00:00As German occupation of France began, Mandel-Skolnikov saw opportunity.
00:05While much of the population faced repression, hunger, and fear, he built a vast fortune by
00:11serving the Nazi war effort. Starting in November 1940, he began doing business with the Kriegsmarine,
00:18the German navy, which became his primary client. Under the terms of the armistice,
00:24France was forced to pay Germany a daily indemnity of 400 million francs, nearly half the national
00:31budget. This money helped finance German-run purchasing offices in occupied France, many
00:37of which operated in a legal grey zone. These offices bought everything from textiles and leather
00:43to perfumes and cheese, often at inflated prices. It was a system ripe for abuse and perfect for
00:52men like Skolnikov, who profited enormously from the volume of trade and the high profit margins.
01:00Discover the full story on worldhistory.tv
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