War Tourism: Second World War France, from Defeat and Occupation to the Creation of Heritage

This is very interesting to me, thanks for posting. I’m sorry to say none of the libraries in my area have it and it’s $30 on Amazon so I’ll have to ponder whether to purchase. The fact that Germans came as tourists during occupation doesn’t surprise me, but being a German tourist as de Gaulle rolled into Paris in ‘44? That would amaze me.

Yes that struck me as very wrong.

Narratives changed but war tourism remains a significant contributor to the French economy.

I would put a question mark behind such a statement; or the author has a very different understanding of the word "significant". Tourism in France contributes around 6% of GDP, of course with regional differences. Around 70% of tourists are domestic travelers. And the ratio of tourists coming for war related topics might not be significant compared to motives like visiting Paris, doing summer vacations or enjoying whatever of landscape, food or culture.

I guess much more often is searching for roots of ancestors because migration of people within Europe was given in all centuries. As an example I just want to mention the migrations based on the Edict of Potsdam in 1685. Still today a lot of places and some cultural and food things base on these immigrants from France.

Tourism which is based on movies likely plays also a significant touristic role for destinations and places; from a German perspective the TV series "Kommissar Dupin" might have created a high touristic demand for the Brittany region.

As comparison: Ystad is the destination at the Baltic sea with the highest tourist-inhabitant-ratio, beating also destinations Stockholm and Copenhagen. Reason is the "Wallander" series by Mankell.

@Mark, your link to the wikipedia story on the Edict of Potsdam has the merit of reminding us of the Edict of Nantes, which I was able to see in person at the national archives in Paris last year at about this time.

On the other hand, the article perpetuates the Protestant perspective on the resettlement of parts of Prussia by heretical and acquisitive groups who sought advantages in the wake of demographic changes at that era. I say 'perspective' rather than 'propaganda' to avoid indelicacy. The article highlights the haste of the composition and distribution of the relevant edicts in order to paper over the reality of the time -- the documents were post-hoc justifications for land and property confiscation by the Calvinists.

The Edict of Potsdam was a measure to attract immigrants and bolster a state, while the earlier Edict of Restitution was an attempt by the Holy Roman Emperor to reclaim lands lost in the previous century for the Catholic Church.

Edict of Potsdam (1685)

Purpose: To attract skilled Huguenot refugees who were fleeing eastern France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes

Key provisions:

•Offered land for settlement and tax breaks for ten years.
•Provided financial aid for building new homes.
•Permitted settlers to claim ownership of 'abandoned' (i.e. poorly defended) estates.
•Granted the right to hold religious services in their native French and establish their own schools.
•Assured the Huguenots the same legal rights as the Elector's native subjects.

The Edict's rationalization was based on strengthening Brandenburg-Prussia's economy and population by attracting a large number of skilled Protestant immigrants who had been expelled from France.

For more on how Prussia turned Protestant, see

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchy_of_Prussia#:~:text=5%20Further%20reading-,Overview,formally%20adopted%20Lutheranism%20in%201525.

The Edict of Fontainebleau from 1685 was somehow the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. And Prussia was still suffering from massive losses of people during the 30 years war. So a great idea to invite intellectual refugees with excellent cooking background - the last one is a guess from my side.

Granted the right to hold religious services in their native French and establish their own schools

In Berlin the French Dome (Französischer Dom) which stands on French sounding Gendarmenmarkt still reminds these times. The dome hosts the Hugenot Museum (link). Maybe interesting for you?

The origin of Berlin's fast food's name Boulette (a meat ball with various tasty ingredients) is also from French language.

And you will not know how we Berliners pronounce our President's palace Bellevue.

Thank you for that museum link!