On September 27, 1940, the Germans ordered a census of Jews, both French and foreign. A registry was compiled by the Paris Police Prefecture for the Paris region.
The law of October 3, 1940, “on the status of Jews,” defined the “Jewish race” as defined by the Vichy regime and listed the professions prohibited to Jews.
The law of October 4, 1940, states that, effective upon its enactment, “foreign nationals of the Jewish race may be interned in special camps.”
On October 18, 1940, a German decree placed businesses and property belonging to Jews under sequestration.
Anti-Jewish laws and ordinances will be enacted at an accelerating pace.
Furthermore, the plight of nearly one and a half million French prisoners in Germany, the economic and social consequences of the Occupation, and hardships of all kinds fueled anti-German sentiment among the population.
One of the terms of the armistice stipulated that France must pay Germany 40 million gold francs per day to cover Occupation costs. The Germans, with their considerable purchasing power, helped themselves to food supplies. This plundering of the country’s resources led to severe shortages and sparked numerous protests.
