Thread by @fxdurandy

From June 1940 to August 1944, @Paris lived under Nazi occupation. But what happened to cinemas? A thread. 1/8

The foreign occupying forces requisitioned three films theatres, that were reserved exclusively for the recreation of their own troops: @legrandrex, the Marignan and the now defunct Parisiana. 2/8

Both Rex and Marignan were of recent construction (1932/1933), huge (3,300/1,700 seats) and owned by Jewish, foreign-born entrepreneurs: Jack Haïk and Bernard Natan respectively. The former was forced into exile, the latter was deported to Auschwitz, where he died in 1942. 3/8

Similar Soldatenkinos were created throughout occupied France, like here in @Bordeaux, @CaenOfficiel, @Dijon, @LH_LeHavre… 4/8

… Le Mans, @Rouen and, indeed, throughout occupied countries (here, Antwerp and Brussels in Belgium). 5/8

In September 1940, foreign-controlled Continental Films became the sole authorised film production company in Nazi-occupied France. It was headed by Alfred Greven, who was both a cinéphile and a Francophile. 6/8

Greven is credited for allowing French filmmakers relative creative freedom and in little more than three years, Continental produced a number of films that were later to be regarded as classics. 7/8

Soldatenkinos and Continental Films came to an end when things started to deteriorate for the occupiers. Public screenings resumed at @legrandrex as soon as October 1944 while Marignan again served as an army theatre, but this time for Allied troops. 8/8