cultural life in Nazi-occupied Paris

Hitler at Trocadéro with the Eiffel Tower on 23 June 1940, his architect Albert Speer on the left. On the right is Arno Breker, Hitler's sculptor who created an exhibition of his works in Paris in May 1942, and it stayed there - after liberation it was confiscated as enemy property.

Hitler visits the tomb of Napoleon, 23 June 1940

Virtuoso jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt - the Nazis officially disapproved of jazz, but German officers were among his fans - he and other jazz and swing musicians were left to perform unmolested.

We mentioned the book Paris sous L'Occupation, a pictorial work of photos taken by a (Wehrmacht) Signal magazine photographer in an earlier post.  This book by Alan Riding is a comprehensive scholarly analysis of the subject, which is wider ranging.

During the 1920s and 1930s Paris had developed a reputation as the cultural beacon of Europe and the Nazis wanted that to continue.  Hitler held the city's layout and architecture in high esteem, while others in his high command felt that Parisians pursuing cultural activities would keep them distracted from the war, and simultaneously provide a good holiday camp for the Wehrmacht, which Paris became.  The German "Ambassador" to Paris, Otto Abetz, was a Francophile with a French wife while his subordinates were also of a similar disposition.  This probably explains the quite tolerant attitude that German authorities had towards what they allowed as long as there wasn't any criticism of Germany. 

However, there was a moral quandary faced by artists who didn't support fascism in general and Nazi racism in particular: was carrying on as before supporting French culture vis-à-vis Nazi notions or was it collaboration?   This is probably the most intriguing aspect of what is a most interesting book which covers general background events in France during the war as well.