Maximilian Kowler - April 26, 1984
Life in Vichy France
Did life change dras...drastically after the Vichy government?
You mean 1940, or...
In 1940.
In 1940, um, um, yes, it changed because we of all people had naturally started to worry, because we had escaped Germany or Austria before, and we knew what uh, could happen to us and what eventually would happen to us. So naturally life for us changed drastically, because we were worried and we had to think of our future. Some of us never wanted to leave France when we came to France. Some of us, we used France only as a, as a stepping stone to go further on, you know? But uh, we were worried now to be caught there if we don't get out in time. French people--I don't think there were, there were very much--there was maybe--there was a more--should I say more, more intelligent, more sophisticated, or--I don't know. Maybe they began to worry, and said, "Oh, I think we are living now under, under a uh, government which is now under oppression, you know? That uh, what is going to become of us?" But most of the people were what we call in France ???, or we call them ???, you know? They didn't care. They didn't care.
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