Vichy Official Says Holy See Approved French Anti-jewish Legislation

Xavier Vallat, former Commissioner for Jewish Affairs ## Vichy Government, who is being tried on a number of charges including responsibility for the issuance of anti-Jewish legislation which led to the persecu## of French Jews, told the High Court that Vichy’s anti-Semitic measure## published only after approval by the Holy See.

Vallat spent a day defending himself by attempting to prove that anti-Semi## compatible with the traditions of France and Christianity. He also tried to minimize his responsibility in the deportation of French Jews, asserting that they ## not expelled from France during his administration. The President of the Court ## in and pointed out that during his regime anti-Jewish laws were extended from ##azi-occupied zone of France to the unoccupied, thus preparing the way for the ## and his successors to deport the Jews.At one point during the proceedings, when the name of a Jewish lawyer who ## in a prison camp was mentioned, the President of the Court ordered everyone ##tand in silent tribute to 42 Jewish lawyers who perished in deportation camps.