One of the last taboos -- France opens Vichy regime files

An August 1944 portrait shows Francois de Menthon, the minister of justice in the provisional government of France under General Charles de Gaulle; de Menthon led oversaw the trials of Marshal Philippe P�tain and other members of the Vichy regime
� AFP/File




Paris (AFP) - France's decision to open up archives from its World War II collaboration with Nazi occupiers is being seen as breaking one of the last taboos that has poisoned debate about the era for years.

"This brings an end to the fear of scandal. We are taking responsibility and we will have a better understanding of the issues," said Gilles Morin, a historian who heads the association of users of national archives.

From this week, the government has opened up the police and justice archives from 1940 to 1944 when the Vichy regime, led by Philippe Petain, collaborated with the invading German army.

While the Nazis occupied the north of France, Petain -- a hero of World War I -- led so-called Vichy France in the centre and the south of the country, with its headquarters in the genteel city tour bắc kinh từ hà nội of the same name.

Despite having du lịch Bắc Kinh autonomy from German policies, Petain passed legislation that saw Jews -- around vtr.org.vn 150,000 of whom had fled to the south believing it to be safer -- subjected to severe discrimination similar to that in the Nazi-occupied north.

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