Marianne in Chains: Daily Life in the Heart of France During the German Occupation First Edition

by Robert Gildea (Author)

24 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0312423599

ISBN-10: 9780312423599

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In France, the German occupation is called simply the "dark years." There were only the "good French" who resisted and the "bad French" who collaborated. Marianne in Chains, a broad and provocative history drawing on previously unseen archives, firsthand interviews, diaries, and eyewitness accounts, uncovers the complex truth of the time. Robert Gildea's groundbreaking study reveals the everyday life in the heart of occupied France; the pressing imperatives of work, food, transportation, and family obligations that led to unavoidable compromise and negotiation with the army of occupation.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Gildea has done a great service...A considerable achievement.” ―The New York Times

“[A] carefully researched and richly nuanced study.” ―The Boston Globe

“Subtle and humane.” ―The New Yorker

“A searching inquiry...Provocative--and timely.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“Stunning...In his nuanced and intricate work of historical reconstruction Gildea has grappled heroically with the ambiguity at the heart of history and in the heart of man.” ―The Atlantic Monthly

About the Author

Robert Gildea is Professor of French History at the University of Oxford.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0312423594
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Picador; First edition (June 1, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 528 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780312423599
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312423599
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.4 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.21 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #191,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #185 in Military History (Books)
- #362 in European History (Books)
- #426 in French History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
24 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		47%
4 star		14%
3 star		16%
2 star		15%
1 star		9%

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Top reviews from the United States

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E.P. McLean

Review of German occupation

Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2019

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Good book by strong academic on the war years in France. Very nuanced study of how French government dealt with the Germans. It reveals that the relationship was more complex then the popular myth maintains. It is dense and full of details, but the biggest problem is it concentrates on the original occupation zone and has little to say about Vichy France. It would have been helpful to know how the south dealt with the occupation after 1942.

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K. Coscino

Scholarly, perhaps, but dull

Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2004

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This book was so fragmented that it was difficult to pull the broader picture out of it. It lacked cohesion, presenting as separate chapters important details which could have been woven into a much more readable whole, a much better flow.
The general belief that the French collaborated with the Germans during the occupation was explored in various shades of grey but never really pinned down in black and white---I'm not sure if by the end of it, I was convinced one way or the other, although that little practical distinction was made between occupied and Vichy France did lend more overall credibility to the general collaboration idea. Endless stories with so much boring personal detail contrasted cooperation with defiance, plenty with privation, acceptance with imposition.
The French were definitely pictured as opportunists, opening their businesses, homes and bodies to avoid the potential of brutal plunder, and all the while covertly cheating their often gullible captors in every way they could. Being stationed in France and away from the harsh battlefront was the creme assignment, and while indulging themselves they often fell unwitting prey to almost anything the French could come up with. On the other hand, the Germans were presented as basically respectful of the French through common ancestry and religion, and honor for their heroic actions during WW1---although the military reasons for being there were never too far below the surface, despite the free-wheeling lifestyle they were experiencing in France.
The concluding chapter wound up being the most interesting part of the book, since it did manage to tie it all together fairly well, considering the amount of detail to work with. I think the book could probably have been half as long and much more appealing if Gildea could just have kept it on track rather than digressing into endless minutiae.

30 people found this helpful

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Satisfied customer

Detailed history

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2021

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This is a great resource to learn about life in France during and after the Occupation. Well researched with a lively writing style.

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Gini Grossenbacher

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2016

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Very informative for historians and authors of historical fiction.

2 people found this helpful

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Samantha K.

Interesting history read

Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2013

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Read this for my french class, interesting read. A lot of history, a lot of facts, not the best "color" to the subject.

3 people found this helpful

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Jeanajoan

Too dry

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2013

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I was expecting more personal social anthropology, and this was stats info and observation. Not a bad book, just not what I was expecting, especially with the evocative book title.

2 people found this helpful

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Two Stars

Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2014

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Didn't like it very much. Expected something different.

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robbieandrose

Extremely interesting if too tightly focused

Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2008

While I think that those that gave this book a negative review for being too narrow in scope and being very bogged down by excessive stats have a point but I believe this book is a noble undertaking and does prove its thesis which is that most French weren't in the Resistance, many French profited handsomely by the German presence and most Germans loved France and didn't want to spoil what was for them an idyllic place. Also, the author turns over alot of stones that most French probably wish were left alone like: the complicity of the Catholic Church, the alacrity with which the Surete turned over Jews especially foreign ones, and the total collaborationist behavior of many,many prominent people in the government.

17 people found this helpful

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Joseph

Tut Tut

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2020

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Very interesting and annoying

Thirsty Plant

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2017

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This is one of a selection of books chosen to give me an insight in to the French psyche.

Gounin Pierre

Marianne in Chains

Reviewed in France on May 8, 2014

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Ce n'est pas un travail d'historien sérieux mais plutôt une histoire reconstituée par un romantique.
Il est complètement à coté de la vérité voire en complet contre-sens sur des points que je connais très bien.

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Marianne in Chains: Daily Life in the Heart of France During the German Occupation First Edition

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