“This Is France !”: The Vichy Collaborationist Radio Station That Never Broadcast from France

After the Liberation of France, senior officials of the Vichy government fled to Germany, followed by several hundred collaborators and militiamen. They settled in Sigmaringen, a small town in southern Germany. A governmental commission chaired by Fernand de Brinon organized a makeshift government-in-exile, including and this is what interests us here a radio station. It was set up by Jean Luchaire, commissioner for information.

Studios were installed in the heart of Sigmaringen, and the Nazis authorized a daily hour-and-a-half broadcast from the nearby powerful transmitter at Mühlacker (120 kW). The site normally broadcast German radio but also housed a powerful jamming transmitter. It was used for evening broadcasts on 278.60 meters the same wavelength as the Bordeaux transmitter destroyed during the Wehrmacht’s retreat.

No Marshal on the Air

The first broadcast of France-Radio, Government Station was announced for Wednesday, November 1, 1944. For the launch, an expanded schedule was planned. In addition to the authorized slot from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., another hour of programming was added from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

But at the last moment, the station changed its name and introduced itself as This Is France ! (Ici, la France!) an ironic choice for a station broadcasting from abroad. The name reflected the collaborators lingering hope of returning to power through a reversal of the military situation.

The inaugural broadcast set the tone for the station s short four-month existence: rather dull despite a staff reportedly numbering around 80 people. Berlioz, a news bulletin, an announcement introducing the new station, and more Berlioz. No Marshal Philippe Pétain on the air. Confined to the Hohenzollern Castle, he distanced himself from the governmental commission.

Music, Propaganda and Commentary

Every evening, This Is France! went on air at 7:30 p.m. and broadcast large amounts of recorded music. Two news bulletins were aired at 7:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., the latter including an editorial.

Their content mirrored the articles found in the collaborationist press in exile: hopes for so-called wonder weapons that would reverse the course of the war, along with the often ridiculous exploitation of any bad news coming from France. Unsurprisingly, the station attracted only a small audience and was widely mocked, as contemporary caricatures showed. Starting on November 7, a fifteen-minute program titled The French Militia Speaks to You was added daily except Mondays. François Davignon hosted a segment called From One Front to Another, while Robert Peyronnet presented Between Us.

This Is France! aired its final program on Friday, March 2, probably at the initiative of the Germans. The Allies were closing in, and the collaborators were preparing to flee. On April 23, the French army entered Sigmaringen.

Daniel, a reader, adds the following details : “The monitoring reports compiled by the French listening services and held by the La Contemporaine at the University of Nanterre appear to mention ‘This Is France!’ for the last time in a broadcast dated March 22, 1945, at 7 p.m. A program featuring Robert Peyronnet is recorded on March 17 at 7 p.m., and another featuring Jean Luchaire on March 16 at 7 p.m.”