If the idea of spending 12 weeks in boot camp is what keeps people from joining the marine corps, they should be thankful that its only that long. Presented as fact, the book is generally categorised by merchandisers. In 1941, many of the volunteers from denmark, flanders, holland and norway formed their own foreign legions under the auspices of the waffen ss. How else can one explain the fact that the french foreign legion is heavily overrecruited. Publishers weekly these compelling stories of the foreign legion, sometimes brutal, are imprinted on the page. Waffen ss and the french foreign legion englishmanlegionnaire simon murray in his book legionnaire mentioned at least one legion sergeant who was an ss man during the war. Operation barbarossa, june 1941 the concept of foreign volunteer ss legions quislings fascist movement in occupied norway creation, training, organization and leadership of the freiwilligen legion norwegen within the waffenss, july 1941february 1942 transfer to leningrad front in northern russia, februarymarch 1942 defensive actions in urizk gorgosi. Feb 11, 2009 many found their way to france, often on foot, to enlist in the french foreign legion. Instead, the tiger legion would be consigned to the atlantic wall on the french coast.
I do think that the author probably did participate in that war. Exwaffen ss troops who fought after ww2 axis history forum. The initial core of the force was populated by latvian police battalions, which were formed starting in 1941 earlier for security duties. Devils guard series edit 1971 devils guard 3 4 1988 devils guard ii. Created as a temporary expedient in a french army that otherwise barred foreigners from serving in. In an age when most of the worlds armies strive to make military service a less bestial and more enlightened experience than it used to be, the legion still drives its trainees to. Certainly after wwii many former ss men joined, and some of them that ended up in mercenary units in africa were murdered by british mercenaries, as were many legionaires over the years, and the french always try to keep their legionaires away from foreign armies in the field, for example, in bosnia, the legion was kept away from the british.
His memoir in the foreign legion 1910, published under the pseudonym erwin rosen, portrays the traditional legion in its toughest era, and was one source for the classic novel beau geste 1924 by p c wren. Did some research into former ss and german army soldiers in the french foreign legion and although im sure there were some,nothing in numbers as the book described. Devils guard, by george robert elford published in 1971, is the story of a former german waffenss officers string of nearconstant combat that begins on world war iis eastern front and continues into the book s focusthe first indochina war, as an officer in the french foreign legion. The french foreign legion is one of frances elite fighting forces, filled with men who are ready and willing to do extreme violence on frances behalf. Americans in the french foreign legion the french foreign. I know it to be true that many germans and former waffen ss and wehrmacht soldiers fought in the foreign legion in indochina and that some units were made up by germans only. That one i remember took part in the the defense of monte cassino. To train the arabic armies and south american armies the art of torture, how to set ieds, booby traps, guerilla warfare. The dark romance and grim reality of life in the french. Far to many historical errors and nonsense to be taken seriously.
To my knowledge, there are no known cases of germans wanted for war crimes serving in the foreign legion. It disbanded at wars end and many of its members were shipped back to india where they faced prosecution by british authorities. Certainly some did, but the french made at least attempts to weed out veterans of the ss, such as by refusing entry to men bearing the bloodtype tattoo indicative of membership. Most of the waffen ss who joined the french foreign legion were a step ahead of the allied hangman. At the end of the first contract, the legionnaire will have the option to choose between contracts varying in duration from 6 months to 5 years to pursue his career. A legion marching song the release of the book the devils guard caused a major scandal when it was first released in 1971 and tells the story of ss soldier hans josef wagemueller who spent decades in continual combat, in unconditional warfare as he called it. Waffen ss and the french foreign legion stormfront. Colonel edgard puaud 18891945, first and second class iron cross, 4445, former foreign legion officer, who is appointed as brigade general. Not even their former adversaries could deny that the waffen ss was the most efficient, fanatical, well trained and well lead fighting force ever created.
Read a few things about the nazi division of the french foreign legion and all claims have been either dismissed or claimed as exaggeration by war historians. I seem to remember a book called the devils brigade about an ex waffen ss man who joined the foreign legion after ww2 and served in indochina. Discover the true story behind the george washington legion, the purported american ss unit, and the incredible story of one american officers defection to the germans during world war ii. How many former ss soldiers fought in the french legion. The book offers a comprehensive examination of every foreign waffenss formation, including wellknown divisions such as wiking, nord, and prinz eugen. German soldiers recruited into french foreign legion, to. The foreign legions recruiting centers should be open 247365 yes, all year long officially. It refers to the legion itself, which is a branch of the french army commanded by french officers.
Did ex members of the waffen ss escape germany and join. Norwegian waffenss legion, 194143 osprey publishing. They took no prisoners, were dreadfully feared by the enemy and generally kicked communist butt during their time in vietnam. This is what basic training in the french foreign legion is like. For rosen, however, the legion ceased to be interesting and fun once he ran out of money for extras such as wine and good food. It could always be worse like in the french foreign legions four month basic training. Its origins can be traced back to the selection of a group of 120 ss men in 1933 by sepp dietrich to form the sonderkommando berlin, which became the leibstandarte ss adolf hitler.
The waffenss armed ss was created as the militarized wing of the schutzstaffel ss. Contrary to the accepted myth that the foreign legion was made up largely of former ss troopers, many of the foreign legionnaires came from the east european countries overrun by the soviet armies in 1945. Concerning the devils guard book and its myth about thousand of former german ss in the french foreign legion there has been a discussion on this forum. When you join the french foreign legion you have the chance to change your name and create another name that the legionnaire will go by for his initial 5 year contract. Frenchmen who served in the ss or wehrmacht were either killed outright or could join the foreign legion. American guerrilla fighting behind the enemy lines a stirring personal story of an american in the french foreign legion wwii the french foreign legion. The french foreign legion accepts recruits from all over the world.
In part one of a new series we examine the culture and psychology that shaped the drinkable life of a foreign legionnaire. It is decidedly true that a large number of germans did so after the war. Nov 25, 2018 in two battles, stewarts foreign legion, with the assistance from the light armour, managed to hold off an assault by crack troops from ssregiment deutschland. Still an interesting subject and worth the price to buy. Recruits included soldiers from the recently disbanded swiss and german foreign regiments of the bourbon monarchy. Others were welcomed to the middle east and south america. Did ex members of the waffen ss escape germany and join the. After the second world war france lacked the will to keep fighting another war and was short on men.
The latvian legion was created in january 1943 on the orders of adolf hitler following a request by heinrich himmler, the head of the ss. In an age when most of the worlds armies strive to make military service a less bestial and more enlightened experience than it used to be, the legion. Devils guard, by george robert elford published in 1971, is the story of a former german waffenss officers string of nearconstant combat that begins on world war iis eastern front and continues into the books focusthe first indochina war, as an officer in the french foreign legion. Yes and no there definetely were former members of the ss in the foreign legion, but a lot of it is based on exaggeration.
A prequel novel of this adventure should have been written. It was adolf hitlers will that the waffen ss never be integrated into the army. The foreign legion is in the doghouse again, as it is from time to time in. Iirc, many of the germans who served with the foreign legion during this time were former waffen ss men who had fled germany after ww 2. Many found their way to france, often on foot, to enlist in the french foreign legion.
Jan 10, 2017 this is the naziapologia war novel that apparently inspired seal team 6 combat tactics. It is less true that a large number of waffenss veterans did so. Working with me was a liaison officer from the german labor service 3333 cable construction company. In the mid1970s i was an assistant signal battalion s3 operations officer in kaiserslautern, germany. This is the naziapologia war novel that apparently inspired seal team 6 combat tactics. American ss renegades the george washington legion. This is the naziapologia war novel that apparently. Waffenss foreign volunteers and conscripts project. Paperback book ss in french foreign legion after ww2. Following the dday invasion and the allied breakout from normandy, the indian contingent was transferred to the ss where it fought in the great retreat back into germany. Americans struggle to meet the french foreign legions high. In 1941, many of the volunteers from denmark, flanders, holland and norway formed their own foreign legions under the auspices of the waffenss. The hard truth about the foreign legion by max hastings. Apr 24, 2019 discover the true story behind the george washington legion, the purported american ss unit, and the incredible story of one american officers defection to the germans during world war ii.
Rather charmingly, ouidas foreign legion romance under two flags 1867 was. Nov 12, 2012 the word foreign in the name french foreign legion does not refer to faraway battlegrounds. History and images of the wellknown battle with the viet minh in then french indochina. The french foreign legion in world war ii was filled with. A complete history of the legendary fighting force. Wehrmacht, ss, or luftwaffe had always been the same to stalin, yet now he was. The french foreign legion and its most famous us legionnaires. The word foreign in the name french foreign legion does not refer to faraway battlegrounds. Waffenss foreign volunteers and conscripts wikipedia. Battle of dien bien phu french foreign legion information. Secret ww2 history minorities in the german army youtube. Experiences of germans with recruitment for foreign legion. A fun read and great work of fiction but take it as it is. Dien bien phu and the french defeat in vietnam by martin windrow, our f.
I am not sure how many feldgrau members have ever met a waffenss vet who later served in the french foreign legion, but i am one. There is also a heavily romanticized myth largely due to the book devils guard that dien bein phu was the last battle of the waffen ss, this is of course absolute bollocks. The bookfollows a nazi ss officer namedhans josef wagemueller who manages to fight his way out of czechoslovakiain the waning days of world war ii, only to flee germany and join the french. Followed the exploits of a legion battallion comprised entirely of germans. Hans treats the journey as not much more than an arduous side note to the greater tale of vietnam. Mar 24, 2010 i am not sure how many feldgrau members have ever met a waffen ss vet who later served in the french foreign legion, but i am one.
They are volunteers of any nationality, race or creed, always ready to serve france. It is less true that a large number of waffen ss veterans did so. The french foreign legion is one of the most famous fighting forces in the world and one with a strong taste for drink. The book follows a nazi ss officer named hans josef wagemueller who. The world contains more misfits, sadists, masochists, and people who enjoy fighting than we sometimes like to suppose. What we do know, at least according to nigel thomas the german army 193945 2.
These ss legionnaires wore their own national arm shields that were made in their respective countries. May 24, 2016 the french foreign legion is one of frances elite fighting forces, filled with men who are ready and willing to do extreme violence on frances behalf. In 1940, hitler gave permission for the first nongerman waffen ss formation and by the end of the war, twenty five of the thirty eight waffen ss divisions were formed from foreign volunteers or conscripts, or around 60% of waffen ss members were nongerman. It was supposed to be a true story but seemed to owe a lot to the sven hassell school of writing. Wren, but it has had other writers and it has been occasionally spoofed, notably by charles schulz. Apr 10, 2017 his memoir in the foreign legion 1910, published under the pseudonym erwin rosen, portrays the traditional legion in its toughest era, and was one source for the classic novel beau geste 1924 by p c wren. Not even their former adversaries could deny that the waffen ss was the most efficient, fanatical, well trained and. Sep 17, 2007 i read this book in paperback years ago. The free arabian legion, the black and muslim volunteer army. The french foreign legion is one of the most mythologized military units in the world.
French foreign legion, 1860s french foreign legion, french. Nov 12, 2017 for almost 200 years, the french foreign legion has prided itself on offering a haven for men yearning for adventure and a new start in life. Doesnt surprise me that all armys and countrys used these types of expertise to reclaim colonies after the war, just like the british used japanese soldiers to keep the peace after the. I would suggest you take any historic fact from this book with a pinch of salt as.
When 1930s germany started looking at its neighbors with greedy eyes, it knew that it had to do something about the legion. The waffen ss armed ss was created as the militarized wing of the schutzstaffel ss. Wellordered data, maps, photos, french and foreign legion units. As an integral part of the french army, the french foreign legion is a professional fighting unit using the same equipment and with the same missions as any other infantry, tank, or engineer unit of the french army. For almost 200 years, the french foreign legion has prided itself on offering a haven for men yearning for adventure and a new start in. The legion was aware of the background the germans but it also needed the experience and expertise of these warhardened veterans of countless battles. Nov 23, 2016 strangest history of wwii minorities in german army during wwii many noneuropean volunteers fought in the germany army, both in the wehrmacht and in th. Is it true that ss and wehrmacht veterans joined the french. It was supposed to be a true story but seemed to owe a lot to the sven hassell school.
Waffen ss veterans fighting vietnam axis history forum. But in the meantime it can be said that every legionnaire, be he in the jungles of tonkin, or on the boiling sand of the desert, should his time come, will be prepared to face death, either with a smile or a curse on. Oct 14, 2010 the world contains more misfits, sadists, masochists, and people who enjoy fighting than we sometimes like to suppose. We will find him, again, at the head of the french waffen ss brigade and, later waffen ss division. French foreign legion, french legion etrangere, an elite military force originally consisting of foreign volunteers in the pay of france but now comprising volunteer soldiers from any nation, including france, for service in france and abroad. The duration of an initial contract with the foreign legion is 5 years nonnegotiable. Its origins can be traced back to the selection of a group of 120 ss men in 1933 by sepp dietrich to form the sonderkommando berlin, which became the leibstandarte ss adolf hitler lssah. Strangest history of wwii minorities in german army during wwii many noneuropean volunteers fought in the germany army, both in the wehrmacht and in th. The times gilberts book is characterized by the original testimonies of the legionaries. Wagemuellers journey through russia to germany is the stuff of legends. In two battles, stewarts foreign legion, with the assistance from the light armour, managed to hold off an assault by crack troops from ssregiment deutschland.
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