Mobilization of non-ferrous metals

[1] With the collaboration of the Vichy regime and under the cover-story of supporting French agriculture, the population was invited to donate such metals, while church bells and many statues were melted down.

[4] Posters were put up in the towns and cities of France encouraging the population to participate in the campaign by contributing their copper and lead everyday objects such as door knobs, cauldrons, lamps, candlesticks and bicycle frames to a central 'metal tax'.

A law passed on 11 October 1941 stated that "statues and monuments in copper alloys in public places and administrative locations which have no artistic or historic interest will be removed".

The national authorities also favoured sparing artworks relating to Christianity and the French monarchy, though the statues of Joan of Arc in Beaulieu-les-Fontaines, Langres and Mehun-sur-Yèvre were melted down.

Even though the aim was to revitalise the French economy, "the metals thus gained [were] directly delivered to Germany, to make up for the lack of primary materials in the armament industry".

The Metal Import and Distribution Groups (Groupements d'Importation et de Répartition des Métaux or GIRM) led the removal, transport and destruction of chosen artworks right across France.

Central government rapidly set up plans to replace some of the bronze artworks with new stone ones which were not allowed to be "a more or less exact copy of the turnips whose removal has been decided upon".