Denaturalized : how thousands lost their citizenship and lives in Vichy France

A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year A CounterPunch Best Book of the Year A Lone Star Policy Institute Recommended Book “A critically important exploration of the political dynamics that have made us one of the most punitive societies in human history. A must-read by one of our most thoughtful scholars of crime and punishment.” —Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy “A cogent and provocative argument about how to achieve true institutional reform and fix our broken system.” —Emily Bazelon, author of Charged “If you care, as I do, about disrupting the perverse politics of criminal justice, there is no better place to start than Prisoners of Politics.” —James Forman, Jr., Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Locking Up Our Own The United States has the world’s highest rate of incarceration in the world. As awful as that truth is, its social consequences—recycling offenders through an overwhelmed criminal justice system, ever-mounting costs, and a growing class of permanently criminalized citizens—are even more devastating. With the authority of a prominent legal scholar and the practical insights gained through her work on criminal justice reform, Rachel Barkow reveals how dangerous it is to base criminal justice policy on the whims of the electorate and argues for a transformative shift toward data and expertise. "In Denaturalized , Claire Zalc combines the precision of the scholar with the passion of a storyteller...This is a deftly written book. Zalc combines in an accessible style (smoothly translated by Catherine Porter) the stories of people trapped within a bureaucracy that was as obsessed, perhaps, with clearing files as with hunting Jews. In other words, Zalc reminds us how cruel the banality of indifference could be."-- Wall Street Journal Winner of the Prix d'histoire de la justice A leading historian radically revises our understanding of the fate of Jews under the Vichy regime. Thousands of naturalized French men and women had their citizenship revoked by the Vichy government during the Second World War. Once denaturalized, these men and women, mostly Jews who were later sent to concentration camps, ceased being French on official records and walked off the pages of history. As a result, we have for decades severely underestimated the number of French Jews murdered by Nazis during the Holocaust. In Denaturalized , Claire Zalc unearths this tragic record and rewrites World War II history. At its core, this is a detective story. How do we trace a citizen made alien by the law? How do we solve a murder when the body has vanished? Faced with the absence of straightforward evidence, Zalc turned to the original naturalization papers in order to uncover how denaturalization later occurred. She discovered that, in many cases, the very officials who granted citizenship to foreigners before 1940 were the ones who retracted it under Vichy rule. The idea of citizenship has always existed alongside the threat of its revocation, and this is especially true for those who are naturalized citizens of a modern state. At a time when the status of millions of naturalized citizens in the United States and around the world is under greater scrutiny, Denaturalized turns our attention to the precariousness of the naturalized experience--the darkness that can befall those who suddenly find themselves legally cast out. A Leading Historian Radically Revises Our Understanding Of The Fate Of Jews Under The Vichy Regime. Winner Of The Prix D'histoire De La Justice. Thousands Of Naturalized French Men And Women Had Their Citizenship Revoked By The Vichy Government During The Second World War. Once Denaturalized, These Men And Women, Mostly Jews Who Were Later Sent To Concentration Camps, Ceased Being French On Official Records And Walked Off The Pages Of History. As A Result, We Have For Decades Severely Underestimated The Number Of French Jews Murdered By Nazis During The Holocaust. In Denaturalized, Claire Zalc Unearths This Tragic Record And Rewrites World War Ii History. At Its Core, This Is A Detective Story. How Do We Trace A Citizen Made Alien By The Law? How Do We Solve A Murder When The Body Has Vanished? Faced With The Absence Of Straightforward Evidence, Zalc Turned To The Original Naturalization Papers In Order To Uncover How Denaturalization Later Occurred. She Discovered That, In Many Cases, The Very Officials Who Granted Citizenship To Foreigners Before 1940 Were The Ones Who Retracted It Under Vichy Rule. The Idea Of Citizenship Has Always Existed Alongside The Threat Of Its Revocation, And This Is Especially True For Those Who Are Naturalized Citizens Of A Modern State. At A Time When The Status Of Millions Of Naturalized Citizens In The United States And Around The World Is Under Greater Scrutiny, Denaturalized Turns Our Attention To The Precariousness Of The Naturalized Experience--the Darkness That Can Befall Those Who Suddenly Find Themselves Legally Cast Out. "At its core, this is a detective story. How do we trace a citizen made alien by the law? How do we solve a murder when the body has vanished? Faced with the absence of straightforward evidence, Zalc turned to the original naturalization papers in order to uncover how denaturalization later occurred. She discovered that, in many cases, the very officials who granted citizenship to foreigners before 1940 were the ones who retracted it under Vichy rule. The idea of citizenship has always existed alongside the threat of its revocation, and this is especially true for those who are naturalized citizens of a modern state. At a time when the status of millions of naturalized citizens in the United States and around the world is under greater scrutiny, Denaturalized turns our attention to the precariousness of the naturalized experience-the darkness that can befall those who suddenly find themselves legally cast out"-- Provided by publisher Prologue: 53552X -- Introduction -- In the beginning was the law -- New men? The actors behind the denaturalization policy -- The Commission's first selections: political logic and administrative anti-Semitism -- Singling out the unworthy at the local level: denaturalizing from the bottom up -- The Commission at work -- Investigations and investigators -- Denaturalized, and then what? -- Protests -- Summing up -- Conclusion The number of French Jews killed during the Holocaust has been massively underestimated. Claire Zalc explains why: the Vichy regime terminated the legal standing of thousands of naturalized Jewish citizens, erasing them from the record. Their official disappearance is a lesson about the precariousness of naturalized status, then and now.