French Catholic intellectuals during the Occupation

Abstract

Among the images of chagrin and pitie, the tales of bravery and treachery, little is to be heard of the French Catholic intellectuals. Even in the post-war polemics which intermittently summoned one or other of them to declare 'dans quel camp etes-vous?' there is no resounding myth of their war-time record, and no convenient summary account of their actions during the period. The starting point of this study is therefore to ask: what did French Catholic intellectuals do during the Occupation? The question appears simple enough, but on examination the simple answers appear ...