In May 1981, documents surfaced that eventually led to the trial of the most senior French official to be convicted of war crimes during the German occupation of France in the Second World War. Former government minister, Maurice Papon, who was considered the most distinguished civil servant of his generation, went on trial twenty years ago for helping the Nazis to deport French Jews. He was sentenced to ten years in jail. Louise Hidalgo has been talking to American academic Stephanie Hare who did a series of interviews with Maurice Papon after his release.

Picture: Maurice Papon in October 1997, shortly after his trial for war crimes opened. (Credit: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images)