Writing from the Heart, Reading for the Road

Remembering France Under Occupation

April 18, 2024 at 2:01 pm Leave a comment

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of France after four years of Nazi Occupation (from 1940-44).

There will be much attention paid to the events that brought about this liberation in the months to come–particularly during the months of June (in commemoration of D-Day) and August (the liberation of Paris and other parts of France).

I’m marking this anniversary in my own way by (finally) watching the incredibly engaging, often difficult-to-watch (but very worth watching) TV series, Un Village Francais.

The series is great preparation for my next class for Politics & Prose bookstore in Washington DC, which is designed to give participants a deeper sense of what those years were like for the French people, by reading and discussing three literary texts. The class is open to anyone: if you’re interested, here’s more information about it, and how you can register.

It was a truly international effort that brought about the liberation of France. In my next post I’ll be telling the story of one brave young Canadian pilot who played a heroic role in that struggle. Stay tuned!

Janet Hulstrand is an American writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher of writing and of literature who lives in France. She is the author of Demystifying the French: How to Love Them, and Make Them Love You, and A Long Way from Iowa: From the Heartland to the Heart of France; and coauthor of Moving On: A Practical Guide to Downsizing the Family Home.

Entry filed under: About France, About World War II. Tags: France, France Under Occupation, literature, online classes, WWII.