The essential political and institutional background

Vichy was no monolith but was rather (especially at first) composed of fractious groups projecting a variety of different visions. The powers of some declined with time as a result of changes in French political direction as well as German pressures and conditions within France. Given its evolution, and the continuities and disputes that underlay the regime, this chapter examines how Vichy, as different groups within it gained power, conceived and presented itself and its image of French cultural values and national traditions to its own constituents. Within this context it also explores how Vichy’s musical policies evolved along with changes in the regime and its personnel. It also considers the Germans’ cultural structures, tactics, aims, and exigencies in music as the war advanced and the Occupation spread to the southern zone.