Chapter Thirty-Third Description of the reception made us when we sang this hymn, they were shaking our legs, chest and hands in order to find out if there were no knives with us. Our Tolmachov was forced to dissemble and leave outside, under the protection of one court, the ex-belt on it with

Chapter Thirty-third "good Russian people" "break out of captivity ..." This thought increasingly occupied the minds of the prisoners of the governor's home. Is Kerensky not promised the royal family security? Didn't she assure that in Tobolsk she will have to spend alone in winter? "From there

Chapter Thirty-Third Launch Golden Eagle. - Herod's cruelty in the last minutes of life. - His attempt to impose on his hands. - He orders the execution of an antipatr. - five days after that it is dying: Herod's disease has increasingly worsened,

So Belle France is trampled by Teutonic boot, but some of the locals, this boot turned out to be likely and even to taste. It is about such French (let's call them collaborators), it will be discussed ...

I want to briefly tell someparts and organizations , G.de Citizens of France with arms or with working instruments in their hands. Served Rehi. Again, I do not make any conclusions, but I feed the material purely informatively.

1. Legion of French Volunteers - Fighters with Bolshevism (Legion Des Volontaires Francais Contre Le BolcherVisme - LVF)

June 22, 1941, the leader of the French fascist party PPF - Parti Populaire Francais Jacques Dorio (Jacques Doriot, announced the creation of the Legion of French volunteers to participate in the war against the USSR and already on July 5, Ribbentrop in the telegram No. 3555, this idea approved. Leaders of Pronocyst French organizations, created the Central Committee of the Legion of French Volunteers (LVF), which was founded by the recruitment center, which was founded in the former office of the Soviet tourist Agency "Intourist". Starting from July 1941, more than 13,000 volunteers appealed to the Committee. The first combat French part formed in September 1941 The year in Poland, was called Franzosischer Infantry-Regiment 638 (French infantry regiment 638). 2500 legionnaires wore a German form with a French tricolor on the right sleeve. The regimental banner was three-color French and orders were also given in French. But all volunteers should have taken oath To loyalty to Adolf Hitler. Marshal Peten L Lerthoners Patosic Message: "Before you go to battle, I am happily aware of what you do not forget - you own a part of our military honor" (the old man was turned cool). On November 6, 1941, French Führera, from Smolensk headed for Moscow, they were waiting for the village of Dyukovo and Borodino. The battle near Moscow, heavily affected the legurtes. The total loss of personnel reached 1000 people. German military inspectors have reported to the Vermachki OKM, people showed, in general, good martial spiritBut the level of their combat training is low. Sergeant composition, in general, not bad, but does not show activity, since the senior composition does not show efficiency. Officers, there are few on that and were clearly recruited by a purely political principle "The conclusion was as follows:" Legion is not as possible. Improvement can only be achieved by updating officer composition and forced learning. " In 1942, Legion was reformed, brought to the composition of 2,700 bayonets and was used only for anti-partisan actions. The descendants of Sanhülotov and Marquis de la Fajes became ordinary punishers. On June 22, 1944, Legion was thrown to the front to cover the departure of the Germans on the Minsk highway, where he suffered great losses. Personal residues were alleged 8 SS Volunteer Sturmbigade France.

2. 8th French Brigade Waffen SS. (SS Volunteer Sturmbigade France)

Within a month after the battle on the Beaver River, a set of volunteers was activated due to large losses in French parts on the Eastern Front, in Vichi France, from the composition of the collaboration police and university students, there were rhanablo about 3,000 more people. From the residues of the Legion of these reinforcements, the 8th SS Volunteer Sturmbigade France was created, the brigade was headed by a former officer of the foreign legion Obersturmbanführer Paul Marie Gamory-Dubourdeau (Paul Marie Gamory-Dubourdeau). The brigade was included in the SS Division HORST WESSEL and sent to Galicia. In battles against the upcoming Red Army, the French suffered heavy losses.

3. Waffen-Grenadier- Division Der SS Charlemagne. (Division SS Charleman)

In September 1944, a new French military unit was created - Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade Der SS Charlemagne (Französische Nr.1,also known called "Französische Brigade Der SS")from the residues of LVF and FRENCH STURMBRIGADE, which by that time were disbanded. The division was joined by the collaborators who fled from the coming from the west of the Allied troops, former volunteers from Crygsmarine, NSKK, organizations TODT, etc. Some sources claim that volunteers were volunteers from French colonies and Switzerland. In February 1945, the division status was officially raised to the level of the division, which was named 33. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS "Charlemagne", its number was 7340 people. The division was sent to Poland to the Soviet-German Front and on February 25, he entered into battle with the troops of the 1st Belorussian front in the town of Hammerstein Town (now - Czarne, Poland). Then the remains of the division who lost 4,800 people were sent to the city of Neustrelitz to re-form. In early April 1945, about 700 people left, the commander of the Division Crokenberg was submitted to 400 people in the construction battalion, and the rest - about 300 people - chose Berlin's defense. On April 23, Krokenberg received an order from the Recanquence to arrive with his people to the capital. 320-330 French, bypassing the Soviet block posts, arrived in Berlin on April 24th. The French unit, the name of SturmbaTallon "Charlemagne" was submitted to the command of the Command of the 11th SS Nordland Division, which served a lot of Scandinavians. After removing the previous commander of Joachim Ziegler (Joachim Ziegler), Brigadefyrer Krokenberg was appointed to the commander of the sector. On the first day of the battles, the regiment lost half of the personnel. On April 27, the remnants of the Nordland division were pushed out to the area of \u200b\u200bgovernment buildings (defense sector Z). The fate of the French turned out to be among the last defenders of Hitler's bunker ... In total, about 30 French remained after the last fighting. Some of them managed to escape from the defeated Berlin and return to France, where they found themselves in camps for prisoners of war controlled by allies. They were expected by the court, the death penalty or long prison terms. Many were shot simply without special delays. According to one of the versions of these events, the general of the troops of free France Leclerc, faced with a group of 10-12 prisoners of the French SSS, asked them why they were a German military uniform. According to one testimony, he was answered: "Why is American on you?", Witty sieves were shot still. However, they divided the fate of many soldiers and officers of the SS-Waffen officers, which this fate was minted in the Soviet-German and Western fronts, where neither Soviet soldiers nor Anglo-Americans were often ceremony or, especially, the Poles. In the SS seen primarily punishers. Without looking at the color of uniforms.

4. Bretonishe WafFenverBand Der SS "Bezzen Perrot"

The PNB Nationalist Party (Parti National Breton), who achieved independence from the "Colonialistic France," was felt perceived by the Germans. With SD, a BEZEN PERROT division was created (PERR), registered by the Germans called Bretonishe Waffenverband Der SS. 80 volunteers were scored there. They began to wear a SESS uniform and Celtic cross as stripes. The division took part in operations against the French partisans since March 1944. Subsequently, they were included in SD special detachments.

5. 21st Tank Division (21 Panzer Division)

In a technical park of the 21st tank division of the Wehrmacht, there were about 50 French trucks and some Somua and Hotchkiss armored vehicles. For their maintenance, French mechanics were required. The 2nd company WERKSTATTKOMPANIE (supply, repair) consisted of 230 French volunteers, who did not have any stripes on the German uniform, testifying to their nationality.

6. BRANDENBURG Division

BRANDENBOURG Division (previously regiment) was a special exploration and divergent division of the Abver.

In 1943, the 8th Rota of the 3rd Regiment was formed from 180 French, stationed in Eaux-Bonnes at the foot of Pyrneus (South-West France). Acting in South France, the company imitated the detachments of resistance using captured radio stations, and seized many transports with weapons and military materials, which resulted in numerous arrests. The company also took part in the battles against the forces of resistance, included in the history called the battle for the Verkors (June-July 1944). According to the historian of Vladimir Krupnik, in these battles, the significant forces of the Germans and collaborators (more than 10,000 people) were suppressed on an isolated Mountain Plateau Vercors a major speech of partisans who responded to the appeal de Gaulle to support the landing of allies in Normandy. Of the 4,000 partisans who took part in the battles, 600 people were killed).

7. German Navy (Kriegsmarine)

In 1943, Crygsmarine opened recruitment points in several large ports of France. Volunteers were credited to German units and worn a German military uniform without additional stripes.

In the German summary of February 4, 1944 in the number of French, working in the ports Brest, Cherbourin, Lorient and Toulon at CrygSmarine bases, contain the following figures: 93 officers, 3,000 non-officers, 160 engineers, 680 technicians and 25,000 civilians. In January 1943, the Germans started a set of 200 volunteers to carry a guard service at the Naval Base in La Rochelle. The unit was called KriegsmarineWerftPolizei "La Pallice", they were commanded by Lieutenant Rene Lantz (Rene Lanz), a veteran of the First World War and LVF. On June 30, 1944, the German command of La Rochelle provided the French volunteer selection: to remain guarded or join SS-Waffen. A similar offer was made by other Frenchmen who served at this time in Crymsmarine. About 1,500 French from their number were shipped to Greofenberg, where they joined the CS Division Charlemagne.

8. Organization TODT (from)

France from the construction of databases for submarines and coastal fortifications was occupied. 112 000 Germans, 152,000 French and 170,000 North Africans participated in the works. About 2,500 French volunteers served in the armed guard of facilities under construction after the preparation in the Celle Saint Cloud town near Paris. At the end of 1944, a certain amount of French was transferred to the construction of coastal objects in Norway. Several hundreds of them were sent to Greofenberg, where they joined the CS division Charlemagne.

9. NSKK (NationalSocialistische Kraftfahrkorps) MotorGruppe LuftWaffe (Luftwaffe Division, engaged in material support).

There were about 2,500 Frenchmen in NSKK, which served in the 4th NSKK shepher in Vilvorde, Belgium. The ONTER officer of the regiment was represented by the Germans-Alzatse. In early 1943, the regiment took part in hostilities near Rostov. In 1944, a combat group was formed from among the French who served in NSKK, which took part in anti-Partisan operations in Northern Italy and Croatia. In July 1943, 30 NSKK soldiers, led by a man named Jean-Marie Balestre, deserted and entered into SS-Waffen. Most of them fought in SS-Waffen to the end of the war.

10. African Falanga (Phalage Africaine)

On November 14, the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a division from Africans (African Phalangean was proclaimed. In December, the German occupation authorities approved the plan and scheme of material support of the unit. It was hampered by 330 volunteers, from among those after training formed the company from 210 people called Franzosische FreiwilliLiLIGEN LEGION Included in the 2nd battalion of the 754th regiment of the 334th Panzer Grenadier Division (5 PanzeRMee). On April 7, 1943, the company entered into battle against the British (78th Infantry Division) in the Medjez-El-Bab area. Africans showed well In my senses, and German General Weber handed several servicemen of Iron crosses. After 9 days, the allies switched to the overall offensive in this sector. Under the artillery fire of Falanga, in one hour, he lost half of people killed and wounded ... 150 surviving Africans were captive after the fall of Tunisia At the same time, ten people from among those captured to the Hollyurs were shot, the rest were sentenced to prolonged with Crisp rocks. About 40 phalanges ", which was lucky to get into captivity to the Anglo-Americans, were later enrolled in the divisions of free France and finished the war winners in Germany ...

The article uses materials ofbooksJ. . LEE Ready . WORLD WAR TWO. Nation by Nation. 1995.

Oleg Cherkassy - in deep respect

"My favorite wife,

Sergey Krotov. "

(From the last letter of Sergey Mrelovka wife).

After the attack of the German Wehrmacht at the USSR in June 1941, in France, appeals to take part in the deadly struggle on French anti-communist, not only Germany in the east of Europe, were visible in France. On August 5, 1941, with the consent of the French government, the "Legion of French Volunteers vs. Bolshevism", also known as the "French Voluntary Legion against Bolshevism" or "French Anti-Bolshevitsky Voluntary Legion" (Legion Des Volontaires Francais Contre Le Bolchevisme), Sokr .: LVF. Enrolled in the ranks of the German Wehrmacht, this consisting exclusively from the French (or rather speaking from French citizens, including numerous Russian Beloamigrants, including civil war veterans 1917-1922. In Russia) the volunteer corps received in the version of the Wehrmacht Name "638 Shelf of the Ground Forces "(EAM.: INFANTERIEREGIMENT 638 DES Heeres).

Among the LVF volunteers, youth prevailed (in the form of an exception to the legion they took even 15-year-olds - see photo in the title of real military historical miniatures), but there were older people who had experienced the experience of the First World War (and some of the Civil War Experience 1918-1922 in Russia, French colonial wars in Syria and Morocco and even a short "strange war" of France with Germany 1939-1940).

French volunteers lvf wore the German army form of the gray-green "Feldgra". Their only difference from other soldiers of the German Wehrmacht was a smart shield with three vertical stripes of the Flowers of the French National (State) Flag - "Tricolor" (Blue, White and Red). The only military personnel of the French Voluntary Legion, who did not want to wear this stripe colors of the French Republic and the Bonapartist Empire, was the Deck of the Legion - Cardinal Montinor Count Jean Maole de Lupe, adhered to persistent royalist beliefs and hated French Republican blue-white-red flag no less than "sickly - Male "red flag of world communism. The prelated royalist managed to achieve the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht (and later, after moving to the service in Waffen SS - from the main management of the SS) the right to carry a special stripe on the sleeve with the golden lilies of the French royal dynasties of capeting, Valua and Bourbon on the blue field. However, it was a special case.

Embed into the ranks of the German Wehrmacht, "Legion of French volunteers against Bolshevism" received the name "638th Infantry Regiment (French)". In November 1941, the regiment, referred to as the "tricolor regiment" (Franz.: Regiment Tricolore), as part of the 7th Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht, took part in the battle near Moscow. The author of these lines, being still a student, back in 1972, being sent for autumn agricultural work ("Labor semester", and in the surprise - "on potatoes") to the village of Vaulino, first heard from the local old-collective farmer about how In the forty-first, they had the French part of the German army, in which they served and ... Russians. One of the Russian officers of the French part of the German army, on the memoirs of an old man, pledged in his parents of his parents and often told them about his life in Tsarist Russia, "with the old mode." However, it is so, by the way ...

On March 3, 1943, a set of French volunteers began in the ranks of Waffen SS. It should be emphasized that (as before - the service in the German Wehrmacht) service in Waffen SS was completely officially authorized by the French special decree of the French government dated July 22, 1943. On September 18, 1943, the formation of the French volunteer regiment of the CC / 1 /, later scared to sizes began "French volunteer assault brigade SS." The participation of the I battalion of the French brigade of the SS in battles with the Soviet troops at the Salonian section of the Carpathian Front In August 1944, the French brigade was replenished with new volunteer contingents, including the staff of the German Wehrmacht "French Voluntary Legion" staff (included in the brigade August 10, 1944), as well as the French ranks of Waffen SS (served before this in the SS in an individual), the French volunteers of the German Navy (Crygsmarin "), the organization Todta (from), French police. After replenishing the French team of SS was reorganized in the 33rd Grenaderish Division of Waffen SS "Charleman" / 3 / (so it was officially called from February 10, 1945).

French Waffen SS volunteers wore a conventional field siesta. Their only difference was the collair of the French state (national) flag - "tricolor" (three vertical stripes - blue-white-red) on the left sleeve. Unlike the violated LVF volunteers, in the black "chapter" (that is, on a black vertical strip in the upper part of the coat of arms), the heraldic flap of the French SCS officers (we usually "in-residual", on the left sleeve - unlike the Wehrmacht volunteers who were carrying Its national shields on the right sleeve) in most cases (although not always) had the inscription "France" (France) made by white printed lites. On the Black Systems of the Schellemianevtsi, either the Sig Osovois, "Soviet", "Salt"), or the image of the "Salt" cross ", or the image" Sun (Celtic) Cross "(the cross, inscribed in the circle), is also white. The ranks of the SS Division "Charleman" who served earlier in the French police, wore a special sign on the buttercasters - "Sveta Saint John (Zhanna d" Ark) "in the frame of two oak leaves.

King of the German tribe of francs, mastered at the end of V c. p. R.Kh. Gallia's Roman province, Karl Great, in 800 g. He was crowned with the Pope of the Roman Crown of the Roman emperor and founded the so-called "sacred Roman Empire" (Sacrum Imperium Romanum), which covered the territory of later France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, parts of Italy and some other states of medieval Europe. Since Charlemagne in French Carolus Magnus) was considered a great sovereign (comparable to our Vladimir Red Sun) both in the German and French historical tradition, the Emblem of the SS "Charleman" (French No. 1) was represented by The heraldic shield, in the right half of which the German eagle was depicted, and in the left - three French lilies (this coat of arms was depicted on a portrait of Charles of the Great Brush of the German Artist of the Renaissance of the Renaissance of Albrecht Dürer) on the Hall of the coat of arms.

In February 1945, the division "Charleman" entered into battle with the units of the Red Army on the territory of the German region of Pomerania. Its parts fought with Soviet troops until the end of the war. The assault battalion of the SS "Charleman" to the last drop of blood defended Berlin. During the battles, Berlin were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of the French SS commander of the Assault Battalion of the 33rd Grenadier division of the SS "Charleman" (French No. 1) Hauptshurmführer Henri Fene (managed to beat eight tanks from the anti-tank grenade launcher), Untersturmfür Eugene Volos ( Also destroying eight tanks) and Obrasarfürer Francois Appoll (who had six tanks of the opponent). The total number of Soviet tanks destroyed in the battles for Berlin fighters of the Schelleman's assault battalion amounted to, according to one sources, 62, and according to others, "more than 60").

On May 8, 1945, after the signing of an act on the unconditional surrender of Hitler's Germany, in the area of \u200b\u200bthe German resort town of Bad Reichengal, there were without trial, on the orders of the French general lecturer, commander of the 2nd tank division "fighting (Degollevsky - V. A.) France, "Thirteen young French volunteers are shot from the" Herchee "/ 4 / (former Division of the SS" Charleman "). French volunteers Waffen SS (including one of our compatriot - Russian Waffen-Standandenununcher SS Sergey Krotov, the commander of the battery of anti-tank guns; He was not the only Russian in the ranks of French volunteers - the story kept the names of the Waffen-scarf SS Nikolay Shumilina, Veteran LVF and Commander 4th platform I battalion of the 58th Waffen-Grenadier regiment of SS "Charleman", Veteran LVF and commander of the 4th company of the assault battalion of the SS "Charleman" Waffen-Standardfürera SOC Sergey Protopopova, Alexey Pronon, Waffen-Wrasturmfürera SS Yevgeny Picarev, Waffen -UNTURMFYUREER SOC Nikolai Samosudov and others) / 5 /, fought mainly on the eastern front and not shedding the blood of their French fellow citizens, folding the weapon on the day of surrender, surrendered to the Americans, but were transferred to the warriors "Uncle Sam" the tightened division lecture (uniform, Like all the troops of General de Gaulle, in the American military form).

General Legaller, leaning on a stick, walked before the system of French SESS, after which he asked one of them: "And why is the German uniforms on you?". The answer of the prisoner of war never inferior to the question: "My general, and why is it on you an American uniform"?

As can be seen, the lecturers (not as an example of other French) absolutely lack of a sense of humor. Without assessing the Commission of the situation, the brave Degollevsky General immediately ordered to shoot not only a bold prisoner, but also twelve his arms comrades. The bodies were shot at the place of the execution were not buried within three days. The French military priest, who was present during the conversation and execution did not take care not only about the spiritual consolation of young men in front of the penalty, but also about them not only to Christian, but generally a little human burial. Finally, after three days, killed "burned in a ball earth" by order of the American military authorities.

The author of the book was able to visit Bad Reichengle. In the vicinity of the town, after a few years after the war, a modest memorial was installed in honor of the killed. To date, it was possible to establish names and surnames only 5 of these victims of the bloodthirsty French military justice. Here are these names:

Paul Briffo, Robert Dofa, Sergey (Serge) Krotov, Jean Robert, Raimon Paira, and eight unknown soldiers.

According to the memories of the executive force of the Armed Forces of the "Free France" of Ferrano, the convicts held themselves courageously.

True, before the shooting of Sergey Krotov passed nerves and he stated: "You do not have the right to shoot me! I am married! After all, I'm not even a Frenchman!" However, he took himself in his hands and kept courageously to the end, having time to shout before dying: "Long live France!" (Vive LA France!)

In the last letter of his wife Simone (his matters of his five children), Krotov wrote:

"My favorite wife,

i performed my duty, fighting with the Bolsheviks and bootiers. This morning I surrendered to Americans, French soldiers lead me to the execution. My dear wife, forgive me, take care that our children remember that their father was always fair and loved them very much. My dear wife, my dear Simon, kiss you from the bottom of my heart, I kiss my poor mother and children. Always believe in God and forgive evil, which we are unfairly caused. Goodbye,

Sergey Krotov. "

Soon after the execution of the burial site of "Challemianevtsev" was consecrated by Montinor Jean Count Maola De Lupe.

The surviving French volunteers Waffen SS were sentenced to the long term of imprisonment, and many - the death penalty for "betraying their homeland." Those who were lucky even less, fell victims of the discrepancies. Some veterans of "Chalmemanny" managed to redeem their guilt in front of the Motherland, fighting in the ranks of the French Foreign Legion against the national liberation movements of the former French colonies, in vain attempts to suppress the support of the countries of the victorious socialism, the international communist movement and all progressive humanity, the legitimate desire of the oppressed peoples of Indochina, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria will free themselves from French colonial domination.

Names are not forgotten - including Russian poets. The fate of French volunteers inspired, for example, our contemporary - Scald Evgeny Bobolovich on the Rondel "Charleman", which we give below:

Rondel Charlemman

Storm sweep "Charleman"
But above the mountains flying their glory.
Celtic Dubrava sings
About the fact that the fall in battle is not sorry

Behind the horizon and vertical.
Aryan sag harden lava ...
Storm sweep "Charleman"
But above the mountains flying their glory.

Christ with you comrades - stand up!
And the death of the path then only the beginning
But sorrow is easy as a bedspread ...
And hugged both ice sorrow
Storm sweep "Charleman"

Evgeny Bobolovich.

On the volunteers of the 3rd German Reich, who came to Russia to kill residents of Russia, and the volunteers of the 4th American Reich - the heirs of ideas and symbols.

Think of the path for your feet, and all the ways

your yes will be hard. Do not doubt
right or left; Remove your leg from evil.
(Proverb 4, 26-27)

On January 30, 1943, the French Government was created by the French Militia to fight partisans, strongly activated after the Stalingrad battle.

The symbol of the French police became a white ribbon. Stylized under the letter Gamma:

icon and stripe

Militiaman certificate. On the left side of the oath excerpt: "I pledge with honor to serve France without sparing your life. I swear to make all the forces for the celebration of the revolutionary ideals of the French police, and voluntarily obeying the discipline"

Commander of the Police Wrasturmführer SS Joseph Darnan (shot on October 10, 1945 for treason)

Under Sea Napoleon

Police went mainly Volunteers of LVF, in different ways, disappointing from the feats in the snow of Russia .

It is believed that 35 thousand of volunteers were recorded in the French police, of which, of which only 13-15 thousand were reached, from which 7-9 thousand of white ballants participated in the case, including about 3 thousand were sent to SS Chartreaman ...

And these volunteers lvf are sent to Russia

Among the exploits of lovers of the Freedom Freedom Lithuanors are difficult for the deportation of Jews from France, the fight against the guerrillas in Limusen, the Glyier Plateau and the famous suppression of the "Partisan Republic of Verkor", where the "white ribbons" was cleaned with the partisans and the civilian population of the rear of the Tatar Legion SS. ..

Some exploits of the "French police" were baked in monuments:

memorial sign in memory of the deputy mayor of the city di:

"Frenchman!
remember that here July 23, 1944
patriot Camille Buffarddel
member of the National Liberation Committee
was brutally killed by German Nimites from the French police "

Dr. Medvedovsky, was born in Kiev in 1891. In 1911 he entered the Paris Medin Institute, in 1914, voluntarily went to the front. From 1923 he lived. Since 1940, he participated in resistance. In June 1944, he was issued by a provocateur and after torture and bullying was killed. Posthumously awarded the "Military Cross" and the "Resistance" medal:

"Here he died for France
dr. Medvedovsky,
killed on June 17, 1944
germans and the French,
changed their country "

Legion of French volunteers against Bolshevism

French soldiers fight side by side with German against Bolshevism. In the photographs of their oath, Führeru, commander-in-chief of the German army. They are equipped as manifiers of Reichsver and do not have other French signs of differences except the tricolor emblem on uniform

(Fr. Legion Des Volontaires Francais Contre Le Bolchevisme, or abbreviated FR. Legion des Volontaires Francais, LVF, SOPR. LFD) - Infantry regiment formed in France and participating in hostilities on the eastern front of World War II on the side of Germany.

The organizers were Marcel Bukkar ("Francist Movement"), Jacques Dorio ("People's French Party"), Eugene Delonkl ("Social Revolutionary Movement"), Pierre Clement ("French National Unity Party") and Pierre Kostantini ("French League") . With the beginning of the war against the USSR, these political leaders with the help of the German ambassador in Paris Otto Abaets have made sanctions on the creation of such a formation for the fight against the USSR on the Eastern Front.

After receiving legal consent from Berlin on July 6, 1941, the convening of the second conference of anti-phoned forces on the next day was announced. On July 7, at the Majestic Hotel, representatives of all political organizations have decided to participate in the creation of the LVF, where they elected the Central Committee of the Legion, which included the above-mentioned Clementi Clementi and the top of the collaborationist administration and police of the occupied France. Having completed the coordination of all questions among themselves, they secured a decision on the formation of LVF on July 18 and immediately began to implement the necessary organizational events. Following the opening of the first office of the Legion, which places in the building of the former Soviet travel agency at 12 Rue Auber in Paris, recruitment points of the organization appeared throughout the country. They rushed those who in the fight against the Moscow Bolshevism tried to realize their special patriotic beliefs and found their participation in the war of fierce in relation to the Bolsheviks, Jews and Liberals. Despite the comparative limitations of the French environment of adhered to such views, they showed significant activity, and after the announcement of a set for three months he entered the Legion to three thousand volunteers of the first wave. To collect volunteers of the Legion, the barracks were used in Borgnis Desbordes in Versailles. Although in all the time of the existence of LVF until the summer of 1944, more than thirteen thousand French tried to enter his ranks, the Germans allowed for only about six thousand people and did not give the Legion to deploy strength more than the regiment.

Until the summer of 1942, about 3,000 people entered the Legion. The official name in the Wehrmacht is the 638th Infantry Regiment (it. Infanterie Regiment 638).

In early November 1941, the I and II battalions of the 638th infantry regiment arrived in Smolensk. The number of arrivals was about 2352 soldiers. Virtually all November 1941, the regiment was forced to make a heavy march to the front line, because of which the first losses in the lively strength, gear and horses. The shelf battalions were strongly stretched, due to which the immediate front line was reached only by the I battalion, and II remained as a spare. In early December, the French from I battalion fought against the Red Army, but suffered large losses from Soviet artillery and suffered from frostbite.

From December 6 to 9, the losses were killed by 65 people, wounded 120, and more than 300 were frozen or frostbitten. Replenishments for the Legion from France began to arrive only now with the beginning of December to the landfill in Debit, where they started from 1,400 fresh volunteers to the formation of the third battalion and preparation Reinforcements for other units. The situation on the advanced by the time almost completely out of control. Especially when the Colonel Labonne became completely helpless, he looked at the leadership of his part, and the remaining officers with sergeants, I had to fight the heading of individual units. They still managed to conduct restraining battles, while during the second stage, the defeated French 638 regiment in February was taken from the front line and, recognizing the combat capability completely lost, sent to re-formation, and Colonel Labonne in March was dismissed from his position and returned to France.

As a result, the regiment was decided to take back to Poland and reform.

The 638th Infantry Regiment was the only foreign part in the Wehrmacht, which occurred to Moscow in 1941.

In the legion, in addition to the French itself, served several dozen of white-emigrants, the subjects of the former Russian Empire (Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians). In addition to them, the shelf also had Arabs from French colonies, a number of blacks and broonts. Most of the Russian emigrants and black demobilized during the reform of the Legion in March 1942.

In winter, in the winter of 1942, the Legion was reorganized: I and II battalions, who had lost weight losses near Moscow were reduced to one, which became a "new" I battalion; There was also an III battalion, created in December 1941. After additional training, both battalions were sent to Belorussia to combat partisans and were used separately at different security divisions of Wehrmacht, 221th and 286th

Refusing the further use of 638 regiment in battles with regular Soviet troops, the German military leadership sent French legionnaires to fight the guerrillas in the rear of the Center of the Army Center. They were given as a gain in June 1942 286 of the Security Division 286 Sicherungs Division under the command of General Lieutenant Rihert Generalleutnant Johann Georg Richert, which ensured the security of communications in the operational rear of the German troops in the south of Vitebshchina and in the territories adjacent to it. From the very beginning, LVF soldiers were involved in a series of punitive operations held by Lieutenant Rihert from August 1942 before the beginning of 1943 in order to suppress the increasing partisan movement. Scattered on various points located on the network of operational lines of the message Vitebsk - Smolensk - Orsha - Borisov Small divisions of the Legion carried the patrol service, constantly actively entering into contractions with partisans and arranging local stocks. They are needed to be collected for the implementation of large operations into tactical groups, only occasionally applying battalions entirely. The task of the first operation, where legionnaires were involved, called "Greif" "Greif" was the destruction of the partisans hiding in the forests between Senno and Orsha, whose actions were threatened with communications held through Vitebsk and Orsha. In two weeks from August 16 to August 30, the punishers managed to threaten the brigade of the barrier and destroy the emerging Brigade of Zyukov, as well as thorough about 900 locals, for several months to "dear" the area.

"The state of the discipline of the legionarms is seen from the daily orders for the shelf, which were usually completed by the section" Punitions "-" recovery ".

Volunteers with the legion banner. USSR, November 1941

Documents of the crushed regiment fell into the hands of Belarusian partisans

Here is a typical order of December 6, 1943, from which it is clear that Legionnaire Louis Friess Louis Friess received 8 days of arrest for being sent to the post, consumed alcohol in the company with local residents. The legionnaire Paul Ecurnier Paul Ecurnier expressed the commander of "inappropriate words" - 8 days of arrest. The same term was appointed Legionera Andre Merley Andre Merlat for a story with a pair of boots, which he allegedly took off the comrade and did not return. Propil, probably ... In the order of December 23, 1943, it was announced 3 months of arrest of Legionar Fernun Duga Fernand Dugas for drunk to such a state that he could not get out with his platoon to combat operation. Generally, surprisingly soft punishment. In other armies, for such a shot before the system. Legionnaire Andre Grane Andre Granet left the location of the part and, as stated in the descriptive part of the order, went to the village for entertainment, despite the strict prohibition of a non-officer and that he should have taken out in the outfit. For this self-fullness with aggravating circumstances received only 8 days. Legionary Pierre Gilbo Pierre Guilbot was discovered sleeping in the post - 10 days of arrest. And completely unthinkable by the standards of military time happened to the legionnaire of Jacques Dream Jacques Greze. He went to the village for 4 kilometers, was attacked there and was injured that demanded hospitalization. You can notice here this: if you wanted rustic to kill that Frenchman, I would certainly be killed. And so, it seems that only they knocked him well - do not fall into our evening! And what he had a punishment from the authorities. All the same 8 days of arrest from the commander of the company, but, however, the battalion commander added two more. "Sometimes it began to reach the establishment of communications with the enemy and agreement with the partisans about non-fire. On this case of the partisan's contact. The commander of the Brigade "Chekist" G. A. Brick ("Memory: Historical and Documentary Chronicle of the Kruglovsky District"): "In the village of New Poleste, the fascist command placed the garrison from the French Legion's head under the command of the German Major Schwartzman .. . The French legionnaires of their intelligence were not led, the ambusion did not do on the path of the partisan. Once a detachment of Nazarova was a day. The French saw him, but did not shoot. Then the commander was given a task to establish a connection with the French with the French and to incline them to our side. One day, an old man was buried on the Orthodox Cemetery. Our scouts approached the villagers, among whom were two French in German form. They noticed the guerrilla and, understanding who they were, took under the visor. Ours answered the nod of the head. The French immediately disappeared. A part of the French garrison was on the outskirts of the village in a large house, angledated fence and embankment, in the corners - 4 firepoints with braces. Three days later, the opera-soluble Karpushenko detachment took three car gunners and went to a meeting with the French. The French handed over to the partisans of 4 drawers of cartridges, 38 grenades, 2 portable radio and 4 tapes for the transmitter. The eldest of their groups explained that all this is written off on the fight against the partisans ... "

With the return to the LVF of the 2nd battalion, Commandant Tramu headed by Major, who arrived in Belarus at the end of November 1943 allowed Edgar Poua to expand the zone of active actions and the area of \u200b\u200bfeeding. Here the French faced the fighters of the Brigade of Nikolai Petrovich Gudkov. The breakdown for the restored 638 shelf was the punitive operation "Morocco" "Morocco" named after his commander. Her holding took place at the end of January - early February 1944 in the surrounding forests of Somorrow. Soon after the successful completion of the operation from a business trip to Mogilev, a 3rd battalion returned, whose commander Major Pan was killed literally before sending. And now, when Legion has been gathered in full, it was possible to complete his re-formation in a strongest punitive part, the name of 638 reinforced French Grenadier Regiment 638 Verstrktes Franzosisches Grenadier Regiment. As an increase from some subsidiary units to April 1944, the 4th battalion was prepared in October 1943. And the month did not have passed the newly new French grenadiers to the preparation and participation in the most significant punitive operation carried out on the territory of the occupied Belarus, during which it was planned to eliminate more than twenty partisan compounds in the rear of the 3rd tank and 4th Field armies. After blocking the forces of the partisans in the Domazhitsky area and Palik, the invaders began to carry out the main idea of \u200b\u200bthe "Kormoran cormorant" operation, squeezing the partisans into a dense ring for applying dishes. But already by June 15, despite the serious losses and still maintaining combat capability, up to twenty partisan brigades broke through in some places through the combat orders of punishers. Attempts to destroy the remaining surroundings and disappeared among the swamps of the fighters of several teams and scattered detachments were torn off on June 23 by Soviet parts, crushing the defense of the Army Group "Center"

Above the surrounding French Grenadiers who left Belarus, the Greifenberg Greifenberg (East Prussia). But the restoration of the military unit under the auspices of LVF did not follow, the Germans before their collapse did not need more in the services of the Legion. Without paying attention to the already held independent combat tradition of 638 regiment, legionnaires gave to the SS. They took part in the organization of the new French compound of the Grenadier brigades SS "Charleman" Waffen Grenadier Brigade Der SS "Charlemagne", in the ranks of which they were united on September 1 with soldiers of the Volunteer Grenadier Regiment of SS (formed in 1943 and was also divided in 1944) and the French from the Navy, the NSCC and the occupation militia

The number of captive French people prompted the Soviet command to create a separate camp for them under Tambov.

November 20, 1944 Legion of French volunteers officially stopped their existence.

Brigade Consisted of two regiments, the Legion veterans were staffed by the personnel of 58 Grenadier regiment SS Waffen Grenadier Regiment Der SS 58. In the new rank of Oberfuer SS Edgar Pua Oberfuhrer SS Edgard Puaud commanded a new-minted brigade

Colonel Poua on the Eastern Front

The Frenchmen were thrown here to stop the Soviet offensive in February, it was already formally reorminating at 33 SS "Charleman" 33 Waffen Grenadier Division Der SS "Charlemagne", leaving the number of soldiers in the division of about eight thousand. They were waiting for a full defeat, after which the division actually ceased to exist, having lost more than half of the personnel killed, injured, prisoners and missing. From the surviving several hundred fighters gathered a combat group for the defense of Berlin, where they almost all were buried under the ruins of the capital of Reich. The rest of the unfair remnants of the French SS managed to surrender to allies. Even earlier, Jacques Dorio shot in the car from the stormed aircraft on the road between Mainau Mainau and Sigmaringen Sigmaringen on February 22, 1945.

About 20 thousand French prisoners of war kept in captivity in the USSR. 1945 - a representative of the French Military Mission, adopts French prisoners prepared for the shipment to the Motherland by the Soviet authorities. After the war, the French were the first to be sent to their homeland without any conditions. For curvage, I will notice in the Soviet military uniform. At the end of the 90s in France, 4500 people received a pension as Tambov captives.

The French government made a number of death sentences and prison terms to the participants of the Legion: So, the first commander of the regiment, Colonel Labonne, was convicted of life imprisonment, Member of the Central Committee of the Legion Charles Leske was sentenced to death in May 1947 by the Supreme Court in Paris, but despite Requests for issuing from France has never been issued by the Government of Argentina.

Never in world history, such a powerful citadel did not take in such a short time: in just a week. The German command thoroughly thought out and perfectly prepared the city for defense. Stone bunkers in six floors, dots, jotes, covered in the ground Tanks, fortified houses, in which the "phausers" were settled for the deadly danger to our tanks. The center of Berlin with the River Spree was especially strongly strengthened.

The Nazis sought not to give the Red Army to master the capital, knowing that the Anglo-American troops prepare an offensive on the Berlin direction. However, the degree of preference for the delivery of Anglo-Americans, and not by Soviet troops, was very exaggerated in Soviet times. On April 4, 1945, J. Goebbels recorded in the diary:

The main task of the press and radio is to clarify the German people that the western opponent puts the same vile intelligence of the destruction of the nation as the eastern ... We must again and again indicate that Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin ruthlessly and not considering anything to do their deadly Plans, it is only the Germans to show weakness and submit to the enemy ...».

Soldiers of the Eastern Front, if in the coming days and hours each of you will fulfill your duty to the fatherland, we will stop and share Asian hordes at the gate of Berlin. We foresaw this blow and opposed him the front of unprecedented power ... Berlin will remain German, Vienna will be German ...».

Another thing is that the anti-Soviet propaganda in the Nazis was much more sophisticated than against the Anglo-Americans, and the local population of the Eastern regions of Germany experienced panic horror when the Red Army approaches, and the soldiers and the Wehrmacht officers were in a hurry to break through to the West to surrender there. Therefore, I.V. Stalin Topiil Marshal Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov start the assault of Berlin as soon as possible. He began at night on April 16 with the most powerful art preparation and the blinding of the enemy with a multitude of anti-aircraft spotlights. After long and stubborn battles, Zhukov's troops were traded by Zeelian heights, the main defense point of the Germans on the way to Berlin. Meanwhile, the tank army of Colonel General P.S. Fishing, forcing the spree, fell on Berlin from the southern direction. In the North on April 21, the Talkists of Lieutenant General S.M. Krivoshein was the first to burst into the outskirts of the German capital.

Berlin's garrison fought with despair doomed. It was obvious that he was not resistant against the deadly fire of Soviet heavy 203 mm of Gaubitz, nicknamed by the Germans "Sledgehammer Stalin", "Katyusch" salons and permanent bombings of aviation. Soviet troops acted on the streets of the city to the highest degree professionally: assault groups with the help of tanks knocked out the enemy from the fortified points. This allowed the Red Army to carry relatively small losses. Step by step, Soviet troops were selected to the Government Center of the Third Reich. Krivoshein's tank corps successfully crossed through the spree and connected with the coming from the south of the 1st Ukrainian Front, closed Berlin to the ring.

Captive defenders of Berlin - members of the Volksshur (detachment of the folk militia). Photo: www.globallookpress.com.

Who defended Berlin from the Soviet troops in May 1945? Berlin Defense Headquarters urged the population to prepare for street fighting on Earth and underground, using the metro lines, sewer network and underground communications. 400 thousand Berliners were mobilized to the construction of fortification structures. Goebbels started the formation of two hundred battalions of Volkssturma and women's brigades. 900 square kilometers of urban quarters turned into "the impregnable fortress Berlin."

The most combat-ready divisions of Waffen-SS fought in the southern and western directions. Under Berlin, the newly formed XI tank army was operated under the command of the SS-OberstGroupPenfuer F. Steiner, which included all the surviving SSOs of the urban garrison, reservists, teachers and cadets of "UNCER schools", the staff of the Berlin headquarters and numerous PS controls.

However, during fierce fights with the Soviet troops of the 1st Belarusian Front, Shatyiner Division suffered so heavy losses that he, according to his own words, "remained by General without the army." Thus, the main part of the Berlin garrison was all sorts of improvised combat groups, rather than regular connections of the Wehrmacht. The largest division of the SS troops, with whom I had to fight the Soviet troops, was the SS Division "Nordland", its full name - XI Volunteer Tank-Grenadier Division of SS Nordland. It was completed mainly from Denmark Volunteers, the Netherlands, Norway. In 1945, the Division and Norgian Grenadan Shelves were part of the Division, the Dutch volunteers were sent to the NES-RESER Division.

Berlin was also defended by the French division of SS "Charleman" ("Karl Great"), Belgian Divisions of the SS "Langemeark" and "Vallonia". On April 29, 1945, for the destruction of several Soviet tanks, the young native of Paris from the SS division "Charleman" Untershruer Ezhezhar Valo was awarded the Order of the Knight's Cross, becoming one of his last cavaliers. May 2, a month before the 22nd anniversary, it was important to died on the streets of Berlin. The commander of the LVII battalion from the division "Charleman" Hupisturmführer Henri Fene wrote in his memories:

In Berlin, there is a French street and a French church. They are named so in honor of Huguenots who fled from religious hazards and downtown in Prussia at the beginningXVII century, helping to build the capital. In the middle of the twentieth century, other French came to defend the capital, which they helped to build their ancestors».

On May 1, the French continued to fight on Leipzigershtrasse, around the Ministry of Aviation and Potsdamerolplatz. The French Schellemanny Square became the last defenders of Reichstag and Reichskancelary. During the day of the battle on April 28, from the total number of 108 Soviet tanks, the French "Chalmemanny" destroyed 62. On the morning of May 2, following the announcement of the capitulation of the capital III Reich, the last 30 fighters "Chalmemana" from 300 arrivals in Berlin left the Reichskancellery bunker, where, In addition to them, no one else remained. Along with the French, Reichstag defended Estonian SS. In addition, Lithuanians, Latvians, Spaniards and Hungars took part in the defense of Berlin.

Members of the French Division of the SS "Charleman" before sending to the front. Photo: www.globallookpress.com.

Latvians as part of the 54th squadron of fighters defended the Berlin sky from Soviet aviation. Latvian legionnaires continued to fight for the Third Reich and already dead Hitler even when the German Nazis stopped the struggle. On May 1, the SS Division's XV battalion under the command of Neutrax's oversturmphurera continued to defend Reichskancelyaria. Famous Russian historian V.M. Falin noted:

Berlin fell on May 2, and the "local battles" ended in it to ten days later ... In Berlin, the resistance to the Soviet troops was provided by the SSPs from 15 states. There were acted, along with the Germans, Norwegian, Danish, Belgian, Dutch, Luxembourg Nazis».

According to the French Esvestor A. Fife: " Here on the last meeting all Europe gathered", And, as always, against Russia.

Ukrainian nationalists played their role in the defense of Berlin. On September 25, 1944, S. Bandera, Ya. Stetsiko, A. Melnik and another 300 Ukrainian nationalists were liberated by the Nazis from the concentration camp Zackenhausen near Berlin, where the Nazis was placed at one time for too zealous campaigning for the creation of the "unknown Ukrainian power". In 1945, the Bandera and Melnik received an indication of all Ukrainian nationalists from the Nazi leadership in the Berlin area and protect the city from the upcoming parts of the Red Army. Bandera created Ukrainian units as part of the Volkssturma, and hid himself in Weimara. In addition, in the area of \u200b\u200bBerlin, there were several Ukrainian air defense groups (2.5 thousand people). Half of the III company of the 87th Grenadier regiment of the SS "Kurmark" was Ukrainians, reservists of the XIV Grenadier Division of the SS troops "Galica".

However, not only Europeans took part in the Berlin battle on the side of Hitler. Researcher M. Demidenkov writes:

When, in May 1945, our troops behaved their fights on the approaches to the Reichancancelary, they surprised that they came out on the corpses of Asian Tibetans. This was written in the 50s, however, a glimpse, and mentioned as curious. Tibetans fought to the last cartridge, they shot their wounded, did not give up. Not a single Live Tibetan in the form of the SS is left».

In the memoirs of veterans of the Great Patriotic War, there are information that after the fall of Berlin in Reichskancelas the corpses were found in a rather strange form: I was cut the casual SS troops (not field), but the color was dark brown, and there were no runes in the loovers. The killed were clearly asiates and sharply pronounced Mongoloids with pretty dark skin. They died, apparently, in battle.

It should be noted that the Nazis held several expeditions to Tibet along the Anenerbe line and installed strong, friendly relations and a military union with the leadership of one of the largest religious currents of Tibet. Between Tibet and Berlin, a constant radio communication and an air axle were installed, a small German mission and the security company of the SS troops remained in Tibet.

In May 1945, our people crushed not just a military opponent, not just Nazi Germany. Nazi Europe, the next European Union, was defeated, before being created by Karl Swedish and Napoleon. How not to remember the eternal lines of A.S. Pushkin?

Same tribes,

Threatening Russia threatening;

Was all europe here?

And whose star led her! ..

But we became foal solid

And the breast took pressure

Tribes, obedient will proud,

And there was an unequal dispute.

But today the following stanza from the same poem is becoming equally relevant:

Your mind escape

Sound, they forgot now;

Forgot Russian bayonet and snow,

The burial glory of them in the desert.

Familiar feast of their manitis again

- Khmelna for them Slavs Blood;

But hard will be a hangover;

But the right will be a dream

On a close, cold housewarming,

Under the cerebral northern fields!