholic teenager who wears a yellow star in solidarity with Parisian Jews, as well as Resistance fighters, collaborators, and many other witnesses.
Drake enriches his account with details from police records, newspapers, radio broadcasts, and newsreels. From his chronology emerge the broad rhythms and shifting moods of the city. Above all, he explores the contingent lives of the people of Paris, who, unlike us, could not know how the story would end.
David Drake has taught at universities in London and Paris and has published widely on French intellectual and cultural history.
Table of Contents
Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents Prologue Introduction: The Road to War, September 1938–September 1939 1. The Phoney War, September 3, 1939–May 10, 1940 2. Blitzkrieg and Exodus, May 10, 1940–June 14, 1940 3. Parisians and Germans, Germans and Parisians People of Paris 4. Paris, German Capital of France 5. Unemployment, Rationing, Vichy against Jews, Montoire 6. From Mass Street Protest to the “Führer’s Generous Gesture” 7. Protests, Pillaging, “V” for Victory, the First Roundup of Jews 8. Resistance and Repression 9. Resistance, Punishment, Allied Bombs, and Deportation 10. SS Seizure of Security, the Yellow Star, the Vél’d’Hiv’ Roundup, La Relève 11. Denunciations, Distractions, Deprivations 12. Labour Conscription, Resistance, the French Gestapo 13. Anti-Bolshevism, Black Market, More Bombs, Drancy 14. A Serial Killer on the Run, Pétain in Paris, the Milice on the Rampage, the Allies on Their Way 15. The Liberation of Paris Conclusion Notes Bibliography Chronology Dramatis Personae Glossary Acknowledgements Index
