- The German offensive of May 1940 led to the collapse of the French army. France signs the armistice on June 22, 1940:it has lost the war. On July 10, 1940, the National Assembly gave full powers to Philippe Pétain, hero of the First World War:the III th Republic comes to an end, and Pétain retains executive and legislative powers.
- Pétain sets up the “National Revolution”:in reaction to the liberal ideas stemming from the French Revolution, the Head of State draws inspiration from the ideas of Action Française and advocates a return to conservative and traditionalist values . From August 13, 1940, “secret societies”, like Freemasonry, were banned and dissolved. The same is true for the unions in November 1940.
October 3, 1940
Characters
Philippe Pétain
Pierre Laval
Adolf Hitler
Procedure
The Vichy regime launched, from October 3, 1940, an anti-Semitic policy. A statute of the Jews, the first to date, was drafted on the initiative of Philippe Pétain. Until that date, nothing in French law had distinguished Jewish citizens from non-Jewish citizens since 1791. Any person born of three Jewish grandparents, or of two grandparents of the same race if her spouse is Jewish. Anti-Semitism therefore becomes “racial”, and is inspired by the laws of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
This status therefore prohibits designated Jews from any elective office. They are also excluded from the public service. However, they can still perform subordinate functions in the administration, provided they have a war decoration.
Consequences
- The status of the Jews marks the beginning of the French anti-Semitic policy. Pétain also began, from the end of October 1940, a policy of collaboration with Nazi Germany. If internal affairs depend on the German presence on the national territory, the Montoire interview between Pétain and Hitler marks this special relationship between the two nations.
- A second statute for Jews was adopted on June 2, 1941:it extended the ban on being able to carry out certain activities. Thus, Jews cannot be bankers, brokers or real estate agents.
- The anti-Semitic policy of the Vichy regime would have tragic ends, such as the roundup of the Vélodrome d'Hiver, where the French authorities, without instructions from the occupier, rounded up French Jews (men, women and children) in order to that they be deported to the German extermination camps.