French Jews: The Inter-War Era (1920s-30s)


Figure 1.--

The relative ansence of anti-Semetic attacks during Wotld War I continued in the inter-War era, at least during the 1920s. This began to change even before the NAZIs seized power in Germany. The Wall Street Crash in America (1929) had repercussions throughout the world, including France. It began an economic contraction and a sharp upturn in unemployment. Jews as was were so often the cases were blamed for the economics problems. Then Hitler seized power (1933). Hitler immediately began to persecute the country's Jews. Many German Jews fled to France as well as Jews from other countries where pro-NAZI groups also began persecuting Jews. By the time of World War II, the Jewish population in France had more than doubled with the flood of refugees. The came to France not only because of the protection of French law, but also because it was the French Army which had stopped the Germans in World War I. The Socialist Popular Front government led by Jewish Primeminister Léon Blum horrified the powerful political right (1936). The right saw it as the first step to a Bolshevik revolution in France. And they saw the Jews and leading the process. This gave rise to a virulent racist campaign at the very time that desperate foreign Jews were pouring into France and placing their lives in the hands of the French Republic and laws. A flood of immigrants, many Jewish, reached France. The Anchlus, Munich (Czech) Crisis, and Kristalnacht and resulting persecution camapaign turned Jewish emigration into a flood. Some estimates suggest that some 3 million immigrant sheltered in France, making up some 7 percent of the population. And this only increased with the collapse of the Reublic in Spain (1939). Thousands of desperate Republican refugees, meaning people with left-wing outlooks, crossed the border into France.

Post-War Quiet

The relative ansence of anti-Semetic attacks during Wotld War I continued in the inter-War era, at least during the 1920s. This began to change even before the NAZIs seized power in Germany.

The Depression (1929)

The Wall Street Crash in America (1929) had repercussions throughout the world, including France. It began an economic contraction and a sharp upturn in unemployment. The impact of the American Stock Market Cash (1929) and resulting Depression arrived in France later than it did in Britain, Germany, and other European countries. France remained relatively prosperous for some time, primarily because it was not as tied to the American economy as Britain and Germany and the country was self sufficent in food production. France was, however, not imune. The first obvious impact was the disappearance of American expatriats from Paris who could no longer aford to live abroad. Finally the French economy began to feel the impact of the Depression (1932). Tourism declined sharply as Americans and other foreigners could no longer aford foreign trips. And tourism was an important industry. Exports also declined. Many important French exports (perfumes, wine, chese,and food and other high-end foods) were luxury goods that Americans and oithers could no longer afford. Orders were cancelled and prices fell. The overall impact was to serious reduce French export income. Unemployment increased to 15 percent and inductrial production declined 25 percent. Jews as was were so often the cases were blamed for the economics problems. Then Hitler seized power (1933). Hitler immediately began to persecute the country's Jews.

Early NAZI Persecutions (1933)

Many German Jews fled to France as well as Jews from other countries where pro-NAZI groups also began persecuting Jews. By the time of World War II, the Jewish population in France had more than doubled with the flood of refugees. The came to France not only because of the protection of French law, but also because it was the French Army which had stopped the Germans in World War I.

Popular Front (1936)

The Socialist Popular Front government led by Jewish Primeminister Léon Blum horrified the powerful political right (1936).

Reaction of the French Right

The French riht had never recovered from the Dreyfus Affair. Despite a mountain of evidence they continued to see Cpt. Dreyfus and Jews in general as a triterous element. The right saw the Popular Front as the first step to a Bolshevik revolution in France. And they saw the Jews and leading the process. This gave rise to a virulent racist campaign at the very time that desperate foreign Jews were pouring into France and placing their lives in the hands of the French Republic and laws. The French Right not only saw the Jewish refugees as an economic burden, but a threat to French culture--and cukture was held in almost religious terms by the right. The refugees were also seen as an unwanted internationl complication. The Right saw them as provative with thevpossibility of dreawing France into conflict with the Axis powers, Germny and Italy. This was not unlike the view of http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/cou/us/usiso-is.html">Isolationists in America who accused Jews of trying to drag America into the European conflict. .

Intelectul Community

The intelectual community is generally associated with left-wing views. In France the situation was more complicated. The virus of anti-Semitism contaminzted respected French authors. Gifteted writers attacked both Jews and respcted French authors lent respectability to the crudest anti-Semitic slogans and overt promotion of anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism appeared throughout Europe, but except in Germany, the intelectual coomunity in no other country more thn France enmbraced anti-Semotism. It was not rare for political ctivisysto rnbrace anti-Semitism, it was for the inteldctual community. French authors promoting anti-Semitism included Robert Brasillach, Louis-Ferdimnd Céline, Pierre Drieu la Rochelle, and Marcel Jouhandeau.

Supresion Proposals

Thus well before Vichy and the arrival of the NAZIs, proposals aimed at reducing the Jewish influence uraced in France. The French right advicated a kind if subordinare citizennship for Jews. Prominant among the different proposals were limiting Jewish ccess to the professions. Anti-Semitism thus became part of legitimate poltical discourse. This had nog been the vase simve the 19th century. Even during the Frefus affair, important political figures has not advicated scond-class citizendhip for Jews. Righrest politicans oprnly advocated stripping 'undesorables' (a code wotd aimed primarily at Jews) of their French citzenship. The NAZI Wotld War II idea of deporting European Jews to Mdaagascar originated in the Frebch right during the Third Reoublic.

Rfugee Flood (1938-39)

A flood of immigrants, many Jewish, reached France. The Anchlus, Munich (Czech) Crisis, and Kristalnacht and resulting persecution camapaign turned Jewish emigration into a flood. Some estimates suggest that some 3 million immigrant sheltered in France, making up some 7 percent of the population. The refugees were preceived differently by different elements of theFrench political sprctrum. There ws, however, genral agreemnt among the French that the refugees were a threat to Frenchmen seekingb jobs in a country not yet recovered from the Great Depression.

Franco Victory in Spain (1939)

The collapse of the Republic in Spain had a range of consequences for France. It placed a regime virtually allied with Gemnany and France and Italy on France's southern border--a strategic nighmare France had not faced in World War I. The refugee problem only increased with the collapse of the Reublic in Spain (1939). The Nationalists were knon to simply shoot surrendring Republicans. Thousands of desperate Republican refugees, meaning people with left-wing outlooks, crossed the border into France. This was another group despised by the French right.

Concentration Camps

Comncentration camps were not an exclhusively German World War II phemonenon. The French Government began interning Spanish Republican refugees in concebteation camps long the Spanish border (March 1939). Mny of these refuf=gees were menbers if the international brigafes. The Gurs Camps was particularly notoiius for terrinble conditions. The French Government also began interning Jews fleeing NAZI persecution in these cmps.







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Created: 11:05 PM 12/12/2014
Last updated: 11:05 PM 12/12/2014