By PETER ALLEN Evidence: Historian Serge Klarsfeld holds a 1940 document which proves that Vichy leader Philippe Petain ordered his government to persecute Jews Claims that France's collaborationist wartime leaders tried to save Jews from the Holocaust have today been exposed as a myth. A newly discovered document proves that Philippe Petain, the infamous leader who set up the puppet Vichy regime, in fact spearheaded the persecution between 1940 and 1944. Petain had always claimed that he opposed the deportation of Jews to concentration camps, and in fact tried to do everything he could to stop it. But a handwritten note from Petain in fact proves that he complained that his fellow countrymen were not doing enough to attack Jews during World War Two. The original Statue on Jews, discriminatory laws passed by the French collaborators, read that 'descendants of Jews born in France or naturalised before 1860' would be spared internment. But Petain crossed out the exemption clause and even suggested that Jews should be banned from becoming lawyers or teachers. Lawyer Serge Klarsfeld, France's best-known Nazi hunter, said: 'The discovery of this plan is crucial. 'This document establishes Petain's decisive role in drawing up this position in the most aggressive way, revealing his deep anti-Semitism.' The statute directly led to thousands of Jews being taken to Drancy internment camp outside Paris and then being deported to the concentration camps. Infamous: Petain, who died in 1951, meets with Nazi generals in 1941. The document proves he made tough amendments to the Statue on Jews which led to thousands being deported to concentration camps Occupation: Nazi soldiers relax in a Paris cafe on Bastille Day in 1940. The collaborationist Vichy government had initially drawn up less-strict laws against Jews Mr Klarsfeld said it was 'beyond doubt' that the notes were pencilled in by Petain. He said: 'Now we have decisive proof that the Statute on Jews was the result of his personal will. 'The main argument of Petain's defenders was to say that he protected French Jews. This argument has now failed.' The note was handed in to the Holocaust Memorial museum in Paris by an anonymous donor. Some 100,000 French Jews died during the wartime Holocaust, with many more suffering unimaginable hardship. Damning: The previously unseen letter was given anonymously to the Holocaust Memorial museum in Paris. Right, Petain was sentenced to death by Charles de Gaulle, but was later jailed for life Petain, a First World War heo, became head of a collaborationist government based in the central spa town of Vichy following the Nazi invasion in 1940. After the war he was sentenced to death, but Charles de Gaulle - the new President - decided he should spend the rest of his life in prison. Petain died in 1951. The emergence of the note comes as President Nicolas Sarkozy's government is facing fines for its deportation of Roma gypsies. Mr Sarkozy - who led the clampdown on Roma - was even accused of acting like the Nazis by the EU.Pétain : le masque est tombé ! 04/10/10
- - Thème: Crif
New document proves Vichy leader Philippe Petain
did not seek to save Jews in France
Monday, 4 October 2010
La découverte d’un exemplaire authentifié du projet infâme de statut des Juifs du 3 octobre 1940 portant annotations de la main même de Philippe Pétain qui en durcissent le texte, est fondamentale, estime le CRIF. Ces annotations démontrent que Pétain a participé à sa rédaction en élargissant considérablement le champ d’exclusion des juifs, Français ou nés à l’étranger.
Ceux qui pensaient encore que Pétain aurait fait don à la France de sa personne, qu’il aurait protégé les juifs français ou qu’il était un vieillard inerte et manipulé par l’occupant, devront reconsidérer leur position. Le statut des Juifs est un crime contre l’humanité et contre les valeurs de la République. Il manifeste de la part de Pétain sa duplicité particulière contre ceux des Juifs qui se croyaient ses amis comme Jacques Heilbronner, président du Consistoire central qui fut déporté à Auschwitz, où il fut ensuite gazé avec toute sa famille.
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