The Liberation
Hey, Grandma Moses started late!
What's fascinating is that the buildings havent changed, just been cleaned up a bit !
Here is a picture dating from the construction year of "Beaubourg" (Centre Georges Pompidou by Piano and Rogers) showing that most hadn't yet changed (nor be cleaned)!
"What can I do, What can I write, Against the fall of Night". A.E. Housman
The second is the Rue de Rivoli looking towards the Louvre. The whole area and its luxury hotels (the Ritz included) was requisitioned for German superior officers.
I think the third is the entrance to the Petit Palais, where there was indeed an art exhibition for German soldiers organized by the Strength Through Joy movement.
The fourth is a parade on the Champs Elysées.
These three (2, 3, 4) are official military or Propagandastaffel photos.
I've no idea where the last one is, but they've had time to get themselves a heap of American flags! Wonder where they came from?
That said, the Americans did come prepared. They even had banknotes printed and ready to put into circulation under the name of the military territorial authority FDR wanted to take over governing France. The enthusiastic welcome and support the population gave De Gaulle shelved those plans.
