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Focus on the Second World War: the Shoah
This sheet gives the main historical landmarks on France in the Second World War. It shows the scale of the Shoah as a crime against humanity.
Key points of the sheet
- The Shoah is the genocide of the Jews organised by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. About 6 million Jews were murdered.
- Nazi policy had several stages: exclusion of the Jews from 1935, confinement in ghettos, then mass shootings from 1941.
- In 1942, the Nazis launched the “final solution”: Jews were deported by train to camps. On arrival, most were gassed immediately; the others suffered forced labour, hunger, cold and violence.
- In France, the Vichy regime was led by Marshal Pétain, head of the French State between 1940 and 1944. It collaborated with Nazi Germany.
- From October 1940, Vichy adopted laws on the status of the Jews. It excluded them from many jobs and confiscated their property.
- The French police took part in the arrests: the Vel d’Hiv round-up, in July 1942, arrested about 13,000 Jews. In total, 76,000 Jews from France were deported.
- The Shoah is the largest genocide in history, recognised at the Nuremberg trial as a crime against humanity. In 1995, France recognised the responsibility of the French State; the Shoah is studied at school.
- Heinrich Himmler organised the extermination of the Jews. Reinhard Heydrich was the organiser of the “final solution”.
Words to know
- the Shoah
- It is the genocide of the Jews organised by Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
- final solution (solution finale)
- It is the name the Nazis gave to their plan to exterminate the Jews of Europe.
- crime against humanity (crime contre l’humanité)
- The Nuremberg trial recognised the Shoah as a crime against humanity.
- Vichy regime (régime de Vichy)
- It is the regime led by Marshal Pétain. It was authoritarian, antisemitic and collaborated with Nazi Germany.
- Vel d’Hiv round-up (rafle du Vel d’Hiv)
- On 16 and 17 July 1942, in Paris, about 13,000 Jews were arrested, including 4,000 children.
- Einsatzgruppen
- They were Nazi extermination units. They carried out mass shootings from 1941.
Test yourself: 3 questions
In which year did the Vel d’Hiv round-up take place?
In French, the language of the exam: En quelle année a lieu la rafle du Vel d’Hiv ?
The Vel d’Hiv round-up took place in Paris on 16 and 17 July 1942.
When did France recognise the responsibility of the French State in the deportation of the Jews?
In French, the language of the exam: Quand la France reconnaît-elle la responsabilité de l’État français dans la déportation des Juifs ?
In 1995, France recognised the responsibility of the French State in the deportation of the Jews.
How many Jews were murdered during the Shoah?
In French, the language of the exam: Combien de Juifs sont assassinés pendant la Shoah ?
About 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- What is the duty of remembrance (devoir de mémoire) about the Shoah?
- Why is the Shoah studied at school?
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Source
Sheet “Focus sur la Seconde Guerre mondiale - la Shoah” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.