40,000 mental patients died in France while under occupation

The story of how 40,000 mental patients died in mental institutions in Occupied France, a number way above the yearly average, is one of the many untold stories of the 2nd World War. There is very little known about this period and French mental patients and also very little has been written about it. This is a taboo subject among the French who find it shameful to believe that they would have collaborated with the Occupiers by following their orders. Why this is such a sad story is that we are talking about one of the most vulnerable members of our society who were meant to be cared for by one of the most trusted and respected. Being a student of sociology the author thought that research into this taboo subject could be very interesting and maybe highlight how sociologically this could have been allowed to happen.

Geraldine Willoughby was educated in Dublin. In 2001 she returned to university as a mature student and in 2005 she graduated with a B.A. Hons. Degree in Marketing and Languages. In 2009, she returned to University again and undertook to study sociology and French. She graduated in 2009 with an Honours Degree in these subjects.