82: Paris

82 years ago today (August 25, 1944) Paris, France was liberated from German Occupation by the Americans, the British and the Free French during World War 2.

(As Allied Troops enter Paris on August 25, 1944, celebrating crowds on place De La Concorde scatter for cover from small bands of remaining German Snipers.)

Paris had been occupied by the Germans since June 14, 1940. A Curfew was in effect from 9 pm in until 5 am and at night, the City of Light went dark.

Rationing of food, tobacco, coal and clothing was initiated in September 1940. Every year the supplies grew scarcer and the prices higher. The French Press and Radio Broadcast only German Propaganda.

Jews in Paris were forced to wear the Yellow Star of David Badge and were barred from Professions and Public Places.

On July 16-17, 1942, 13,152 Parisian Jews, including 4,115 Children, were rounded up by the French Police, on orders of the Germans, and were sent to the Auschwitz Death Camp in German-Occupied Poland (of the 76,000 French Jews deported from France.)

Following the Allied Invasion of Normandy on June, 6, 1944, the French Resistance in Paris launched an Uprising on August 19th, seizing the Police Headquarters and other Government Buildings.

On August 7, 1944 , Dietrich von Choltitz was appointed the Military Governor of the Garrison of "Greater Paris" (Groβ Paris) with 20,000 German Soldiers in Paris.

The French Resistance in Paris had 19,000 Members , but only 60 hand guns, a few machine guns, and no heavy weapons.

On August 20th Barricades were erected across Paris by the French Resistance and Ordinary Parisians. Fighting broke out between the French Resistance and the Germans from August 20th to 25th when the Resistance was joined by the Free French and the Americans.

General von Choltitz had been ordered by Hitler to leave the city a "heap of burning ruins", but he also realized the battle was lost, and he did not want to be captured by the Resistance.

Through the offices of the Swedish Consul-General, Raoul Nordling, he ignored Hitler's orders and arranged a truce. In the afternoon of the 25th he traveled from his Headquarters in the Hôtel Meurice to the Montparnasse Train Station, the Headquarters of General Leclerc, where he signed the Surrender.

The Occupation of Paris was officially over.

General Charles de Gaulle held his Free French Victory Parade in Paris on August 26, 1944.

America held its Victory Parade in Paris on August 29, 1944.