The Barman of the Ritz

Paris was occupied by German troops from June 14, 1940, to August 25, 1944, totaling 1,533 nights.

During this period, the city transformed from a cultural hub into a controlled space under Nazi rule.

The French government had fled to Tours two days before the occupation, leaving public services like taxis, police, and mail inoperable.

The streets were largely empty as millions of residents fled, while looters targeted abandoned shops and apartments.

Panic spread, and archives were burned in ministerial courtyards.

Despite the chaos, the Hôtel Ritz in Place Vendôme remained open for business, symbolizing a fragile continuity of normalcy amid the occupation.