Color Photos of Paris under the Nazis Causes a Stir
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 @ 13:35
An exhibition of color photographs of Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II has generated some considerable controversy amongst the French, with some politicians saying they paint a false picture of what life was like under the Nazis.
In fact Paris' deputy mayor Christophe Girard, who also chairs the City's culture department, wants the exhibit shut down unless its organizers can find a way to create a counterbalance to the cheery version of events that is now being depicted.
Called "Parisians under the Occupation," the exhibit is comprised of 270 color photographs taken by the French photographer Andre Zucca. These photos depict a wartime Paris, where the emphasis is more on the joy of the times than the tragedy. Girard says that this display is clearly inappropriate for an occupation that is still fresh and painful in the collective memory of the French people.
Girard stated that plans were underway to discuss this exhibit with historians to see if there is some way that modifications could be made that will save the exhibition. But if nothing can be done, then his goal is just to see it shut down.
Some of the photos in this exhibit show the times of Nazi occupation of France as a "happy go lucky" time, including one of a 'grande dame' standing on a shopping promenade, another of sunbathers lounging along the river Seine, and other photographs of families enjoying a day at the races; clearly not a true representation of life in France during the Nazi occupation.
Andre Zucca is reputed to be a great photographer, and his photographs represented great art for its time. However, the argument here is how realistic his photos are at depicting the times, and that is why Christophe Girard would like to see the exhibit modified to make it more realistic, or simply shut down to avoid giving an inaccurate representation of the times when France suffered under Nazi occupation.
