In September I vacationed in rural France. Lazy days with extended family; watching the cows in the meadow lumber down to the river; browsing local village markets wishing I could bring the spicy olives, aged cheeses and goose liver pâté back to Washington State; long lunches under the trees that begin at noon and end at three with a nap.
One of the reasons I love France is that history surrounds you. A short drive takes you to a twelfth century Knights Templar chapel, a town fortified against the English in the Hundred Years’ War, and a chateau that hints at pre-Revolutionary grandeur. And not just ancient history. Every town and village have its memorial commemorating the dead of two world wars. The family names inscribed on these monuments testify to repeated losses “pro patria.” France’s World War II story is especially fascinating, divided between German-occupied territory and “free” Vichy France, resistance heroes and Nazi collaborators.
No wonder the Second World War in France has spawned so many novels. Perhaps my favorite is “All The Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr. Others equally well-known are: “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah, “Sarah’s Key” by Tatiana de Rosnay; and “Suite Française” by Irène Némirovsky. There’s a whole slew of WW2 novels with Paris in the title: “The Paris…Library/Apartment/Architect/Bakery,” “Three Hours in Paris,” and “The Last Time I Saw Paris.”
Several of these novels also deal with the complicated aftermath of war. The conflict in Europe killed or displaced millions of people. National boundaries were redrawn, and an Iron Curtain bisected the continent east and west. Destroyed economies were gradually rebuilt, while, just as gradually, stories emerged of atrocities committed. Many who survived the war never spoke of it, even though they bore lifelong scars.
“…Watching the cows in the meadow lumber down to the river…”
“…Browsing local village markets…”
For my generation growing up in Europe after the war, its shadow lay heavy on us. Although I was born in 1949, I believe the Second World War was the defining event of my life. The reminders surrounded me as a child: bombsites and food rationing; the hobbit humps of buried bomb shelters and expanses of de-commissioned airfields. The war pervaded popular culture too with films like “Dam Busters” (1955), “Reach for the Sky” (1956), and “Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957). “Reach for the Sky,” the true-life story of flying ace Douglas Bader who lost both his legs in an accident but went on to become a fighter pilot, was the first movie I ever saw—a little too harrowing for a seven-year-old: I ran out of the cinema in tears.
And this was in Britain which had escaped a Nazi invasion. How much more pervasive was the aftershock of war in those countries that had experienced occupation, like France.
The long-term effects of wartime trauma are one of the themes of my forthcoming novel, “Daughters of Riga.” I also wanted to explore how ordinary people could be resilient and even heroic in the midst of the horror. Almost eighty years later, untold stories of that resilience and heroism have disappeared with the generation that endured the war in Europe. Perhaps that is why I am drawn to write historical fiction: to invent narratives and characters that might have existed and give an imaginary afterlife to those who are now dead.
Very nice, Marian. I know I was inspired to write about WWII in another country from my student days in France in the mid-1960s. My college group arrived in Vichy, France in late September for a 7 week brush up on our French before we went to Univerisite. The little town was working hard to restore its reputation as a sports destination and cultural center. Several of us were adopted by friends from a traditional Auverne dance group which meant meeting Madame Charpin and her simple home with a built-in privy. At the end of her street, some of the bombed out houses lay in ruins after two decades. The thing that hit me the most was the plaque in the town square dedicated to the 25 students shot by the Gestapo. That has haunted me for decades. Later, at a country wedding, it was whispered that the priest was in the Resistance. Coming from the US, this history was new to me, more than 20+ years after liberation.
What great memories of France! Norway and France shared the trauma of occupation. It still reverberates, 75 years later.
Looking forward to reading your new book.
Linda: release date is not until February 28, 2024 but should be available for pre-order by December 21.
Really enjoyed how you connected your love of France with historical events and literary recommendations. Looking forward to reading “Daughters of Riga.”
Thanks also for the book and film recommendations. I’ve already read/seen about half of them. The WWII experience is still being interpreted and absorbed. Sky
Susan, I love France, and I know you do too. Thanks for your interest in Daughters of Riga.
Sky, so many stories about WW2 still to be told.
So excited for your new book! The history in France is so complicated and nuanced. What a perfect subject.
Shannon, the war still echoes, especially through those countries that suffered occupation. Stories still emerging.
Really looking forward to reading ‘Daughters of Riga’ Marion. Although physically distanced and unaffected by the war, living my first 7 years in Nigeria then coming home to Georgeham, Devon in 1958, I was always morbidly fascinated by the newspaper articles on the concentration camps.
Hope you’re all well and recovered from covid.
Brenda, thanks for reading. Stories from WW2, including about the camps, emerged quite slowly afterwards, unlike today with instant coverage. In fact, they are still being revealed. Daughters of Riga will be available for pre-order by Christmas. Release date: 28/2/24.
It was our pleasure to share those lazy days with you this summer. As we approach Remembrance Sunday our thoughts naturally drift to the historical stories of world wars – the heroism and the pain. And sadly in the daily news we see that lessons are still to be learnt.
Thank you for adding me to this listserve! I loved this article and will dive into the others you’ve already posted. It was wonderfully well written.
Betsy, thanks for reading!
Thank you Marian, going to a place and staying in that place one experiences such nuances and memories. Also the opportunity to meet locals and develop relationships. Thanks for sharing this. It brought back memories of my life in Honduras with the Peace Corps for2 years and in Ireland for 3. Friendships still abide from our experiences for extended periods of time.
Beth, thanks for reading. Yes, living in a foreign country gives one perspective as well as wonderful memories.
Always wonderful to stay at the French house belonging to my daughter and son-in-law. Last September was particularly enjoyable for many reasons, not least because Marian was with us. Her new novel ‘The Daughters of Riga’ due to be published next February, is highly recommended (I have only proof read the first three chapters). Thank you, Sister.
Rachel, thanks for reading. A big difference today is the instant live coverage of wars. You’d think that would make us more averse to the violence. Sadly, that doesn’t seem the case.