After the Fall of France to Hitler's forces in 1940, small underground groups began to form that advocated for resistance against the German Occupiers. These small groups would eventually evolve into a larger network of skilled Resistants who worked together — though in a loose configuration — to sabotage the smooth operations of the German forces. They did this through many means, including guerilla harassment, aid to Allied forces, and sharing of intelligence, but one of the most important means of resistance was the underground press. At great risk to themselves, groups of like-minded individuals joined forces to plan, write, and distribute these clandestine publications. Some of the early publications were simple broadsides, some were even hand-copied, though more sophisticated publications were typed or mimeographed. The content varied, and while the main purpose was to raise awareness and support for the growing Resistance, many also sought to convey relevant news and local affairs that were not supplied by the German propaganda publications. These publications gave the newly formed Resistance a shape, an identity and a way to communicate their mission. It gave them a voice to react against the Nazi propaganda and the Vichy authorities. They began humbly with a few hundred copies, but by the end of 1944 some papers claimed to have as many as 60,000 readers.

These underground papers were not limited to France, but were printed and distributed in all the occupied countries including Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands as well as other countries in Europe — including Germany itself (see,Tarnschriften External). Creating the content of these papers was just one aspect of publication. Also of critical importance were paper supplies and materials such as ink and typewriters. These were not only extremely hard to come by due to shortages and routine confiscations, but would also cause suspicion by Germans if located. In many cases discovery would lead to immediate arrest unless a plausible excuse could be readily supplied.

As these Resistance periodicals proliferated, so did the German efforts to suppress them. Thousands of Resistants were arrested and many of them executed upon discovery. Writers, photographers and printers were all taking grave risks. Photographers had to be extremely discreet. Often women — who did not arouse suspicion when carrying their large handbags — would poke holes in their bags, hide a camera, and take photos surreptitiously. As the Germans became more desperate toward the end of the War, brutal methods were employed to force those captured to divulge information incriminating others involved. These events provide some of the most brutal stories of German torture methods and some of the most courageous stories of Resistants who managed to withhold information — sometimes by killing themselves. Perhaps the most dangerous task was distribution. Not only were Germans on the lookout, but other French citizens who were either sympathetic to the Germans, fearful of failing to report "suspicious activity," or were active informants for the Nazis, would report these individuals (sometimes receiving a handsome reward). The most well-known Resistance publication is probably Combat, due to its famous editor, Albert Camus. While Combat began in 1940, it was not until 1944 that Camus' views had evolved in such a way as to enable him to commit to writing articles advocating for full-on resistance to German forces. Aside from Combat, other important Resistance publications included: Défense de la France, Libération, Liberté, Libre France, Pantagruel and Résistance. There were also many Communist Resistance papers, the most well-known being L'Humanité.

Newspapers were not the only format for Resistance publications. The Silence of the Sea, by Jean Bruller (pseudonym Vercors), remains the quintessential book of the French Resistance. The story is about the understated but firm refusal of a family to yield to the pressure of the German Occupation. The saga behind its publication gives a window into the underground publishing that occurred during the Nazi Occupation, and the risks involved. As Harry Stone explains in his book Writing in the Shadow: Resistance Publications in Occupied Europe, Bruller wanted to find a way to publish his short work, Le Silence de la Mer, and envisioned a way to establish an independent means of publishing clandestine material. Determined to be financially independent from either Resistance groups or the Free French government in London, he relied on a crew of personal friends and connections who were able to supply him with the necessary materials, including paper and a printer who ran a small enough operation not to draw attention of the Gestapo. A man named Claude Oudeville agreed to do the job. A childhood friend helped handle the binding, and in short order his underground publishing house, Les Éditions de Minuit (The Midnight Press) came into being. By 1942, he had 350 copies of his work, which he distributed primarily in the southern zone.

The best site for online access to these publications is the Bibliothèque nationale de France's digital library, Gallica External :

Newspapers of the Resistance External : Newspapers composed and distributed clandestinely during the period of the Occupation, with the aim of countering official propaganda and awakening the patriotic feeling of the populations. These digitized collections are freely available from Gallica's website and they are organized into a variety of subcategories to make searching easier. The last two categories (Political Groups and Clandestine Magazines) are coming soon. The categories and links are as follows: Titles External , Movements and Organizations External , Geographic Region External , Political Group External (à venir) and Clandestine Magazines External (à venir).

Another important collection is, La France pendant la guerre 1939-1945: Résistance et journaux de Vichy (Voices from Wartime France 1939-1945: Clandestine Resistance and Vichy Newspapers). This is available from many databases if you are affiliated with an academic institution. The Library of Congress has this information available on microfilm as listed below in the bibliography.

A curated list of underground publications available at the Library of Congress is further down the page. To search for more titles, use the Library's online catalog for books on this topic using the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSHs) below.

World War, 1939-1945--Underground movements--France--Periodicals
France--History--German occupation, 1940-1944--Sources
Paris (France)--Newspapers