Vichy's afterlife : history and counterhistory in postwar France

One of the distinctive features of the "Vichy Syndrome" -- the persistence of the memory of the Vichy regime in French political and cultural life -- is that it has been extremely difficult for an authoritative historical discourse to impose itself. Why does Vichy, and all that the name entails, fascinate and even obsess the French, inflecting not only discussions of the past but of the present as well?In Vichy's Afterlife, Richard J. Golsan explores the complexities of some of the most provocative episodes of Vichy's curious persistence in France's national consciousness. He argues that each of these episodes, events, and scandals, constitutes a crossroads where history and "counterhistory" -- different or competing versions of the past -- encounter one another, often with explosive and even destructive consequences. In Vichy's Afterlife, Richard J. Golsan Explores The Complexities Of Some Of The Most Provocative Episodes Of Vichy's Curious Persistence In France's National Consciousness. He Argues That Each Of These Episodes, Events, And Scandals Constitutes A Crossroads Where History And Counterhistory--different Or Competing Versions Of The Past - Encounter One Another, Often With Explosive And Even Destructive Consequences.--jacket. Introduction: The Body In The Basement -- Memory And Justice Abused: The 1949 Trial Of Rene Bousquet -- History As Counterhistory: Modiano And The Occupation -- Collaboration And Context: Louis Malle's Lacombe Lucien And The Mode Retro -- Revising The Sorrow And The Pity: Marcel Ophuls's Hotel Terminus -- The Trial Of Paul Touvier: The Law Revises History -- Mitterrand's Dark Years: A President's French Youth -- Denying The Holocaust In France: The Past And Present Of An Illusion -- From Vichy To Sarajevo: French Intellectuals And The Balkan Conflict -- Memory's Time Bombs: The Trial Of Maurice Papon And The Algerian War -- Conclusion: The End Of The Affair? Richard J. Golsan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [207]-218) And Index. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction: The Body in the Basement......Page 16 1 Memory and Justice Abused: The 1949 Trial of René Bousquet......Page 39 2 History as Counterhistory: Modiano and the Occupation......Page 58 3 Collaboration and Context: Louis Malle’s Lacombe Lucien and the Mode Rétro......Page 72 4 Revising The Sorrow and the Pity: Marcel Ophuls’s Hotel Terminus......Page 88 5 The Trial of Paul Touvier: The Law Revises History......Page 103 6 Mitterrand’s Dark Years: A President’s ‘‘French Youth’’......Page 118 7 Denying the Holocaust in France: The Past and Present of an Illusion......Page 139 8 From Vichy to Sarajevo: French Intellectuals and the Balkan Conflict......Page 158 9 Memory’s Time Bombs: The Trial of Maurice Papon and the Algerian War......Page 171 Conclusion: The End of the Affair?......Page 196 Notes......Page 200 Selected Bibliography......Page 222 B......Page 234 C......Page 235 F......Page 237 H......Page 239 L......Page 240 M......Page 241 N......Page 242 P......Page 243 R......Page 244 T......Page 245 V......Page 246 Z......Page 247 One of the distinctive features of the "Vichy Syndrome"the persistence of the memory of the Vichy regime in French political and cultural lifeis that it has been extremelydifficult for an authoritative historical discourse to impose itself. Why does Vichy, and all that the name entails, fascinate and even obsess the French, inflecting not only discussions of the past but of the present as well? In Vichy's Afterlife , Richard J. Golsan explores the complexities of some of the most provocative episodes of Vichy's curious persistence in France's national consciousness. He argues that each of these episodes, events, and scandals constitutes a crossroads where history and "counterhistory"different or competing versions of the pastencounter one another, often with explosive and even destructive consequences. "In Vichy's Afterlife, Richard J. Golsan explores the complexities of some of the most provocative episodes of Vichy's curious persistence in France's national consciousness. He argues that each of these episodes, events, and scandals constitutes a crossroads where history and "counterhistory" - different or competing versions of the past - encounter one another, often with explosive and even destructive consequences."--BOOK JACKET.