PARIS—The umbrella representative group of French Jewish institutions, CRIF, said it was “shocked” by statements made by President Emmanuel Macron who said on Wednesday it was “legitimate” to pay tribute to Marshal Philippe Petain, who led the French army to victory in World War One’s Battle of Verdun but decades later collaborated with Nazi Germany during WWII.
Macron said he plans to honor Petain alongside seven other French marshals who directed military campaigns during WWI, which ended 100 years ago on Nov. 11.
Besides Crif, other Jewish groups as well as perople on social media criticised the French president.
“The only thing we will remember from Pétain is that he was, in the name of the French people, struck with national indignity during his trial in July 1945,” said Francis Kalifat, presidnet of Crif.
Without “denying that he was ‘also a great soldier’ during the 1914-1918 war,” the Crif recalled that Philippe Pétain “was tried by the High Court of Justice in July 1945 for intelligence with the enemy and high betrayal “,” condemned to the death penalty and stricken with national indignity “.
Macron’s office appeared to backtrack later on Wednesday. “Petain won’t be honored on Nov. 10,” an Elysee presidential palace official said, adding that only the five marshals who were buried at the Invalides monument in Paris would receive an official tribute.
Macron himself later told reporters his intention was not to excuse the crimes committed by Petain during World War Two but to ensure French history was accurately remembered.
“I don’t forgive anything but I don’t erase anything from our history,” he said. “I will always fight against antisemitism.”