The Guardian information service reports that according to the statements of Serge Karlsfeld, a French historian and public figure, Marshal Philip Peten – the head of the Vichy government during the Second World War during the occupation of France personally participated in persecution against the Jews.
Carlsfeld came to this opinion due to the contents of one document, which was transferred to the Holocaust Museum in Paris. We are talking about the decree that was issued in 1940. So it states that all the Jews who lived in the territory of France occupied by the Nazis lost most of their civil rights.
On this document, the authenticity of which has already been finalized, there are notes made by a pencil. The text clearly recognizes the emphasis of Marshal of the head of Vichy. So, according to Philip Peten’s order, this decree was even more tightened – the Jews were deprived of the right to occupy positions in many areas, including jurisprudence and the field of education.
In addition, the head of the Marshal expanded the scope of the decree, spreading it to all Jews without exception, even including those who became a France citizen until 1860. In accordance with the original version of the document, the restrictions should not have been applied to them.
Based on this, Serge Karlsfeld noted that, issuing his decree, the marshal was most likely guided not only by the instructions of the German leadership, but also by his own decisions that had anti -Semitic character. According to the historian, which contains the notes, the text of Philip Peten is the first document that indicates that Marshal took a personal part in the oppression of the Jews. Until today, there was an opinion according to which Peten covered French Jews from persecution.
Note that the Vichy government stood at the head of France in the period 1940 – 1944. Marshal Peten’s regime had close cooperation with Nazi Germany. So, for example, the France police took an active part in the capture of the Jewish population, as well as representatives of many other Nazi authorities of national groups. Also, do not forget that while the Vichy government was in the power of tens of thousands of people, among whom there were also many Jews, were deported to Nazi concentration camps.