page_title: Internment camps in France
hierarchical_section_title: Internment camps in France
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Frankreich, Ankleben von Aufrufen durch PK Frankreich: Soldaten einer Prop.Komp. [Propagandakompanie] beim Ankleben von Aufrufen im besetzten Gebiet. PK - Priese - Scherl Bilderdienst Mai 1940
context_page_description: There were internment camps and concentration camps in France before, during and after World War II. Beside the camps created during World War I to intern German, Austrian and Ottoman civilian prisoners, the Third Republic opened various internment camps for the Spanish refugees fleeing the Spanish Civil War. Following the prohibition of the French Communist Party by the government of Édouard Daladier, they were used to detain communist political prisoners. The Third Republic also interned German anti-Nazis.
  Then, after the 10 July 1940 vote of full powers to Marshal Philippe Pétain and the proclamation of the État français, these camps were used to intern Jews, Gypsies, and various political prisoners. Vichy opened up so many camps that it became a full economic sector, to the extent that historian Maurice Rajsfus writes: "The quick opening of new camps created jobs, and the Gendarmerie never ceased to hire during this period." In any case, most of these camps were closed definitively after the liberation of France at the end of World War II. Some were however used during the Algerian War. Several of these were then used to intern harkis after the 19 March 1962 Évian Accords.
context_section_description: There were internment camps and concentration camps in France before, during and after World War II. Beside the camps created during World War I to intern German, Austrian and Ottoman civilian prisoners, the Third Republic (1871–1940) opened various internment camps for the Spanish refugees fleeing the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). Following the prohibition of the French Communist Party (PCF) by the government of Édouard Daladier, they were used to detain communist political prisoners. The Third Republic also interned German anti-Nazis (mostly members of the Communist Party of Germany, KPD).
  Then, after the 10 July 1940 vote of full powers to Marshal Philippe Pétain and the proclamation of the  État français (Vichy regime), these camps were used to intern Jews, Gypsies, and various political prisoners (anti-fascists from all countries). Vichy opened up so many camps that it became a full economic sector, to the extent that historian Maurice Rajsfus writes: "The quick opening of new camps created jobs, and the Gendarmerie never ceased to hire during this period."  In any case, most of these camps were closed definitively after the liberation of France at the end of World War II. Some were however used during the Algerian War (1954–1962). Several of these were then used to intern harkis (Algerians who had fought on the French side) after the 19 March 1962 Évian Accords. Finally, the Camp de Rivesaltes in the Pyrénées-Orientales and the camp of Bourg-Lastic in the Puy de Dôme were also used to intern Kurdish refugees from Iraq in the 1980s.
caption: German soldiers posting notices for refugees and prisoners of war in France, May 1940
exif: {}