The war of the waves


The international tension which precedes the conflict by 1939 transforms the radios into weapons of psychological warfare. Vis-a-vis with the propaganda of the German radios and in particular of powerful " the Stuttgart Radio ", the French radios, deprived or of State, try to be organized.
French is stuck to their radio sets and, between two radiophonic serials, they are with the mounting of the least news which can consolidate their opinion on the evolution of the world tension or the input in war of France.
When the war bursts, the hour is not any more with the light music and the emissions of relaxation. The radio becomes the only means of information which can inform to hour per hour French about the evolution of the situation. The transmitters will be scuttled for the majority before the arrival of German who will quickly give them in service for the needs for their propaganda.

As of the summer 1940, a studio is installed with the Casino of Vichy. The instrument of propaganda of the new " French State " and of its policy will be " Radio Vichy ".
The audience remains weak bus the radio of Vichy is too much directed towards the policy of the Marshal and scorns the foreign policy, the continuation of the war.
The programs are obviously completely controlled by Pétain and Laval.

Propaganda Abteilung in Frankreich, in occupied zone launches " Radio Paris " as of July 18, 1940.
This radio allemande in French language recruits many journalists collaborationnists who also take part in the principal newspapers French anti-semites. Benefitting from the many concerts and spectacles given to
Paris, it exploits the same creed as the radio of Vichy. With large speakers like Jean Hérold-Paquis, who always finished his diatribes by " bus as Carthage England will be destroyed ".

The British finding itself only in the war after the signature of the armistice, they authorize the emission of a French program with B.B.C. (BBC: British Broadcasting Corporation, British national radio) half an hour.
This emission takes its first steps on July 14 with 20h30, it will take soon the name of " the French speak to the French ". At the beginning of each emission, Jacques Duchesne launched this sentence " Today, (xeme) day of the resistance of the French people to the oppression " which was transformed into " Today (xeme) day of the fight of the French people for his release ".
Republican and liberal nostalgia made the small ones within the opinion and one listened to much the B.B.C. in spite of jamming and the incurred severe sanctions.
Dice 1940, German condemned the listening of the radio of Londre.
Public notice

1- The war between Germany and France is definitively finished, henceforth these 2 countries is not considered more as enemies. The war with England continues. The latter spreads news inaccurate and tendentious, it is thus defended to listen to its emissions of delinquent T.S.F. Tout will be punished and the confiscated apparatus.

2- It is interdict to circulate in the streets of 22 h. of the evening with 5h.1/2 morning (French hour) made exeption of the doctors, midwives, having a special permit of the mayor.
The coffees will remain open up to 22 hours (French hour) for the civil ones and 23 hours for the German soldiers.

3- It is recommended to take care of the camouflage of the lights.

4- The rise in the prices of the foodstuffs is prohibited under penalty of fine and closing of the stores.
It is also prohibited the storage of the known as goods.
Display German in occupied zone


Leaflet distributed by " Good French "
Under the pressure of the occupant and Propaganda Abteilung,le French government prohibition extends to collect and listen to " the emissions of britanic post offices devoting itself to an antinational propaganda, in all the public or private places "
LAW OF OCTOBER 28, 1941

We, Marshal of France, head of the French State, the consulting of the heard minister, issue :

ARTICLE FIRST . - The reception or hearing is prohibited, in some place that it is, public or private, of the radio broadcasts of the British post offices or not, being devoted to an antinational propaganda.
ART. 2. - Dice the observation of an infringement to the present decree, the prefect can take with regard to gouvernemant a measurement of administrative internment and, if the reception or the hearing of the prohibited emissions had place in a coffee, bar, hotel, restaurant, show of tea, theatre, circle, room conference or all other establishment open to the public, pronounce closing of the aforesaid establishment for one duration which can reach six months.
In all the cases, is carried out to the administrative data entry of the apparatuses.
ART. 3. - Any infringement with the present decree is punished of a fine from 200 to 10.000 francs and of a six days imprisonment to two years or one of these two sorrows only.
Moreover, the court can pronounce for one one month duration in six months, the closing of the establishments indicated in article 2.
In all the cases, it orders the confiscation of the seized apparatuses.
ART. 4. - This decree is applicable to Algeria.
Fact in Vichy, October 28, 1941.
PH. PETAIN.

A similar law, on November 2, applies to all the territories concerned with the Secretariat of State to the Colonies.

The only French news escaping from propaganda Nazi or from Vichy, it is there BBC who distils them with " French speak with French ".


Songs and maxims become famous: the famous one "Radio Paris lies, Radio Paris lies, Radio Paris is German " on the air of the " Cucaracha " in September 1940.

All things considered, one listened to Radio Paris the day and one applauded Pétain and, the come evening, all the family gathered around the station, volume low possible.
For most of the hearths, the listening of London became a practice and information is hawked of mouth with ear and is commented on. German worries some and the arrests are made increasingly many the majority on denunciation malheureusement.Les sorrows are worsening to the wire of time,de six weeks at the beginning of 1943 to two years at the end for hearing of the BBC.
Dimensioned private radio stations, powerful Radio Luxembourg was keep silent in 1939, recent Radio Andorra will not stop its emissions which will be exclusively musical and neutral. As for Radio Assembles-Carlo, it will be created on the initiative of German, Italian and the state of Vichy in 1942.
The Release will remove French territory the radio deprived for one period of almost 40 years. The end of the Forties will see the success of the stations known as " peripheral " with a program very close to the radio to before war, more distracting and popular that that of the radio of State.