“The Italian Occupation of South-Eastern France, 1940-1943” Niall MacGalloway Supervisor: Dr Stephen Tyre This thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of History, University of St Andrews October 2015 Abstract Between 1940 and 1943, Fascist Italy occupied south-eastern metropolitan France, a period which forms one of the principle lacunae in the historiography of both France and Italy during the Second World War. This thesis will examine the occupation in detail, examining how Italy governed her zone of occupation; how relations between the two states operated in the zone; what financial and economic gains Italy made in the occupied territories; and how Italian officials embarked upon a program of Italianisation and Fascistisation in the occupied communes. This thesis will bring together many sources for the first time in English, including principal Italian and French archives, coupled with local archival holdings. The thesis will argue that Italian efforts to create her own sphere of influence were hampered by German desires to put German interests first; and by Italy’s inability to control the pace of the war. Nonetheless, it will also examine Italian projects in her zone of occupation in detail, showing that the dearth of historical scholarship – at least in English – is not down to a lack of activity within the zone. 2 I, Niall MacGalloway, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 67,000 words in length, has been written by me, and that it is the record of work carried out by me, and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for a higher degree. I was admitted as a research student in September 2012 and as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in September 2013; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St Andrews between 2012 and 2015. Date: Signature of Candidate I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of St. Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. Date: Signature of supervisor: 3 In submitting this thesis to the University of St. Andrews I understand that I am giving permission for it to be made available for use in accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. I also understand that the title and abstract will be published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any bona fide library or research worker, that my thesis will be electronically accessible for personal or research use, and that the library has the right to migrate my thesis into new electronic forms as required to ensure continued access to my thesis. I have obtained third-party copyright permissions that may be required in order to allow such access and migration. Date: Signature of candidate Embargo on all or part of print copy for a period of five years on the following grounds: - Publication would be commercially damaging to the researcher - Publication would preclude future publication Embargo on all or part of electronic copy for a period of five years on the following grounds: - Publication would be commercially damaging to the researcher - Publication would preclude future publication Date: Signature of candidate: Date: Signature of supervisor: 4 Acknowledgements Although writing this thesis has been a largely solitary pursuit, I have acquired a number of debts along the way. First and foremost, I wish to thank my supervisor, Dr Stephen Tyre, who has offered advice, guidance and has read the entirety of this thesis, in multiple drafts, often at very short notice. Much of his advice and encouragement has made writing this thesis a much less painful process than it might otherwise have been. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Professor Jill Stephenson and Dr Pertti Ahonen who kindly provided the original references for my application. I have benefitted from grants from the Russell Trust, the Society for the Study of French History and the Royal Historical Society, all of which have been gratefully received and went some considerable way to making possible several archival visits. I have had the pleasure never to have encountered an unpleasant or unhelpful archivist, however special thanks should go to the staff of the Archivio Storico del Ministero degli Affari Esteri in Rome and the Archives Nationales in Paris where much of the most important files are to be found. Special thanks should also be extended to the staff of the Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes in Nice for aiding a young scholar on his first archival visit. Thanks also to the archivists at the Archives Municipales de Menton who provided uncatalogued documents that I would otherwise not have had access to. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the staff of the institutions in which this thesis has been written: the National Library of Scotland, the libraries of the universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh, the Bibliotheque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris, and the Bibliotheque Louis Nucerà in Nice. Special mention should go to the staff of the Biblioteca di Storia Moderna e Contemporanea in Rome for providing a huge amount of material in a comparatively short space of time. My fellow PhD students have also been a source of assistance and valuable information on a diverse number of topics. Chelsea Sambells and Colin Gilmour have answered my numerous queries on Nazism and Nazi governing practices. Luca Fenoglio gave me extensive advice on navigating the byzantine system of Italian archives. Jordan Girardin read sections of the thesis and provided a welcomed shared experience. Thanks also go to those who read chapters and sections of the work at various stages of readiness: Nick Brooke; Calum Daly; 5 Tom Foster; Yannick Longbottom; Robert Munro. My sister Erin read large sections of the thesis and made a number of suggestions for which I am grateful. I would like to add the usual academic caveat, that although all of the above have provided invaluable assistance, any errors which remain, be they of fact or of judgement, are mine and mine alone. Special thanks should also go to my parents who have provided support and encouragement throughout the whole process. Their willingness to discuss a topic which could hardly appear more abstract or peripheral has been more beneficial than they may realise. My sincere thanks also go to Clara White. She has lived with this topic for three years now, tolerating my semi-frequent absences and near obsession with a single, obscure subject. Her willingness to put our lives together on hold has helped make the whole process possible and it is to her, and to my parents, that I would like to jointly dedicate the thesis in the hope that it generates a small return on the encouragement that they have given me. 6 Contents Abbreviations p. 8 Map p. 10 Chapter 1. Introduction p. 11 Chapter 2. Origins and Ambiguities p. 31 Chapter 3. Government, Governance and Political Relations p. 51 Chapter 4. Economic and Financial Relations p. 74 Chapter 5. Italianisation and Fascistisation p. 97 Chapter 6. Local Relations p. 122 Conclusion p. 144 Appendices p. 152 Bibliography p. 163 7 Abbreviations ACS – Archivio Centrale dello Stato, Rome ADAM – Archives Départementales des Alpes-Maritimes, Nice AMC – Archives Municipales de Cannes AMM – Archives Municipales de Menton AMN – Archives Municipales de Nice AN – Archives Nationales, Paris AP – Affari Politici ASMAE – Archivio Storico del Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Rome ASV – Archivio di Stato di Ventimiglia b. – busta BNL – Banca Nazionale del Lavoro CB – Rappresentanza Diplomatica Francia, Parigi 1861-1950 (Carte Buti) CDJC – Centre de Documentation Juive Contemporaine, Paris CIAF – Commissione Italiana d’Armistzio con la Francia DAGR – Divisione Affari Generali Riservati DDF – Documents Diplomatiques Françaises DDI – I Documenti Diplomatici Italiani DFCAA – Délégation française auprès de la commission d’allemande armistice DFCIA – Délégation française auprès de la commission italienne d’armistice DGFP – Documents on German Foreign Policy DGPS – Divisione Generale Pubblica Sicurezza DRA – Delegazioni Civili Rimpatrio e Assistenza DSA – Direction des Services de l’Armistice DSCS – Diario Storico del Comando Supremo DWStK – Deutschen Waffenstillstandskommission ENIT – Ente nazionale per le industrie turistiche ETCAM – Ente Turismo Costa Azzurra di Mentone fasc. - Fascicolo FN – Front National GABAP – Gabinetto Armistizio-Pace GAN – Gruppi di Azione Nizzarda ISPI – Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale LFC – Légion Française des Combattants MA – Ministero Aeronautica MAE – Ministero degli Affari Esteri MI – Ministero dell’Interno MINCULPOP – Ministero della Cultura Popolare MUR – Mouvements unis de la Résistance MVSN – Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale 8 NAS – National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh nd. – Undated document NSDAP – Nazionalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei OVRA – Organizzazione di Vigilanza e Repressione dell’Antifascismo PCF – Parti Communiste Française PCI – Partito Comunista Italiano PNF – Partito Nazionale Fascista SCAEF – Sottocommissione Affari Economici e Finanziari SCAG – Sottocommissione Affari Giudici SCS – Sottocommissione Scambi Commerciale sf. - sottofascicolo STO – Service du Travail Obligatoire UC – Ufficio Coordinamento UoE – University of Edinburgh Centre for Research Collections Verbali – Verbali delle riunioni tenute dal Capo di SM Generale 9 Map found in J-L. Panicacci, L’occupation italienne, Sud-est de la France, juin 1940 – septembre 1943, Rennes (2010), p. 28 10 Chapter 1. Introduction This study intends to examine the Italian occupation of south-eastern France which began shortly after Italy’s declaration of war in June 1940 and ended with the Italian surrender in September 1943. It will examine a number of different facets of this occupation, taking a thematic approach in order to weave the various strands of the occupation together in the hope of constructing an overarching narrative.