La Honte et l’Oubli, Travailleuses Françaises en Allemagne nazie

Overview

Starting in 1940, 80,000 women left France to work in factories in Nazi Germany, encouraged by the Vichy government. These young, urban women often left more out of social precariousness than ideology. However, upon their return to France in 1945, these "volunteer" workers were branded as collaborators. As a result, many remained silent, and their story, considered taboo, fell into oblivion. This historical investigation combines personal drama with documents and archives that have never been examined before.