''La France au Travail'' (''France at Work'') was a pro-German French newspaper which appeared from 30 June 1940 onwards funded by the German embassy in France. It was started as a propaganda initiative in the aftermath of the German occupation to influence left-leaning segments of French public opinion. The Director, Jean Drault, was a French anti-Semite while its editor,

Georges Oltramare Georges Oltramare (born 17 April 1896 in Geneva – died 16 August 1960 in Geneva) was a Swiss writer and fascist politician who became involved in collaboration in Nazi-occupied France. Born into a leading Geneva family, he obtained a ''demi-li ...

, was a pro-Nazi Swiss journalist who broadcast on French radio. The extent of German control is evident in that editorial meetings were held directly in the German embassy on the rue de Lille. In style and content, the newspaper mirrored the Communist newspaper ''

L'Humanité ''L'Humanité'' (; ), is a French daily newspaper. It was previously an organ of the French Communist Party, and maintains links to the party. Its slogan is "In an ideal world, ''L'Humanité'' would not exist." History and profile Pre-World Wa ...

'' except for virulent anti-Semitic and anti-

Masonic Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

positions. The newspaper was fairly successful with sales of 92,000 in the first weeks rising to 180,000 by August 1940. Exposure by the clandestine Communist press as well as mainstream French newspapers, however, ensured a steady, and then permanent, decline.

References

*Pascal Ory, ''Les Collaborateurs'', Paris, éd. du Seuil, "Points"-histoire, 1980. *Barbara Lambauer, ''Otto Abetz et les Français ou l'envers de la Collaboration'', Paris, Éditions Fayard, 2001 (). 1940 establishments in France Newspapers established in 1940 Antisemitism in France Fascist newspapers and magazines Defunct newspapers published in France Far-right politics in France Newspapers of the Vichy regime Antisemitic publications {{france-newspaper-stub