Living in occupied France during World War II was an experience that defies simple description. For the average person, it was a complex mix of fear, hardship, resilience, and subtle resistance. Imagine waking up each day with the knowledge that your city, your town, your very home was under the control of a foreign power. The German presence was palpable, omnipresent, and unyielding, especially in the northern occupied zone.
The Nazis split France into an occupied zone in the north and an unoccupied, or Vichy, zone in the south. Initially, this division meant that the German soldiers and their strict regulations were mostly confined to the north, but by 1942, they had moved into the Vichy zone as well. The occupation wasn’t just about the physical presence of German troops; it infiltrated every aspect of daily life. The French were required to host German soldiers in their homes for several days at a time, a constant reminder of their subjugation.
The economy suffered immensely. According to the terms of the armistice, the French had to bear the costs of their own occupation. This economic burden was heavy, with 40% of French industry and 58% of state revenues funneled towards Germany. The Vichy government, which initially tried to present itself as a legitimate, sovereign French authority, increasingly found itself at odds with German demands. The Nazis grew less interested in collaboration and more focused on exploitation, particularly in the economic sector.
One of the most resented aspects of this exploitation was the Service du Travail Obligatoire (STO), instituted by Germany in 1943. This labor draft forced French citizens to work in German or Polish factories for indeterminate periods, often with no prospect of returning home. The resentment towards the STO was immense, reflecting the broader disdain for the occupiers and their collaborators.
Rationing, a constant reality of wartime life, became even stricter as the conflict dragged on. Basic necessities like food, clothing, and fuel were scarce. People adapted by growing their own vegetables, raising small livestock, and engaging in black market trading. The French became adept at making do with less, but the strain was palpable.
The Vichy regime also established its own police force, the milice, which worked alongside Nazi police to maintain order and suppress dissent. Vichy France, while proclaiming itself as “free,” collaborated with the Nazis in many oppressive measures, including the deportation of Jews and other targeted groups. The assertion of French sovereignty became increasingly hollow as German control tightened.
Resistance took many forms, from the everyday defiance of ordinary citizens to the organized efforts of the internal and external resistance movements. The internal resistance, though less organized, played a crucial role in sabotaging German operations and maintaining morale. Groups like the National Resistance Council (CRN) coordinated guerrilla warfare and provided essential support during key battles such as Normandy.
Externally, Charles de Gaulle led the Free French Forces from London, rallying support against the Vichy government and collaborating with Allied forces. His leadership and the efforts of the Free French Legion (FFL) were instrumental in maintaining a sense of national unity and resistance against the occupiers.
Living in occupied France meant constantly navigating a world where the rules could change in an instant, where the consequences of the smallest actions could be life or death. It was a time that demanded immense courage and resilience from everyone, not just the fighters and heroes we often read about, but from every man, woman, and child who endured those long years under occupation. The scars of that time would linger long after the liberation, shaping the collective memory and identity of the French people.