Follow

'I remember as a young officer in Germany based next to Belsen concentration camp, being horrified by a memorial to the French Jews who had died there. It stated: “Aux Juifs français qui sont morts pour la gloire et la patrie.” I found the idea of French Jews dying for glory and the fatherland quite grotesque. Many years later I mentioned this to the French historian Henry Rousso. He replied: “I entirely understand your reaction, but you are completely wrong. It was the French Jews themselves who insisted after the war that memorials to their dead should have exactly the same wording as those of all the French. This was because they would never forgive Vichy for having tried to take away their French citizenship.”

prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazin

Sign in to participate in the conversation
Qoto Mastodon

QOTO: Question Others to Teach Ourselves
An inclusive, Academic Freedom, instance
All cultures welcome.
Hate speech and harassment strictly forbidden.