Paul Simon

One Enemy Only the Invader Paul Simon

ONE ENEMY ONLY THE INVADER BY PAUL SIMON PREFACE I TAKE pleasure in introducing to the public this book by a true Frenchman, recently come from France through great hazards. This frank, direct testimony about the German occupation of France is as free of pretension as it is free of artifice: it is the truth, spoken by a patriot. The story told by M. Paul Simon cannot be other than moving. First, there is a picture of occupied Paris. The thousand traits which together make up the sad face of Paris, scenes and impressions, thoughts and sentiments, miseries and hopes, are all noted with the precision and observation natural to a lucid, wellinformed man. There is also evidence of the faith and hope held by the French faith in France, hope of liberation. The author thinks and feels simply, as the people of Paris feel and think. These people have never faltered during Frances trials, and from behind the bloodstained curtain, interposed between them and the rest of the world by the oppressor, they have found means to reveal proofs of their resolute resistance. They know the enemy for what he is. In consequence, they behave and fight with courage, with ingenuity, and with such poor means as cruel destiny has left them. M. Paul Simon, courageous editor of a clandestine paper, lived in occupied Paris for a long time. Anonymous men and women pass across the pages of his story they claim our admiration as representatives of all nameless fighters on the French front, and their name is legion. Honest Frenchmen and the friends of France will be grateful to M. Paul Simon for having revealed the true France, which is today suffering but militant, and tomorrow will be triumphant. GENERAL DE GAULLE CONTENTS PREFACE GENERAL DE GAULLE PART ONE I. On the Eve 11 II. The Germans enter Paris 12 III. Paris Occupied 15 IV. The Face of Paris 18 V. Germans in Paris 27 VI. The Army of Occupation 38 PART TWO I. Poster Campaign 43 II. The Pentagon 47 III. Valmy 50 IV. How Valmy was written 56 V. How Valmy was distributed 64 PART THREE I. Resistance 68 II. The Ashes of the Due de Reichstadt 73 III. Collaborators 74 IV. Collaborationist Press 79 V. Clandestine Press 83 VI. Organising Underground Activity 87 VII. Prisons 90 PART FOUR I. Police, GardeRep ublicaine, Gendarmerie, Fire Service II. AntiBolshevik Legion III. Political Parties IV. ExServicemens Organisations V. Students and Schoolchildren VI. The Jews VII. The Radio VIII. Posters no IX. Public Health X. Food, Clothes, Queues, Black Market PART FIVE I. The Zones II. Occupied Zone III. Unoccupied Zone IV. What France is Thinking V. France and the Allies PART SIX I. A Parisian Household II. Mame Machue III. Obsession IV. Sadism V. Conclusions