Hello,
I originally posted this photo in the SS-Uniform forum and thought in bringing it here.
French SS Volunteer Press Photo: Dated August 31, 1944, with back inscription in German indicating “Frenchmen on the Eastern Front.”
Never before seen in a post-war published book, a press photo showing two French SS men dug in an underground trench. The guy manning the machine-gun looks like Henri Fenet. He would later fight defending Berlin earning him the Knight Cross. In the background you can see another trench with some soldiers, one of them is wearing what seems to be a black fur cap. Notice the clear image of the soldier wearing a German issued “French SS” shield attached on the left sleeve of his SS uniform. The helmets are void of any insignia they seem well worn or smother with mud and dirt.
On 30 June 1944, it was designated as the “8. Freiwilligen Sturmbrigade Frankreich.” In July 1944, the Sturmbrigade was ordered to form an emergency battle group. The 1st battalion under the command of SS-Haupsturmfuhrer Pierre Cance was selected for the Eastern Front. Henri Fenet was in charged of the 1st Company.
In early August the 1st battalion was sent to reinforce the battle group of the “18th SS Division HORST WESSEL.” This division was engaged at Mielec in the bend of the Vistula Front. In that battle the French lost 7 Officers and 130 men killed with 661 wounded. They were pulled out of the frontline and sent to regroup at Schwarnegast near Danzig.”
Somebody indicated that this photo has already been published? I would like to know the book that shows this image. I have search most of the Foreign volunteer legion books and have yet to see this press photo? Has anybody sen it?
Hi René
Thanks for sharing these photos.
The first one, as you said, was taken in August 1944 in Galicia where the 1,688 volunteers of the Strumbrigade Frankreich were sent and leaded by Hpstuf. Pierre Cance.
This photo has already been published. it belongs to a sery which has surfaced at the beginning of the 90s with other documents realted to the Sturmbrigade Frankreich. They were published in a French magazine named "39-45 magazine". They have a website whose the URL is given below.
Unfortunately, I don't remember the exact # of the magazine where the photos were. I believe this was in 1993-94. I know that they sell former issues.
I have never seen the second photo but a very similar one is very knwon : it shows Fenet, Artus and another guy, also with Darnand. Like the soldiers on your photos, they wear overseas caps.
Hope this helps
Regards
Denis
Hi François
Sorry about the mistake I meant Darnand!
I still think that those two press photos have never been shown since WW2.
Mr. Ade from the SS-Uniform forum indicated that he saw the image in a book written by Michulec and Volstad's. Does anybody know what is the title of the book?
Waffen SS (2) - From Glory to Defeat is the name of the book published by Concord Publications. The picture can be seen on page forty, the text states that it's the 33rd Waffen-Grenadier Division der SS 'Charlemagne'. It also notes that the division was more disliked by Hitler than the slavic units.
You might be interested to know that I got into a nice Internet shouting match with a guy on another forum who was using your page to "prove" that the Charlemagne Division was the "real story of the French in World War 2" and that the French were all basically a bunch of Nazis.
Despite my contempt for Chirac and de Villepin and my opposition to current French government policy vis-a-vis the US, I seem to be France's staunchest defender on most of the other forums where I post.
Originally posted by Denis Hi René
Thanks for sharing these photos.
The first one, as you said, was taken in August 1944 in Galicia where the 1,688 volunteers of the Strumbrigade Frankreich were sent and leaded by Hpstuf. Pierre Cance.
This photo has already been published. it belongs to a sery which has surfaced at the beginning of the 90s with other documents realted to the Sturmbrigade Frankreich. They were published in a French magazine named "39-45 magazine". They have a website whose the URL is given below.
Unfortunately, I don't remember the exact # of the magazine where the photos were. I believe this was in 1993-94. I know that they sell former issues.
I have never seen the second photo but a very similar one is very knwon : it shows Fenet, Artus and another guy, also with Darnand. Like the soldiers on your photos, they wear overseas caps.
Hope this helps
Regards
Denis
Hi Denis,
The issue 87 from summer 1993 show an article called
" GALICIE 1944 l'assaut des SS français"
Many thanks Georges
To René : online ordering former issues of the 39-45 magazine is ssemingly not possible . Send them an email to ask for this issue number since I know they have most of them in their shop. If you encounter any problem, I'll be glad to help
Regards
Denis
French SS Sturmbrigade photo....
Here is another one.....
Linear Mode
