Beyond the exodus of May–June 1940: Internal migration in France during the Second World War

Abstract

BACKGROUNDResearch on annual migration between regions of the same country is scarce because statistical sources are often lacking. Consequently, little is known about migration between French regions during the Second World War. OBJECTIVESPropose a new method to estimate the annual populations of each region and deduce the annual migration flows between regions of the same country. Use this method to present the chronology of inter-regional migration flows in France during the Second World War. METHODSAnnual regional populations are estimated using census populations and death-by-cause statistics at the local level. Death-by-cause statistics can be used to dissociate symmetrical mortality, which trends in the same way in the national territory, from asymmetrical mortality, which trends differently. This makes it possible to deduce the trend in the mortality rate and populations at the local level. RESULTSAnalysis of French migration reveals that (1) a large proportion of the population (up to 60%) was displaced from the north to the south in 1940 and 1941; (2) the demarcation line did not prevent population movements; (3) the demographic scars of war were still present in 1946 since not all the refugees from the northwest and northeast returned. CONTRIBUTIONSThis new method for analyzing annual migration flows between regions could be replicated to study other specific historical events. This paper also proposes a quantitative historical analysis of migration in France during the Second World War and shows that some territories were emptied of more than half their population in a few months.

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“…Internal migration is important for understanding population dynamics and the multifaceted relationship between population and the development of a nation, but studies of internal migration are less frequently conducted because measuring internal migration is difficult and data are less available (Alam & Mamun, 2022). In addition, studies of annual migration between regions of the same country are rare due to the lack of data from citizens themselves (Bonnet, 2021). Only the reports of the courts of appeal on the consideration of appeals in cases of administrative offences are available for analysis, in particular, data for 2022 and 2021 were analysed for the study (Table 1).…”

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“…6, No. 3 Despite the fact that in recent years the scientific activity on studying the problems of internally displaced persons has become much more active, compared to similar studies of the legal status of refugees, it can be determined that a number of issues remain unresearched in relation to IDPs. Firstly, this can be explained from the point of view that the status of internally displaced persons and description of their characteristics are based on indicators of need and mutual assessment of migrants and the indigenous population, which provides insufficient coverage of the legal and political consequences of forced migration.…”

“…Internal migration is important for understanding population dynamics and the multifaceted relationship between population and the development of a nation, but studies of internal migration are less frequently conducted because measuring internal migration is difficult and data are less available (Alam & Mamun, 2022). In addition, studies of annual migration between regions of the same country are rare due to the lack of data from citizens themselves (Bonnet, 2021). Only the reports of the courts of appeal on the consideration of appeals in cases of administrative offences are available for analysis, in particular, data for 2022 and 2021 were analysed for the study (Table 1).…”

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“…This drop is offset by a very steep rise in inequality between 1944 and 1948, returning to levels seen in the mid-1920s. The wartime years caused significant population movements between departments along the Eastern border and the rest of France (Bonnet, 2021), which also led to a significant spatial redistribution of income. During the war, Combes et al (2011).…”