Fabrice Virgili Historian and Researcher,Institut d'histoire du temps present, CNRS Translated by John Flower, University of Kent at Canterbury

'At last, the story of this common act of retribution ... a remarkable achievement.'Le Monde'Painstaking crosschecking of grains of information gleaned from diverse sources ... achieved to perfection ... This book is a masterpiece of historical method and should be recommended reading for all serious scholars of history whatever their subject matter. One of the best pieces of scholarship about the Second World War, the sooner it becomes available in English the better.'Modern and Contemporary France 'We have had to wait over half a century for a systematic historical study to appear concerning the public shaving of women ...allegedly punished for 'horizontal collaboration'...[the author] brings the evidence of his research to light with convincing and indisputable precision.'Le Monde Diplomatique'Fabrice Virgili introduces new factors into the historical debate over the division between legal and illegal acts of reparation.'Le Monde des Debats'A remarkable work ...Fabrice Virgili...succe

• Contents Translator's Note Introduction Part I: From Myth to Reality 1 Sexual Collaboration? 2 Where and How Many? Part II: 1943@1946: The High Season 3 During the Occupation ... 4 The Explosion of the Liberation 5 Head Shaving and Brutalities After the Liberation Part III: Why? 6 Neighbourhood Violence 7 Women as Scapegoats 8 Virile France Appendix: A Paucity of Sources? Sources Notes References Index

Fabrice Virgili Historian and Researcher,Institut d'histoire du temps present, CNRS Translated by John Flower, University of Kent at Canterbury

'At last, the story of this common act of retribution ... a remarkable achievement.'Le Monde'Painstaking crosschecking of grains of information gleaned from diverse sources ... achieved to perfection ... This book is a masterpiece of historical method and should be recommended reading for all serious scholars of history whatever their subject matter. One of the best pieces of scholarship about the Second World War, the sooner it becomes available in English the better.'Modern and Contemporary France 'We have had to wait over half a century for a systematic historical study to appear concerning the public shaving of women ...allegedly punished for 'horizontal collaboration'...[the author] brings the evidence of his research to light with convincing and indisputable precision.'Le Monde Diplomatique'Fabrice Virgili introduces new factors into the historical debate over the division between legal and illegal acts of reparation.'Le Monde des Debats'A remarkable work ...Fabrice Virgili...succe

• Contents Translator's Note Introduction Part I: From Myth to Reality 1 Sexual Collaboration? 2 Where and How Many? Part II: 1943@1946: The High Season 3 During the Occupation ... 4 The Explosion of the Liberation 5 Head Shaving and Brutalities After the Liberation Part III: Why? 6 Neighbourhood Violence 7 Women as Scapegoats 8 Virile France Appendix: A Paucity of Sources? Sources Notes References Index