Testifying today at the trial of Mershal Petain before the High Court of Justice, former Premier Paul Reymend stressed the important part played by the late Georges Mandel in attempting to combat defeatism and capitulation in 1940, when M. Mandel was Minister of the Interior.
Reynend charged that Vichy’s wrath was directed particularly against Mandel because it “linked his refusal to capitalate with the fact that he was Jewish.” Mandel was always “found at the crigin of every act of resistance,” Reynaud added.
The former Minister of the Interior was killed in July, 1944, by Vichy militiemen while being transported from one prison to another. He had been held captive since his abortive flight to North Africa Immediately after the fall of France.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.