Nazi Occupation Exhibit Misleading

by Dan Forrest
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Europe

PARIS, France - A controversial exhibit depicting Parisian life under Nazi rule (1940-1944) is currently on display at the Paris City History Library.  The only problem is the photographs, when taken out of the correct context, are quite misleading about the quality of life in France during this period.

The exhibit entitled 'Parisians Under Occupation' contains 270 photographs taken by Andre Zucca, a French photographer who was employed by the Nazi propaganda magazine Signal.  Zucca's collection is one of only a few sets of color photographs taken in Paris during the occupation.  In line with Nazi propaganda demands, Zucca shows French citizens living happy lives.  France 24 describes the mood of a few scenes:

"Under a clear blue sky in the summer of 1942, a smiling woman in sunglasses lounges in Luxembourg Gardens.  At outdoor cafes or in pleasantly illuminated interiors, life seems quite rosy in wartime Paris.   

Noticably absent from almost all of the photographs are scenes depicting starvation, long lines waiting for food, Nazi brutality, and deportation proceedings.  The captions appearing alongside these photographs made little mention of wartime suffering either. 

As a result, the exhibit has sparked outrage in many of its viewers.  Although the quality of the photos is quite good, many believe that, taken out of context, these photographs offer a very misleading portrayal of French life under Nazi rule.  Perhaps most importantly, little mention is made of Zucca's role as a Nazi photographer - and for this reason it is quite likely that the photos will be misunderstood. 

In light of several protests, mayor Bertrand Delanoe has ordered that the exhibit be reworked.  While he refused to order that the exhibit be dismantled because of censorship concerns, he did require that the exhibit contain captions reflecting that these photographs represent Nazi propaganda, and for this reason fail to highlight aspects of French suffering during World War II. 

The story behind this exhibit is noteworthy because it reminds us how important it is that world maintains a clear understanding of the events of World War II.  In this fashion, perhaps the best way to prevent impunity in the future is by understanding impunity's ugly past.

For more information, please see:

France24 - German occupation photo exhibit causes scandal - 22 April 2008

International Herald Tribune - Photo exhibit shows Paris under Nazi occupation, minus the misery - 25 April 2008

MSN - Gay Paris? Photos of Paris under Nazi occupation draw fire - 23 April 2008