Juger Pétain

The most sensational trial of the 20th century

Paris, July 23, 1945. In the middle of summer, a year after the liberation of the capital by General Leclerc's troops, it was in sweltering heat that the crowd gathered in front of the Palais de Justice. And for good reason, today is the trial of Marshal Pétain. The trial of an 89-year-old gentleman, said to be senile and whom it is difficult to believe was successively the savior of the Republic and then the leader of the ignoble Collaboration. Just 3 months after the final surrender of Nazi Germany, the sensational trial of one of the most controversial figures in French history begins...

Philippe Saada tells us about the unfolding of the Pétain trial in a fascinating comic strip documentary, illustrated by one of LaRevue Dessinée's regulars: Sébastien Vassant. Allowing us to glimpse all the ins and outs of this crucial post-war episode, this work – adapted from the eponymous documentary film broadcast in 2015 on Planète and France 5 – proves to be of public utility.