Legion Francaise - 33. SS Grenadier Charlemagne - Collaborators - Vichy - François Darlan

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Let’s start with a disclaimer. Some of the most important footage that we’ll be looking at in future presentations show collaborators who fought for the Germans in WW2. I understand that for many this topic can be quite uncomfortable. 75 years have passed since the end of the war and I hope that we’re able look at this with a historical rather than emotional perspective. In the comment section below I’d like to see your feelings but warn that any comment generally disparaging any nationality will be deleted. I’m not interested in moderating a fight-club. This channel must be able to handle serious historical topics.

From the the video we did covering the 1943 Signal Journal we looked at a photo of a French captain in the Legion Francaise and a question was asked about reasons his last name might not have been listed. From what I understand foreign nationals fighting for the Germans had every reason not only to worry about their own well being, but also that of their families. During the occupation the Germans killed an estimated 30,000 French citizens. The French resistance especially hated those who collaborated with the Germans.

Today we’ll look at some collaborationist rallies in Paris and see footage of French volunteers from the Legion Francaise heading off to Russia. Then we’ll see a unit in action from start to finish of an anti-partisan operation. That’s great material.

Here we see a pro-German rally in Paris that took place on January 12, 1944. The banner reads A Unified Europe against Bolshevism. This is François Darlan, Vichy France’s new minister of security.

These French volunteers are heading to the front in Russia.

In Minsk, Belarus, information was recovered by the Germans which gave away the location of a band of partisans and in July of 1943 the Legion Francaise took part in the operation against them.

The military operation was complicated because the region was full of marshland and water which made transportation difficult. It also took away much of the element of surprise which is crucial in this type of operation.

This French footage is part of a collection of material covering the Legion Francais and their duty on the Eastern Front in 1943. There are two reels with a total runtime of 22:20. If you’d like to see more there’s a link to that material at the bottom of this description

Finally the partisan group is successfully surrounded and attacked aggressively. Heavy Flak cannons using direct fire destroy the partisans stronghold.

The flag draped cofins of the fallen soldiers are placed next to each other symbolically. The solum ceremony stresses the brotherly struggle against Bolshevism that the two nations have symbolically sacrificed for. It’s effective propaganda.

Here soldiers that performed well are receiving decorations.