▁lived ▁in ▁un he ated ▁rooms ▁and ▁were ▁subject ▁to ▁frequent ▁har ass ment ▁from ▁the ▁authorities . ▁ ▁Since ▁they ▁were ▁living ▁as ▁un register ed ▁foreign ers , ▁their ▁presence ▁was ▁techn ically ▁illegal ▁which ▁meant ▁a ▁constant ▁risk ▁of ▁arrest ▁by ▁the ▁" P ét ain ▁police " ▁and ▁possible ▁det ention ▁in ▁the ▁cam ps , ▁although ▁before ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁significant ▁risk ▁of ▁deport ation . ▁▁ ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁supp lement ▁her ▁income ▁Sel ma ▁Stein met z ▁took ▁to ▁working ▁" at ▁home ", ▁making ▁le ather ▁purs es . ▁▁ ▁During ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁the ▁German ▁government ' s ▁strateg ic ▁and ▁military ▁reasons ▁for ▁sust aining ▁a ▁semi - in dependent ▁pu ppet ▁state ▁admin ister ed ▁from ▁V ich y ▁became ▁ever ▁less ▁persu as ive , ▁and ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁a ▁military ▁occupation ▁by ▁Germany ▁and ▁Italy ▁was ▁im posed ▁by ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁( or , ▁across ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁beyond ▁Marse illes , ▁the ▁It ali ans ). ▁▁ ▁In ▁towns ▁and ▁cities ▁Gest ap o ▁uniform s ▁were ▁increasing ly ▁to ▁be ▁seen ▁on ▁the ▁streets . ▁▁ ▁For ▁German - spe aking ▁political ▁ex iles ▁there ▁were ▁new ▁d angers ▁but ▁also ▁new ▁opportun ities . ▁▁ ▁Sel ma ▁Stein met z ▁and ▁the ▁others ▁were ▁about ▁to ▁become ▁far ▁more ▁active ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁resistance ▁activ ism , ▁using ▁false ▁names ▁and ▁" dis app ear