| The Shaming of a French Prostitute |
| World History > World War II in World History > World War II in World History Maps and Pictures |
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| French women who befriended the Nazis, through coerced, forced, or voluntary relationships, were singled out for shameful retribution following the liberation of France. The woman photographed here, believed to have been a prostitute who serviced German occupiers, is having her head shaved to publicly mark her. This picture was taken in Montelimar, France, in 1944. Click here to enlarge. |
| Following World War II, French collaborators with the Nazis faced harsh retribution in a period known as the "Épuration légale" (legal purge). Those accused of collaboration were subject to public trials, imprisonment, and in some cases, execution. Women who had relationships with German soldiers were publicly humiliated, often having their heads shaved. Many collaborators were stripped of their civil rights and property. This period saw a mix of legal proceedings and extrajudicial punishments, reflecting the deep anger and desire for justice among the French population, as the nation sought to rebuild and reconcile after the occupation. |
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