Vichy/ Free France and Lead up

VIF 134

Propaganda poster glorifying Marshall Petain in 1940. Titled Donation to the Fatherland, it carefully explains how he saved France from further destruction by the Germans. It says, “since the victory, the spirit of enjoyment has prevailed over the spirit of sacrifice. we have claimed more than we have served. We wanted to save the effort, today we encounter misfortune. I give France the gift of my person, to alleviate its misfortune. I would not be worthy to remain at your head, if I had agreed to shed French blood to prolong the dream of a few French people ill-educated about the conditions of the struggle. I did not want to place my person or my hope outside the soil of France”. Published during the Vichy Regime in 1942. Size 37x47cm. M

Price: $90.00

VIF 133

French booklet Pour Comprendre Les Prisonniers, 1943. No US library holds this

NOTE: "To understand the prisoners" is a famous 32-page booklet written by Joseph Folliet in 1943 and published by Éditions du Seuil under the auspices of the General Chaplaincy for Prisoners of War. Written by a former captive himself , this seminal work explores captivity as a profound human and spiritual experience, designed to prepare families for their return.

Folliet's book provides a psychological and moral assessment of detention away from the fighting. Far from reducing it to boredom or suffering, the author describes it as "a motionless journey, a journey of rediscovery." The text elaborates a true mystique of captivity, promoting the "rediscovery of inner life, community, homeland and Christ". Camps are analyzed as places conducive to strong solidarity and the natural emergence of leaders and community organizations. One of the booklet's aims was to help the French understand the transformations experienced by their imprisoned loved ones in order to better anticipate their future reintegration.

Taken prisoner in May 1940 and released in 1942 for health reasons, Joseph Folliet drew on his own experience to write this document. Upon his release, he actively joined the Resistance and François Mitterrand's network, while also contributing to the distribution of the underground press. His essay served as a fundamental moral guide for the Prisoners' Chaplaincy during the darkest years of the war.

Price: $150.00

VIF 130

Vichy periodical France Revue de l’Etat Nouveau. January 1944. It ran from 1942-1944. Shown in Worldcat but no American library holds this.

Price: $110.00

VIF 128

Roosevelt le Responsable, by Georges Du Breuil, Marseille, 1942. The author attacks Roosevelt claiming that France is none of his business. AH

Price: $90.00

VIF 122

Anti-British Vichy poster La Triste Histoire de Winston Churchill. M ah

Price: $200.00

VIF 117

Sheet music. Marechal, Nous Voila. 1941. m

Price: $90.00

VIF 116

Propaganda leaflet, Mon Allie Staline.

NOTE: Mon Allié Staline is a famous French-language compilation of anti-Soviet quotes and historical excerpts detailing Winston Churchill's shifting views on Joseph Stalin from 1916 to 1940. This historical collection, famously printed as My Ally in English, reflects the complex and reluctant alliance formed during World War II. The compilation explores the pragmatic political decisions made by leaders during World War II, where aligning with the Soviet Union became a grim necessity.

The alliance was famously captured in a broader context when Churchill declared to the British House of Commons: “If Hitler invaded Hell I would make at least a favorable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons”, acknowledging that defeating the immediate Nazi threat required temporarily partnering with a brutal regime. This turbulent diplomatic chapter highlights the intense realpolitik of the era.

Price: $90.00

Propaganda leaflet, 25 Ans de Bolchevisme. m

Price: $190.00