During World War II, the way civilians treated downed airmen said a good deal about wartime societies. In Germany, civilians’ behaviour became violent toward downed airmen when state policy, popular culture, and ideology started aligning. Several hundreds of allied airmen were lynched between 1943 and 1945. This presentation draws on statistics and a particular case of lynching.
CLAIRE ANDRIEU
Professor of History, Sciences Po, Paris; author of Le Programme commun de la Résistance; La Banque sous l’Occupation (1936-1946); Pour l’Amour de la République. Le Club Jean Moulin, 1958-1970
In English
Institute of French Studies Lecture