Joseph Barthélemy
Encyclopedia
Joseph Barthélemy was a French
jurist, politician and journalist. Initially a critic of Nazi Germany
, he would go on to serve as a minister in the collaborationist
Vichy regime.
, Joseph Barthélemy followed the legal profession and rose to become professor of law at the University of Paris
. As one of the leading French Catholic
intellectuals of the 1930s, Barthélemy was initially noted as a strong critic of Nazism
, in particular the anti-Semitism
of the movement.
he was attracted to Vichy because of the initial approval of the new regime shown by his mentor Charles Maurras
. Like his ally Pierre-Étienne Flandin, Barthélemy supported pacifism
in relation to Nazi Germany
and was also firmly anti-communist, two factors that saw both men move towards collaborationism.
Active as a Democratic Republican Alliance
member of parliament from before the war, he succeeded Raphaël Alibert
as Minister of Justice in February 1941. In this role he signed the 1941 law that brought in the section spéciales, a supposedly counter-terrorist measure that in fact gave these new bodies the power to pass down life imprisonment and death sentences without the right of appeal. After the war Barthélemy would claim that he had only signed this law under pressure from Interior Minister Pierre Pucheu
. Indeed Barthélemy sought to portray Pucheu as a hard-line Nazi
and a man with a taste for intrigue, conspiracy and violence and as such passed much of the blame for his own wartime record onto Pucheu. However Barthélemy also endorsed anti-Semitic laws, later seeking to justify his actions by claiming that the Jews in pre-war France held a disproportionate amount of influence. Barthélemy's legal background saw him work closely with Xavier Vallat
in framing laws against the Jews, notably the second Statute on Jews in 1941.
in the infamous Riom Trial
. Barthélemy was arrested in October 1944 and imprisoned before being transferred to hospital where he died the following year.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
jurist, politician and journalist. Initially a critic of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, he would go on to serve as a minister in the collaborationist
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
Vichy regime.
Early years
The son of Aimé Barthélemy, a left-wing mayor of ToulouseToulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, Joseph Barthélemy followed the legal profession and rose to become professor of law at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. As one of the leading French Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
intellectuals of the 1930s, Barthélemy was initially noted as a strong critic of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, in particular the anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
of the movement.
Vichy
Although Barthélemy was position on the moderate rightRight-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
he was attracted to Vichy because of the initial approval of the new regime shown by his mentor Charles Maurras
Charles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras was a French author, poet, and critic. He was a leader and principal thinker of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-parliamentarist, and counter-revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced National Catholicism and "nationalisme...
. Like his ally Pierre-Étienne Flandin, Barthélemy supported pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
in relation to Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and was also firmly anti-communist, two factors that saw both men move towards collaborationism.
Active as a Democratic Republican Alliance
Democratic Republican Alliance
The Democratic Republican Alliance was a French political party created in 1901 by followers of Léon Gambetta, such as Raymond Poincaré who would be president of the Council in the 1920s...
member of parliament from before the war, he succeeded Raphaël Alibert
Raphaël Alibert
Raphaël Alibert was a French politician.-Politics:Raphael Alibert was an ardent Roman Catholic convert and someone with strong royalist ideas. One of the most intense followers of Charles Maurras, Alibert was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the Action Française party...
as Minister of Justice in February 1941. In this role he signed the 1941 law that brought in the section spéciales, a supposedly counter-terrorist measure that in fact gave these new bodies the power to pass down life imprisonment and death sentences without the right of appeal. After the war Barthélemy would claim that he had only signed this law under pressure from Interior Minister Pierre Pucheu
Pierre Pucheu
Pierre Firmin Pucheu was a French industrialist, fascist and member of the Vichy government.-Early years:...
. Indeed Barthélemy sought to portray Pucheu as a hard-line Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and a man with a taste for intrigue, conspiracy and violence and as such passed much of the blame for his own wartime record onto Pucheu. However Barthélemy also endorsed anti-Semitic laws, later seeking to justify his actions by claiming that the Jews in pre-war France held a disproportionate amount of influence. Barthélemy's legal background saw him work closely with Xavier Vallat
Xavier Vallat
Xavier Vallat , French politician, was Commissioner-General for Jewish Questions in the wartime Vichy collaborationist government, and was sentenced after World War II to ten years in prison for his part in the persecution of French Jews.- Until World War II :Vallat was born in the department of...
in framing laws against the Jews, notably the second Statute on Jews in 1941.
Final years
In 1943 the Ministry of Justice passed to Maurice Gabolde although Barthélemy retained a high profile as he led the proceedings against Léon BlumLéon Blum
André Léon Blum was a French politician, usually identified with the moderate left, and three times the Prime Minister of France.-First political experiences:...
in the infamous Riom Trial
Riom Trial
The Riom Trial was an attempt by the Vichy France regime, headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain, to prove that the leaders of the French Third Republic had been responsible for France's defeat by Germany in 1940...
. Barthélemy was arrested in October 1944 and imprisoned before being transferred to hospital where he died the following year.