Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris

CHAPTER 2. THE PEOPLE’S DOCTOR

1 “At the death of my sister” Henriette Bourdon, Audition, March 21, 1944, APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° III.

2 the layers of rumor See, for instance, Le Matin, March 18–19, 1944; APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° I.

3 Even his favorite René Nézondet, Petiot “le Possédé” (Paris: Express, 1950), 12–14.

4 One former classmate Jean Delanove to Alain Decaux, December 2, 1975, Alain Decaux, C’était le xxe siècle: la guerre absolue 1940–1945 (Paris: Perrin, 1998), 263.

5 “intelligent, but not enjoying” Dossier de réforme, July 7, 1920, APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° V.

6 “incapable of [making]” Ibid.

7 Young Petiot seemed Jean-François Dominique, L’affaire Petiot: médecin, marron, gestapiste, guillotiné pour au moins vingt-sept assassinats (Paris: Éditions Ramsay, 1980), 17–27.

8 On January 11, 1916 Ministry of Pensions Report, APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° I.

9 A hand grenade Etat Général des Services et Campagnes, 91 ème régiment d’infanterie, Report on Petiot (1097), APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° V.

10 “mental disequilibrium, neurasthenia” Extrait du registre du contrôle de psychiatrie de la Vo Région (February 26, 1918–March 29, 1918), Report, October 15, 1936, APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° V.

11 “Here, what is” … “it is the law” Communication of “Lucien B,” January 13, 1976, Decaux C’était le xxi siècle, 263–265.

12 “mental imbalance, along with sleepwalking” 8 ème Corps d’Armée, 15 ème Division, 30 ° Brigade, Place de Dijon, Committee Report on Petiot, APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° V.

13 Petiot was discharged Dossier No 363831 in police report, March 15, 1944, APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° I.

14 “continuous surveillance” Ministry of Pensions Report, April 1944, APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° I.

15 “delicate and nervous” … “very intelligent and understands” Dossier de réforme (July 7, 1920), APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° V.

16 The first two years … He completed his third Faculty of Medicine, January 9, 1945, APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° V.

17 His thesis This was entitled Contribution à l’étude de la paralysie ascendante aiguë.

18 a legitimate degree-holder Faculty of Medicine, January 9, 1945, APP, Série J, affaire Petiot, carton n° V.

19 “very banal” Dominique, L’affaire Petiot, 34.

20 “Dr. Petiot is young” Prospectus for Petiot’s medical practice, APP, Série EA, carton n° 181.

21 One recurring rumor Marcel Jullian, Le mystère Petiot (Paris: Edition No. 1, 1980), 61.

22 Madame Husson Dominique L’affaire Petiot, 42.

23 “Horse cures!” Nézondet, Petiot “le Possédé,” 27.

24 “that could kill an adult” AN 334 AP65, 3310.

25 “It was a veritable” … “I think I will” Nézondet, Petiot “le Possédé,” 32, 7, 18, 34–35; Tomlins, Die in Paris, 156.

26 the approximate equivalent Thomas Maeder, The Unspeakable Crimes of Dr. Petiot (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1980), 134.

27 “That’s nothing” Dominique L’affaire Petiot, 57.