WWII Paris History

Explore the fascinating stories of Paris during World War II, by Clement Daguet-Schott.

Ernest Hemingway during the Liberation of Paris, 1944

February 20, 2025

Hemingway at the Ritz: The Story Behind the Liberation's Most Famous Bar Tab

On August 25, 1944, Ernest Hemingway claimed to have 'liberated' the Ritz Hotel bar in Paris. What really happened that day at Place Vendôme, and how much is legend versus history?

Ernest HemingwayLiberation of ParisRitz HotelPlace VendômeWWII Paris

Musée du Jeu de Paume in Paris – wartime storage for Nazi-stolen artwork

February 14, 2025

Rose Valland: The Woman Who Tracked 20,000 Stolen Masterpieces

How a quiet museum curator secretly catalogued over 20,000 artworks stolen by the Nazis in Paris, risking her life every day for 4 years to preserve France's cultural heritage.

Rose VallandNazi art theftFrench ResistanceWWII ParisJeu de Paume