France

France

==Once Germany took over the French armies at the Maginot Line, Germany gained control over the French government, and with the control they gained, Germany enhanced the violence towards Jews and others who opposed the German government. ==

Between world war one and world war two, France was a very liberal country, through its welcoming of Jewish immigrants. During world war two, Germany was able to take over the French armies Maginot Line. Once the German's took over the French army, they were able to advance further into France. Once Germany reached Paris, Germany gained control of the French government. Through the German's takeover of the French government, they were able to change the laws and levels of enforcement all throughout France.

By 1939 French authorities had imposed strict limitations on immigration and set up a number of internment and detention camps for refugees, such as Gurs and Rivesaltes, in southern France. With the German's control over France, Germany was able to manipulate the French government into increasing their restrictions of immigration as well as the addition of containment camps.

In 1940, about 13,000 people of the “gypsy” population were interned in camps within France. In these camps, the prisoners faced disease, hunger, and were forced to do labor. They were used as scapegoats and blamed for everything including thievery, pilfering, poaching, swindling, child abduction, and spreading diseases. More than 200 gypsies were suspected of being spies and were deported and murdered in Germany.

The Gurs camp was one of the first and largest camps established in France. The camp was located 50 miles from the Spanish border. The French government established the Gurs camp in April 1939, before the war with Germany. The addition the of Gurs camp demonstrates that by 1939, France had significantly increased its discrimination against Jewish immigrants.

In 1940, the French government held 4,000 German Jewish refugees. After the French armistice with Germany, the new French government of Vichy took over all containment camps in France.

The conditions in the camps were not only poor, but they were also very crowded. With too many people in the camps, there was constantly a shortage of food and water. From 1940 to 1941, the French camp Gurs, reported that over 800 people had died from contagious diseases.

Between August 1942 and March 1943, the French government of Vichy took over various containment camps throughout France. Nearly 4,000 prisoners from the Gurs camp were turned over to The Germans. The Germans then sent a majority of their prisoners to Auschwitz. By 1943, the French had given completely into German orders. The French had completely changed their perspective on immigration. For before world war two, France was very welcoming of Jews. However by 1943 France was handing over all of their innocent Jewish immigrants to the Germans.



** [|__http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/francedefeat.htm__] ** ** [|__http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005298__] ** ** [|__http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005429__] **
 * [|__http://romafacts.uni-graz.at/index.php/history/persecution-internment-genocide-holocaust/internment-in-france-1940-1946__] **