Jurisprudence      07/30/2020

French divisions in the Wehrmacht. Russian Insurrectionary Army: Russian volunteers in the French SS division "Charlemagne" and the Foreign Legion. There were also other French people. But you need to remember both


Wolfgang Akunov

Oleg Cherkassky - as a sign of deep respect

"My beloved wife,

Sergei Krotov.

(From the last letter of Sergei Krotov to his wife).

After the attack of the German Wehrmacht on the USSR in June 1941, calls were made in France to take part in the deadly struggle that flared up in the east of Europe, which, according to French anti-communists, did not concern only Germany. On August 5, 1941, with the consent of the French government, the "Legion of French Volunteers against Bolshevism" was formed, also known as the "French Volunteer Legion against Bolshevism" or "French Anti-Bolshevik Volunteer Legion" (Legion des Volontaires Francais contre le Bolchevisme), abbr. .: LVF. Enlisted in the ranks of the German Wehrmacht, this volunteer corps, which consisted exclusively of the French (more precisely, of French citizens, including numerous Russian white émigrés, including veterans of the Civil War of 1917-1922 in Russia), received the name "638th" in the Wehrmacht regiment of ground forces" (German: Infanterieregiment 638 des Heeres).

Young people prevailed among the LVF volunteers (as an exception, even 15-year-olds were taken into the Legion - see the photo in the title of this military-historical miniature), but there were also older people who had the experience of the First World War (and some also the experience of the Civil War) 1918-1922 in Russia, French colonial wars in Syria and Morocco, and even a short "strange war" between France and Germany in 1939-1940).

The French LVF volunteers wore the German army uniform in grey-green "feldgrau". Their only difference from other military personnel of the German Wehrmacht was a sleeve shield with three vertical stripes in the colors of the French national (state) flag - the "Tricolor" (blue, white and red). The only soldier of the French Volunteer Legion who did not want to wear this stripe of the colors of the French Republic and the Bonapartist Empire was the legion's confessor, Cardinal Monsignor Count Jean Mayol de Lupe, who adhered to strong royalist convictions and hated the French republican blue-white-red flag no less than the "sickle "hammered" red flag of world communism. The royalist prelate managed to obtain from the High Command of the Wehrmacht (and later, after joining the Waffen SS, from the Main Office of the SS) the right to wear on the sleeve a special patch with gold lilies of the French royal dynasties of Capet, Valois and Bourbon on a blue field. However, this was a special case.

Having joined the ranks of the German Wehrmacht, the "Legion of French Volunteers Against Bolshevism" received the name "638th Infantry Regiment (French)". In November 1941, the regiment, also referred to as the "Tricolor Regiment" (French: Regiment Tricolore), as part of the 7th Wehrmacht Infantry Division, took part in the battle near Moscow. The author of these lines, while still a student, back in 1972, being sent for autumn agricultural work ("labor semester", and colloquially - "for potatoes") in the village of Vaulino, for the first time heard from a local old collective farmer about how in forty-one they had a French unit german army, in which ... Russians also served. One of the Russian officers of the French part of the German army, according to the old man, lodged in his parents' hut and often told them about his life in tsarist Russia, "under the old regime". However, this is so, by the way ...

Already on March 3, 1943, the recruitment of French volunteers into the ranks of the Waffen SS began. It should be emphasized that (as before - service in the German Wehrmacht) service in the Waffen SS was completely officially allowed to the French by a special decree of the French government of July 22, 1943. On September 18, 1943, the formation of the French SS volunteer regiment / 1 / began, later growing "French SS Volunteer Assault Brigade". The field of participation of the 1st battalion of the French SS brigade in battles with Soviet troops on the Sanok sector of the Carpathian Front in August 1944, the French brigade was replenished with new volunteer contingents, including the personnel of the German Wehrmacht disbanded by that time "French Volunteer Legion" (included in the brigade on August 10, 1944), as well as the French ranks of the Waffen SS (who previously served in the SS individually), French volunteers of the German navy("Kriegsmarine"), Organization Todt (OT), French militia. After replenishment, the French SS brigade was reorganized into the 33rd Grenadier Division of the Waffen SS "Charlemagne" / 3 / (as it was officially called from February 10, 1945).

French Waffen SS volunteers wore the usual SS field uniform. Their only difference was the shield of the colors of the French state (national) flag - "Tricolor" (three vertical stripes - blue-white-red) sewn on the left sleeve. In contrast to the sleeve shield of the LVF volunteers, in the black "chapter" (that is, on the black vertical stripe at the top of the coat of arms) of the heraldic shield of the French SS men (who usually wore it "in the SS style", on the left sleeve - in contrast to the Wehrmacht volunteers who wore their national shields on the right sleeve) in most cases (though not always) there was an inscription "France" (France) made in white block letters. On black SS buttonholes, the "Charlemagne" wore either the common SS double rune "Sig" ("Sovulo", "Sovelu", "Sol"), or the image of the "solar (Celtic) cross" (a cross inscribed in a circle), also white. The ranks of the SS division "Charlemagne", who previously served in the French militia, wore a special sign on their buttonholes - "the sword of St. Joan (Joan of Arc)" framed by two oak leaves.

The king of the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who took possession at the end of the 5th century. n. R.H. the Roman province of Gaul, Charlemagne, in 800 was crowned by the pope with the crown of the Roman emperor and founded the so-called "Holy Roman Empire" (Sacrum Imperium Romanum), covering the territory of later France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, parts of Italy and some other states medieval Europe. Since Charlemagne - in French Charlemagne (Charlemagne from the Latin Carolus Magnus) was considered a great sovereign (comparable to our Vladimir the Red Sun) in both German and French historical traditions, the emblem of the SS division "Charlemagne" (French No. 1) was a heraldic shield, in the right half of which a German eagle was depicted, and in the left half - three French lilies (this coat of arms was depicted on a portrait of Charlemagne hanging in the town hall of Frankfurt am Main by the German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer).

In February 1945, the Charlemagne division entered into battle with units of the Red Army on the territory of the German region of Pomerania. Its units fought with the Soviet troops until the end of the war. The SS assault battalion "Charlemagne" defended Berlin to the last drop of blood. During the battles for Berlin, the French SS commander of the assault battalion of the 33rd SS Grenadier Division "Charlemagne" (French No. 1), Hauptsturmführer Henri Fene (who managed to knock out eight tanks from the Panzerfaust anti-tank grenade launcher), Untersturmführer Eugene Volo ( also destroyed eight tanks) and Oberscharführer Francois Appollo (who had six enemy tanks on his account). The total number of Soviet tanks destroyed in the battles for Berlin by the fighters of the assault battalion "Charlemagne" was, according to some sources, 62, and according to others - "more than 60").

May 8, 1945, after the signing of the act of unconditional surrender Nazi Germany, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe German resort town of Bad Reichengall, were without trial or investigation, by order of the French General Leclerc, commander of the 2nd Panzer Division of "Fighting (de Gaulle - V.A.) France", thirteen young French volunteers from the regiment were shot " Gershe" /4/ (former SS division "Charlemagne"). French volunteers of the Waffen SS (including one of our compatriots - the Russian Waffen-Standartenunker SS Sergey Krotov, the commander of a battery of anti-tank guns; he was not the only Russian in the ranks of the French volunteers - history has preserved the names of the Waffen-Scharführer SS Nikolai Shumilin, a veteran of the LVF and commander 4th platoon of the 1st Battalion of the 58th SS Waffen-Grenadier Regiment "Charlemagne", LVF veteran and commander of the 4th company of the SS assault battalion "Charlemagne" SS Waffen-Standartenführer Sergei Protopopov, Alexei Pronin, SS Waffen-Obersturmführer Yevgeny Pikarev, Waffen -Untersturmführer SS Nikolai Samosudov and others) / 5 /, who fought mainly on Eastern Front and not shedding a drop of blood of their French fellow citizens, having laid down their arms on the day of surrender, surrendered to the Americans, but were handed over by the warriors of "Uncle Sam" to the Leclerc division that had pulled up (equipped, like all the troops of General de Gaulle, in American military uniform).

General Leclerc, leaning on a stick, walked in front of the French SS, after which he asked one of them: "Why are you wearing German uniforms?" The answer of the prisoner of war was in no way inferior to the question: "My general, why are you wearing an American uniform"?

As you can see, Leclerc (unlike other Frenchmen) had absolutely no sense of humor. Not appreciating the comedy of the situation, the brave de Gaulle general immediately ordered the execution of not only the impudent prisoner, but also twelve of his comrades in arms. The bodies of the executed lay unburied at the place of execution for three days. The French military priest who was present at the conversation and execution did not take care not only of the spiritual consolation of the young men before the execution, but also of their not only Christian, but even more or less human burial. Finally, after three days, the dead were "buried in the earth's globe" by order of the American military authorities.

The author of the book happened to visit Bad Reichenhall. In the vicinity of the town, many years after the war, a modest memorial was erected in honor of those killed. To date, it has been possible to establish the names and surnames of only 5 of these victims of the bloodthirsty French military justice. These are the names:

Paul Briffaut, Robert Doffa, Sergei (Serge) Krotov, Jean Robert, Raymond Payra, and eight unknown soldiers.

According to the memoirs of Lieutenant of the Armed Forces of the "Free French" Ferrano, who commanded the execution, the convicts behaved courageously.

True, just before the execution, Sergei Krotov lost his nerve and said: "You have no right to shoot me! I'm married! After all, I'm not even a Frenchman!" However, then he pulled himself together and held on courageously to the end, having managed to shout before his death: "Long live France!" (Vive la France!)

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

"My beloved wife,

I did my duty by fighting the Bolsheviks and the atheists. This morning I surrendered to the Americans, the French soldiers are leading me to be shot. My dear wife, forgive me, take care that our children remember that their father was always just and loved them very much. My dear wife, my dear Simone, I kiss you with all my heart, kiss my poor mother and children. Always believe in God and forgive the evil that is unjustly done to us. Goodbye,

Sergei Krotov.

Soon after the execution, the burial place of the "Charlemagne" was consecrated by Monsignor Jean Count Mayol de Lupe.

The surviving French Waffen SS volunteers were sentenced in France to lengthy prison terms, and many death penalty for treason. Those who were even less fortunate fell victims of extrajudicial reprisals. Some veterans of "Charlemagne" managed to atone for their guilt before their homeland, 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 legitimate aspirations of the oppressed peoples of Indochina, which enjoys the support of the countries of victorious socialism, the international communist movement and all progressive mankind, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria to free themselves from French colonial rule.

Their names are not forgotten - including by Russian poets. The fate of the French volunteers inspired, for example, our contemporary skald Yevgeny Bobolovich to make the Charlemagne rondelle, which we present below:

RONDEL CHARLEMAGNE

Storms sweep away Charlemagne
But their glory flies above the mountains.
The Celtic oak grove also sings
That it is not a pity to fall in battle,

Beyond the horizon and vertical.
Aryan sagas lava hardens ...
Storms sweep away Charlemagne
But their glory flies above the mountains.

Christ is with you companion - stand up!
And the death of the path is only the beginning
But sorrow is as light as a veil...
And embraced sadness like ice
Storms sweep away Charlemagne

Evgeny Bobolovich.

Standarten Oberjunker SS Sergey Protopopov (1923-1945)

Grandson of the last Minister of the Interior Russian Empire Alexander Protopopov, who was shot by the Bolsheviks in October 1918, Sergei Protopopov was born in France. In 1943, at the age of twenty, like many other Russians, he joined the French Anti-Bolshevik Legion and was trained at its military school in Montargis near Orleans. In September 1944, the French Anti-Bolshevik Legion was included in the SS, first as a brigade, and from February 1945 as a division, called Charlemagne (Charlemagne). In December 1944, Sergei Protopopov graduated from the SS officer school in Kinschlag.


In February-March 1945, the Charlemagne division lost most of its personnel in heavy fighting with the advancing Red Army in Pomerania. In early April, only 700 people remained in its ranks, of which about 300 volunteered to go to the defense of Berlin. The assault battalion formed from them under the command of Hauptsturmführer Henri-Joseph Fene arrived in the besieged German capital on April 24, 1945. Sergei Protopopov was also part of it.


The Charlemagne battalion, attached to the SS Nordland division, was entrusted with the defense of Sector C. The French volunteers entered the first battle with the advancing Reds on April 26 near the Tempelhof airfield. On April 27, the fighting became especially fierce. During them, Sergei Protopopov personally knocked out five Soviet tanks with faustpatrons and shot down a Soviet reconnaissance aircraft from a MG 42 machine gun. On April 29, the detachment, which included the standard-oberjunker Protopopov, was covered by fire from Soviet mortars on Gendarmenmarkt Square. The Russian volunteer died from multiple shrapnel wounds and was posthumously awarded the Iron Cross First Class for his courage. His comrades-in-arms in the Charlemagne battalion turned out to be the last defenders of the Reich Chancellery bunker, the defense of which they held until May 2.

Obersturmführer Sergei Krotov(far left) among the soldiers of the SS division "Charlemagne" and the French Legion before being shot on May 8, 1945

Far left Sergey Krotov


While being treated in a German hospital in Bavaria after being wounded in the Battle of Berlin, 12 French volunteers were captured by the Americans on May 6 and were placed by them, along with other prisoners, in the barracks of the Alpine shooters in the city of Bad Reichenhall. Upon learning that the Americans were going to hand over the city to the French, they tried to escape, but were detained by an American patrol and issued to the 2nd Free French Armored Division of General Leclerc. A general drove up to the place of transfer of prisoners of war.

Upon learning that the soldiers in German uniforms were French, he became indignant and began to vilify them in every possible way, calling them “Boches” and “traitors”. When he spoke the words:

How could you French wear a German uniform?

One of the prisoners could not stand it and boldly replied:

Just like you, General, you can wear an American one.

After these words, Leclerc exploded and ordered the prisoners to be shot. According to one version, the general gave the order, so cruel and contrary to the laws of the Geneva Convention, being under the painful impression of inspecting the death camp at Dachau, where Leclerc seemed to have been the day before. Be that as it may, the next day, May 8, 12 French SS-sheep were taken to be shot.
At their request, a Catholic priest spoke to them. Further, the condemned flatly refused to blindfold or “humanely” shoot them in the back. Immediately before the execution, they began to sing the Marseillaise and shout "long live France!", looking into the faces of the firing squad. Fierce by the "unrepentant" obstinate "Charlemagnes", the general ordered not to bury the bodies, but to leave them in the clearing. Only three days later, according to the local population, they were buried by the Americans.

In 1947, the Germans transferred the ashes to the monument. Several soldiers managed to find out the names. They were engraved on a granite board, which depicts one of the symbols of France, the “royal lily”, and the words “to the 12 brave sons of France” are written.

Here are the names of those whose documents were found:
SS Obersturmführer Serge Krotoff, (Serg Krotoff)
SS Untersturmführer Paul Briffaut
SS Untersturmführer Robert Doffat.
Grenadiers Jean Robert
and Raymond Pairas
Jacques Ponnau

Igor Knyazev. Appeal of Russian volunteers of the French SS division "Charlemagne", published in the Berlin newspaper "New Word" for October 31, 1943.

Russians in the Foreign Legion.

According to E. Nedzelsky, in 1924, 3200 Russians were registered who passed through the base point of the Foreign Legion in Sidi Bel Abbes in Algeria, and 70% of them were former officers, cadets and soldiers. In the third regiment, according to E. Nedzelsky, based in Morocco in 1924, out of 500 Russians, 2% were illiterate, 73% with incomplete secondary education, and 25% with secondary and higher education. Approximately the same ratio was maintained in the 2nd regiment. The oldest legionnaires were officers and soldiers of the expeditionary corps in France. They joined the legion back in 1918 and accounted for about 10% of the total number of Russian legionnaires. 25% accounted for those evacuated from Russia in 1919, 60% - for the ranks of the Russian army who left Russia in 1921, and 5% fell into the legion for various reasons, mainly from German captivity and seduced by "preferential" service19. After signing the contract, the volunteers were sent to the assembly camp for about a month, and then distributed in parts. So, out of 400 people who signed up for the legion at the same time as E. Giatsintov, 350 were sent to Syria, and the rest to Algeria. From the Syrian group, 90 people were later sent to Beirut to the 18th repair squadron of the 5th African Cavalry Chasseur Regiment (commander - Captain E. de Avaris), and 210 to the Mountain Company, formed in Damascus exclusively from Russian volunteers (commander — Captain Duval).

LIST OF RUSSIAN VOLUNTEERS,

DEAD IN THE RANKS OF THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION
From 1921 to 1945

Akimov - corporal of the 3rd company of the 2nd regiment. Died 11/13/1923 in Post Bader.

Alexandrov-Dolnik Vladimir Alexandrovich - lieutenant of the 2nd regiment. Killed 09/07/1932 in battle at Tazigzaout, Morocco.
- Andreev - legionnaire of the 12th company of the 3rd regiment. He died on April 20, 1921 in Kenara-Khenui.
-Andrienko - Corporal 5 S. Mont. 2nd regiment. He died on September 4, 1924 in Ishieraf.
-Antonov - legionnaire of the 24th company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/21/1925 in Bab Taza.
-nfilov - sergeant of the 26th company of the 1st regiment. Died 09/10/1925 in Jebel ne Negir.
- Arkadiev is a legionnaire. Died in Morocco.
-Afanasiev - legionnaire of the 1st company of the 2nd regiment. He died on May 20, 1923 in Recife Bou Arfa.
-Baranov - legionnaire of the 19th company of the 4th regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
- Berezin - legionnaire of the 24th company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/04/1925 in Astar.
-Bobovsky - sergeant of the 7th company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/14/1925 in Brikka.
-Bogdanchuk - sergeant of the 27th company of the 1st regiment. Died 08/17/1925 in Dzhebel Asdem .. Bondarev - legionary CM1 of the 1st regiment. He died on 07/14/1926 in Tizi N "Widei.
-Boritsky - legionnaire of the 9th company of the 2nd regiment. He died on 05/06/1922 in Tadu Skorra.
-Bubanov - legionnaire of the 1st battalion of the 4th regiment. He died on 10/19/1923 in Bu-Ishsamer.
-Bukovsky - corporal of the SMZ of the 2nd regiment. He died on 12/11/1926 in Jebel Ayad.
Bulyubash Vladimir - lieutenant of the 1st cavalry regiment - "an officer of exceptional courage." Died 11/28/1944
-Count Vorontsov-Dashkov Alexander is the grandson of the last Caucasian governor. Killed in Vietnam (?).
-Voroponov - legionnaire of the 9th company of the 2nd regiment. Died 06/24/1923 in El Mer.
Guyer is a legionnaire. He died on May 20, 1940 at Perron.
-Garbulenko - legionnaire of the 2nd company of the 3rd regiment. Died 10/27/1923 in El Mer.
- Geckner - sergeant. He died on 05/11/1943 in Tunisia. Gendrikson Vladimir - died on 07/06/1941 in Damascus in Syria.
-Glebov - legionary CM7 of the 1st regiment. He died on 09/10/1925 in Jebel Yei Negir.
-Gnutov - legionnaire of the 1st company of the 1st regiment. He died on May 25, 1925 in Biban.
-Goncharov - SM sergeant of the 4th regiment. Died 08/10/1933 in Ukzer
-Gorbachev - legionnaire of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
- Mikhail Gorodnichenko - sergeant of the 5th regiment. Died of wounds on 09/15/1945 in Indochina.
-Graev - legionnaire of the 28th company of the 1st regiment. Died 09/30/1925 in Kerkur.
-Gusarov Alexander - died in Tunisia.
- Grunenkov Mikhail Fedorovich — participant of the Civil War in the 1st Kornilov Regiment, 1st Kuban campaign. He was badly wounded. Centurion. Evacuated to Bizerte. In March 1922 he was in the command of the Kornilov regiment. Served in the French Foreign Legion. Killed.
-Damagalsky - legionnaire of the 7th company of the 2nd regiment. Died 07/24/1925 in Tamzimet.
-Danilov - legionnaire of the 3rd company of the 2nd regiment. He died on May 25, 1925 in Biban.
-Doroshenko - sergeant of the 3rd company of the 1st regiment. He died on 07/18/1925 in Sof-El-Kazbar.
- Evreinov - legionnaire of the 7th company of the 2nd regiment. Died 01/10/1924 in Meckx.
-Edelov - legionnaire of the 7th company of the 2nd regiment. He died on April 24, 1925 in Tamzimet.
-Enin is a legionnaire of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Enoshin - legionnaire of the 1st cavalry regiment.
-Efremov - lieutenant. Zaloka Nikolay - was born on December 25, 1916. He died on January 13, 1943 in Pont du Fage, Tunisia.
-Zanfirov - legionnaire of the 19th company of the 4th regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Zameshaev Ivan - buried at the military cemetery in Carthage in Tunisia.
Z-emtsov Ivan - Lieutenant of the Russian Imperial Army. Sergeant-Chief of the French Foreign Legion. He died on 06/1/1942 in Bir Gaheim (Libya). He was awarded the Military Cross.
-Ivankovich - legionnaire of the 22nd company of the 1st regiment. Died 08/13/1923 in Tafgirt Airt.
-Ivanov - sergeant of the 22nd company of the 1st regiment. He died on May 22, 1925 in AedAmeam.
-Ivanov - sergeant of the 24th company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/10/1925 in Mediun.
-Ivanov - legionnaire of the 8th company of the 1st regiment. Died 07/18/1925 in Terual.
-Ivanov - legionnaire of the 3rd battalion of the 4th regiment. He died on 07/12/1922 in Bou Drois de l "Hulges.
-Ivanov - legionnaire of the 1st cavalry regiment.
-Ivanov (pseudonym) - a former cadet of the Russian Corps in Versailles. Legionnaire of the Foreign Legion. Died 03/15/1945 in Ga Giang in Indochina.
- Ignatiev - legionnaire of the 3rd company of the 1st regiment. He died on 07/14/1926 in Tizi N "Widei.
-Izvarin - legionnaire of the 1st cavalry regiment. Kazarinov - sergeant of the 4th company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/24/1923 in El Mers.
-Kalashnikov is a legionnaire of the 7th battalion of the 1st regiment. He died on 08/17/1926 in Jebel Galaza.
- Kalinishchev - trumpeter of the 9th company of the 3rd regiment. Died 05/06/1922 in Tadu Skorra.
-Karneri (pseudonym) - a native of Moldova, graduated from a Russian gymnasium. Trumpeter of the French Foreign Legion. 03/10/1945 was wounded and finished off with a bayonet during the Japanese attack on the garrison in Tang in Indochina.
-Karnovsky (Karpovsky) Alexander - lieutenant. Died 08/25/1944 in Tunis.
-Karpov - legionnaire of the 5th company of the 2nd regiment. Died 08/11/1923 in Jebel Idlan.
-Kowalsky - corporal of the 19th company of the 4th regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
- Kodovsky Ivan - sergeant-chief. He died on 06/11/1942 in Bir-Gakom.
-Kozlov - a participant in the First World War and the Civil War. Colonel. Sergeant of the Foreign Legion. He died in 1923 (1926) in Morocco.
-Kolesnikov - legionnaire of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment. Died 17.09. 1925 at Massifray in Syria.
-Kolotilin - legionnaire of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Komarov Vladimir - former cadet of the Naval Corps. He emigrated to France, where in 1926 he graduated military school in Saint-Cyr. Captain, commander of the 6th company of the 2nd battalion of the 5th regiment of the Foreign Legion. He died on 04/01/1945 in Tuar Giao in Indochina.
-Konenko is a legionnaire. He died in 1926 in Morocco.
-Slanting - corporal-chief S. From. 1st regiment. Died 08/10/1933 in Kerduas.
- Kostrevsky Ivan - a former sailor. He died on 06/17/1941 in Damascus in Syria.
-Kostryukov - legionnaire of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
- Kostevich Vladimir - legionnaire. He died on December 11, 1944 in Vieux Tgann.
-Kosyanenko - legionnaire SM5 of the 4th regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
- Kravchenkov Iosif Silych - died of wounds in 1943.
- Kreshenkov Joseph - was buried in a military cemetery in Carthage in Tunisia.
-Kudryavtsev is a legionnaire of the 21st company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/10/1925 in Mediun.
-Kuznetsov is a legionnaire of the 21st company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/10/1925 in Mediun.
- Kuznetsov Gennady Dmitrievich - adjudan (ensign). E Morocco died.
-Kuydenko - corporal of the 3rd battalion of the 4th regiment. Died 09/20/1922 in Bin El-Uidanq.
-Daniil Kulish is a legionnaire. He died on December 9, 1944 in Tgann.
-Ladzin is a legionary of the Mining Company. Shot for trying to escape from the Foreign Legion.
-Lakovlev (Yakovlev?) - legionnaire of the 6th company of the 3rd regiment. He died on 06/19/1929 in Ait-Yakub.
-Larin is a legionnaire of the 21st company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/10/1925 in Mediun.
-Larin is a legionary of the 6th company of the 2nd regiment. Died 07/24/1925 in Mediun.
-Larin is a legionary of the 6th company of the 2nd regiment. Died 07/24/1925 in Tamzimet.
- Levov - foreman of the 1st cavalry regiment. Lishaksky Alexander - lieutenant. Died of wounds in 1943.
-Lyubovitsky - foreman of the 3rd squadron of the 1st foreign cavalry regiment. He died on 07/03/1925 near Gersif.
- Lyashko - corporal of the 10th company of the 2nd regiment. He died on 07/23/1923 in Plateau d'Immuzert.
-Malev - legionnaire of the 23rd company of the 1st regiment. Died 16.10. 1923 in Akurirt.
-Malevsky - legionnaire of the 1st company of the 1st regiment. Died 07/14/1926 in Tizi N Widei.
-Maleyko - legionnaire of the 1st company of the 2nd regiment. Died 09/10/1925 in Jebel Ayad.
-Margulies Albert - killed 06/05/1940 on the Somme.
-Markov - legionnaire of the 21st company of the 1st regiment. Died 07/07/1925 in Sof-El-Kazbar.
-Markovich - SMM corporal of the 1st regiment. He died on February 28, 1933 in Jebel Sadgo.
-Masaev Vladimir - died on 06/08/1942 in Bir-Gasheim.
-Mausin is a legionnaire of the 4th company of the 3rd regiment. He died on 10/10/1923 in Tizi N "Zhuar.
-Mitriev - legionnaire of the 8th company of the 4th regiment. Died 04/25/1926 in Suida.
-Melnichuk Sergey - died on 12/10/1944 in Tgann.
Mishalsky is a legionnaire of the 19th company of the 4th regiment. Died 7/10/1925 in Jebel Druz.
- Mukhin - sergeant S.M. 1st regiment. He died on 10/14/1929. in Zguilma Dzhigani.
-Nankov - buried in the military cemetery in Carthage in Tunisia.
-Nikolaev - sergeant SM6 of the 1st regiment. He died on 10/16/1923 in Akurirt.
-Nikolov - legionnaire of the 12th company of the 3rd regiment. He died on October 27, 1922 in Ishieraf.
-Novarzin - legionnaire of the 24th company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/04/1925 in Astar.
- Novikov - legionnaire of the 1st Cavalry Regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Ogarovich - buried in the military cemetery in Carthage in Tunisia.
- Ogorodnoye - sergeant of the 23rd company of the 1st regiment. He died on May 22, 1925 in Aed Amzam.
- Orlov - legionnaire of the 23rd company of the 1st regiment. Died 07/25/1925 in Jebel Asdem.
-Pavlovsky - legionnaire of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Pavlovsky Ivan - buried in a military cemetery in Carthage in Tunisia.
-Petrov - legionnaire of the 6th company of the 2nd regiment. Died 11/17/1923 in Jebel Idlan.
-Pleshakov - legionnaire of the 27th company of the 1st regiment. Died 07/24/1925 in Jebel Asdem.
-Pokrovsky - sergeant of the 9th company of the 3rd regiment. Died 05/20/1927 in Oued Dessaya.
-Povolotsky - mareshal of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Popov - legionnaire of the 9th company of the 3rd regiment. Died 09/05/1922 in L "Aderzh.
-Popov - mareshal of the 4th squadron of the 4th cavalry regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Popov - legionnaire of the 1st cavalry regiment. Popov was born on August 25, 1905. in Moscow. Died of wounds on January 12, 1943.
- Punchin Georgiy - was born on February 11, 1905 in Kerch. Died of wounds on December 23, 1944.
-Raskin - legionnaire of the 23rd company of the 1st regiment. Died 23.07. 1923 in Ain Tagzut.
-Regema is a lieutenant. Killed in 1925
-Reshetnikov - Legionnaire SM. 3rd regiment. Died 07/14/1926 in Jebel Taster.
-Romanov - Legionnaire SM. 2nd regiment. Died 06/09/1923 in Izuko.
-Sapronov - corporal of the 2nd company of the 2nd regiment. Died 10/10/1923 in Ponzegu.
-Safonov Nikolai (?) - died in Tunisia in 1943.
- Sidelnikov - sergeant SM. 3rd regiment. Died 07/14/1926 in Jebel Taster.
-Siz is a native of the Terek region. During the Civil War, he was a lieutenant of the 10th Ingrian Regiment. He went missing on March 26, 1945 in Son La in Indochina.
- Siyanin - legionnaire of the 22nd company of the 1st regiment. He died on May 4, 1925 in Taunat.
-Soloviev - corporal of the 8th company of the 4th regiment. Died 09/13/1925 in Sker.
- Magpie - Corporal SM. 1st regiment. He died on 10/14/1929 in Zguilma Dzhigani
- Staroselsky (Starozelsky?) - legionnaire of the 5th company of the 3rd regiment. Died 01/17/1923 in Naegllin.
- Sukov - corporal of the 21st company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/04/1925 in Astar.
-Tabunshchikov - legionnaire of the 26th company of the 1st regiment. He died on 09/10/1925 in Jebel Yei Negir.
- Tanas Igor - was born on 03/24/1921 in Constantinople. In March 1941, he signed up for the Foreign Legion. Fought in Senegal. He died on 04/25/1943. He was awarded the Military Cross.
-Taranuka - legionnaire of the 25th company of the 1st regiment. He died on 09/10/1925 in Jebel Yei Negir.
-Tishevsky - legionary of the 23rd company of the 1st regiment. He died on May 22, 1925 in Aed Amzam.
-Tkachenko - Kuban Cossack. He died in June 1925 in a battle near the Turkish village of Mussey-Frey, taking command of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment of the Foreign Legion.
-Trofimov Vyacheslav - buried in a military cemetery in Carthage in Tunisia.
- Tumanov - legionnaire of the 5th company of the 3rd regiment. He died on May 9, 1923 in Beni Buzert.
- Turutin - legionnaire of the 4th company of the 2nd regiment. He died on 07/01/1923 in El Mers.
-Prince Urusov Sergey - was born on 01/13/1916 in Moscow. St. George boarding school student. Killed in Africa in the ranks of the Foreign Legion.
- Utkin - corporal of the 25th company of the 1st regiment. Died 07/25/1925 in Jebel Asdem.
-Utcharenko - corporal of the 5th company of the 3rd regiment. He died on May 9, 1923 in Beni Buzert.
- Fedorov is a legionnaire. He died in 1926 in Morocco.
- Fedortsev Nikolai - died on 01/28/1944 in a hospital in Tunisia.
-Fomin - legionnaire of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Kharitonov - legionnaire of the 24th company of the 1st regiment. Died 06/04/1925 in Astar.
-Hotcharenko - legionnaire of the 7th company of the 2nd regiment. Died 07/25/1925 in Tamzimet.
-Chernenko - legionnaire of the 4th squadron of the 1st cavalry regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Shamalov - legionnaire of the 10th company of the 3rd regiment. Died 01/17/1923 in Naegllin.
-Sharev is a legionnaire of the 19th company of the 4th regiment. Died 09/17/1925 in Massifre in Syria.
-Shillo - legionnaire of the 5th company of the 3rd regiment. He died on October 27, 1924 in P. Anuai.
-Shumeyko Dmitry - buried at the military cemetery in Maps in Tunisia.
-Yakov - Corporal S.M. 1st regiment. He died on 10/14/1929 in Zguilma Dzhigani.
-Yakushov - legionnaire of the 26th company of the 1st regiment. He died on 09/10/1925 in Jebel Yei Negir.
- Yasinsky Victor - died on 01/25/1945 in Syria.

The famous French military museum in the Palais des Invalides in Paris has a special Russian section, "where the memory of the valiant sons of Russia is kept, who managed to achieve glory for their homeland abroad."


And about one more interesting historical event, with which the Russian military in the Foreign Legion were associated. It refers to civil war in Spain 1936-1938

"On August 1, 1936, the Harbin newspaper" Our Way "published an interview with the Spanish professor E. Afenicio under the heading "The Spanish uprising was raised by Russian emigrants, ranks of the Foreign Legion in Morocco." As you know, the north of Morocco was under a special occupation regime due to the restless nature of the local tribes The Foreign Legion controlled the situation in these places, "where the Russians make up the largest percentage, both soldiers and officers.

... The first events began in Melilla and Ceuta, garrisons ... where units consisting exclusively of Russian emigrants were stationed ... Therefore, I am convinced that the uprising in Morocco, which has now spread to the continent, is the work of your compatriots, who were the first to put their the real strength of the regiments ... of the Foreign Legion, "wrote the Spanish professor.

Russian emigrants, as opposed to the international brigades, fought on the side of Franco in Spain. One cannot deny the possible connection between the actions of emigrants from the Russian All-Military Union and the Russians from the French Foreign Legion. The version about the coordinated actions of two streams of Russian emigration, who decided to help the Spanish rebels who opposed the communist regime, is quite likely.

As you know, France entered the war with Germany on September 3, 1939. Military operations then affected the territory of North Africa. The Foreign Legion participated in the battles against the Nazis in Morocco. By the way, the fighting here continued for another two months after the surrender of France on June 22, 1940.

Some commanders of the Legion, including Zinovy ​​Peshkov, refused to recognize the shameful truce for France. After the defeat of 1940, he escaped by night on a steamboat and was one of the first to arrive in London. He responded to the call of Charles de Gaulle and became one of his closest associates, and in this capacity returned to North Africa.

The Foreign Legion again took part in the hostilities against the German army, this time as component formations of General de Gaulle. Many Russian legionnaires were awarded military decorations for their merits in the battles against the Nazis. The "Cross of Liberation" was awarded to Lieutenant Colonel D. Amilakhvari, who died in 1942 in Egypt; N. Rumyantsev, commander of the 1st Moroccan cavalry regiment; Captain A. Ter-Sarkisov.

V. Kolupaev's study reports the names of a number of Russian officers and soldiers who died in battle: Vashchenko, Gomberg, Zolotarev, Popov, Regema, Rothstein, Prince Urusov; Zemtsov, who was awarded two Military Crosses, the second cross - posthumously.

THIRTY-THIRD SS GREAT DIVISION "CHARLEMAGN"

The predecessor of this division was the "Volunteer French Legion", created in 1941 under the control of the German army. Initially, it was called the 638th Army Infantry Regiment and first entered combat on the Eastern Front during the winter 1941/42 offensive against Moscow as part of the 7th Infantry Division. The French unit suffered heavy losses and was withdrawn from the front from the spring of 1942 to the autumn of 1943, after which it was used mainly for anti-partisan operations. At this stage, it was divided to conduct operations in the rear against partisans and was used in the form of units, in terms of their quantitative composition equal to a battalion.

In January 1944, another reorganization of the battalion took place, but it was still used to fight partisans.

In June 1944, the battalion returned to the central sector of the Eastern Front to take part in offensive operations against the Red Army. His actions were so impressive that Soviet command considered that he was dealing not with one, but with two French battalions, although in fact the number of legionnaires corresponded to about half the battalion.

In September 1944, French volunteers joined the Waffen-SS. In France, recruitment into the SS began in earnest only in 1943, in Paris. In August 1944, the first 300 volunteers were sent to Alsace for training as part of the French SS Volunteer Assault Brigade. In September 1943, about 30 French officers were sent to military school SS to the Bavarian city of Bad Tölze, and about a hundred non-commissioned officers to various junior schools officers to raise their training to the standard requirements of the Waffen-SS. At this time, a group of French volunteers was on the Eastern Front as part of the 18th SS Volunteer Panzer-Grenadier Division Horst Wessel. After fierce battles with units of the Red Army, they were recalled to the rear for rest and reorganization. At this time, a decision was made - given the combat track record of the French, to combine them with the remnants of the legion and French militia units to create a new Waffen-SS division.

This most unusual of all divisions also included a number of soldiers from the French colonies, including from French Indochina and even one Japanese. Eyewitnesses claim that several French Jews managed to escape Nazi persecution by hiding in the ranks of the Charlemagne division.

The division was formed in the winter of 1944/45 and sent to the front in Pomerania at the very beginning of 1945. Constant fierce battles against the numerically superior units of the Red Army badly battered the French division and split it into three parts. One of the groups, numbering a battalion, retreated to the Baltic states and evacuated to Denmark, after which it ended up in Neustrelitz, not far from Berlin.

The second group was completely exterminated by the furious volleys of Soviet artillery. The third managed to retreat to the west, where it was destroyed - its soldiers either died or were taken prisoner by the Russians. Those who remained in Neustrelitz were rounded up by the divisional commander, SS Brigadeführer Gustav Krukenberg, who released from the oath those who no longer wished to serve in the SS. Nevertheless, about 500 men voluntarily followed their commander to defend Berlin. Approximately 700 people remained in Neustrelitz. The 500 volunteers who participated in the defense of Berlin fought with exceptional integrity, despite the fact that they knew that the battle was lost. Their courage was awarded with three Knight's Crosses. One of them was awarded to SS Obersturmführer Wilhelm Weber, a German division officer, and two to French soldiers Unterscharführer Eugène Vallot and Oberscharführer Francois Apollo. All three awards were distinctions for personal bravery shown in the destruction of several Soviet tanks alone. Three days later, Vallo and Apollo were killed. Weber was lucky to survive the war.

Those members of the Charlemagne division who chose not to go to the front made their way to the west, where they voluntarily surrendered. They certainly expected western allies will treat them better than the Russians. Those of them who surrendered to their compatriots from the Free French army had to be very disappointed in their illusion. It is known that when they encountered the Free French soldiers, when asked by the latter why they wished to wear German uniforms, the French SS soldiers inquired about the uniforms of the American troops worn by the de Gaulles. Enraged by such a question, the commander of the de Gaulle troops on the spot, without any trial or investigation, shot his fellow SS men. As for the Free French, it is itself guilty of the most terrible war crimes. It makes no sense to say that the murderers of the French SS went unpunished. Ironically, the French SS men who took part in the brutal destruction of Oradour in 1944 were treated much more leniently. They were considered people subjected to forced mobilization and thus "victims". The French court acquitted them. The reason for this surprising verdict seems to be purely political. The French SS men who appeared before the court were from Alsace, which over the years of its history has repeatedly passed either to France or to Germany. There was an opinion that a guilty verdict against the perpetrators of the tragedy that broke out in Oradour could cause unrest in Alsace.

The French from the SS units before being shot by the French from the Free French. From left to right: Obersturmführer Sergei Krotov (Serge Krotoff, 10/11/1911-05/08/1945, Russian by birth, born in a French colony on the island of Madagascar), Untershurmführer Paul Briffaut (Paul Briffaut, 08/08/1918-05/08/1945, in the foreground, in the form of a Wehrmacht lieutenant) and Obersturmführer Robert Doffat (looks at the photographer).

12 Frenchmen who served in the SS troops were executed by Free French soldiers. 11 of them were from the 33rd SS Infantry Division "Charlemagne" (1st French) (33.Waffen-Gren.Div. der SS "Charlemagne" / Franzusische Nr 1) and one (Paul Briffaut) - from the 58th (until August 1944 - the reinforced 638th Grenadier Regiment) of the SS Grenadier Regiment (as part of the SS Charlemagne division).

They were recovering in a German hospital when the Americans occupied it in early May 1945. The hospital patients were placed with other prisoners in a temporary camp in the barracks of the Alpine Riflemen in the city of Bad Reichenhall. There was a rumor that the Americans were handing over the city to the French units of General Leclerc, and these 12 people tried to escape, but were detained by patrols and handed over to the French. They ended up in the hands of soldiers of the 2nd Armored Division of the Free French.

The prisoners behaved with dignity and even defiantly. When the division commander, General Leclerc, called them traitors and said: "How could you Frenchmen wear someone else's uniform?" one of them answered: “You yourself wear someone else’s uniform - American!” (the division was equipped by the Americans). They say this angered Leclerc, and he ordered the prisoners to be shot.

On May 8, 1945, these 12 prisoners were executed. The bodies were thrown on the spot and only three days later they were buried by the Americans.

Paul Briffaut and Robert Doffat in November, Sergei Krotov in December 1947, and Raymond Payras (another of the executed) in 1950 were convicted in absentia and sentenced to death by the Seine Department Court for treason.

The photo was added by the user, but the description was replaced by the project editor.

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Thanks to user Pazifist for valuable additions to the description of the photo.

Photo Information

  • Shooting time: 05/08/1945