Violette Morris: French Sports Star Who Collaborated with the Nazis

World History: True Stories of the 20th Century · Aug 1, 2026 · 14m

Violette Morris was one of France's most accomplished athletes before becoming one of the country's most notorious collaborators during the Second World War. Once a record-breaking sportswoman, she later worked with the Nazi occupation authorities, earning the infamous nickname "the Hyena of the Gestapo."

Born into an aristocratic family in 1893, Morris excelled in dozens of sports, including boxing, football, motor racing, and shot put. She famously declared, "What a man can do, Violette can do"—and proved it by winning more than 20 national titles. However, her defiance of gender norms and…