How lucky we Jews were to have de Gaulle on our side

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 27, 2026

France is reevaluating its World War II history through new cultural works and enhanced memorials, such as a detailed museum at the former Pithiviers concentration camp, which acknowledges both resistance efforts and collaboration with the Vichy regime. These developments highlight a more honest national reflection on wartime complexities, balancing the heroism of figures like Charles de Gaulle with recognition of the suffering caused by Vichy policies.

France’s evolving reckoning with its World War II history is reflected in recent cultural works and commemorations, highlighting both the nation’s past collaboration with Nazi Germany and the resistance efforts led by figures such as Charles de Gaulle. Once dominated by narratives emphasizing the French resistance as the true embodiment of the country’s spirit, France has increasingly acknowledged the extent of its cooperation with the Vichy regime during the war.

A symbolic example of this shift is seen at the former French concentration camp in Pithiviers. Once marked only minimally, the site now features a comprehensive museum dedicated to its role in the deportation of Jews, including victims such as the writer’s great-uncle, who was sent from Pithiviers to Auschwitz. This development indicates a broader societal willingness to confront uncomfortable aspects of the past.

Recent films centered on Charles de Gaulle illustrate this nuanced perspective. De Gaulle is portrayed by Simon Abkarian as a fiercely proud and somewhat solitary figure, whose steadfast leadership galvanized the Free French forces at a time when support was limited. The films explore de Gaulle’s complex relationship with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, played by Simon Russell Beale, as well as the courageous contributions of résistants like Général Leclerc and Jean Moulin. These portrayals balance intimate moments—such as clandestine resistance efforts and de Gaulle’s exile in London—with depictions of large-scale battles.

While the films frame the Second World War primarily as a struggle to liberate France, they also underscore how fortunate the Jewish community was to have de Gaulle’s opposition to Nazi occupation. His role in the resistance contrasts with the collaborationist policies of the Vichy government, which participated in the persecution and deportation of Jews.

Overall, these cultural and historical revisitations reveal a France more openly grappling with its wartime legacy. They recognize the valor of those who resisted occupation, while acknowledging the tragedy wrought by policies enacted under Vichy rule. In doing so, the memory of figures like de Gaulle remains central, not only in the narrative of French liberation but in the broader context of the Holocaust’s impact on French Jewry.

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