SS Charlemagne: The 33rd Waffen-Grenadier Division of the SS

by Tony le Tissier

In May 1945, as the triumphant Red Army crushed the last pockets of German resistance in central Berlin, French soldiers fought back. They were the last surviving members of SS Charlemagne, the Waffen SS division made up of French volunteers. They were among the final defenders of the city and of Hitler’s bunker.

Their extraordinary story gives a compelling insight into the dreadful climax of the Battle for Berlin and into the conflicts of loyalty faced by the French in the Second World War. Yet, whatever their motivation, the performance of these soldiers as they confronted the Soviet onslaught was unwavering, and their fate after the German defeat was grim. Once captured, they were shot out of hand by their French compatriots or imprisoned.

SS Charlemagne is a gripping, fluently written study of one of the most revealing side stories of the war.

Genres: World War II

192 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2010

Reviews

[Brett C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an informative introduction to the French volunteers of the Waffen-SS war machine. After the invasion and occupation of France, the Légion des Volontaires Français and French Storm Brigade (early French volunteers in the SS) were formed in 1941 with Frenchmen willing to fight Bolshevism alongside the Germans. These volunteers eventually morphed into Wehrmacht units such as Infanterie-Regiment 638, the Französische SS-Freiwillingen Grenadier Regiment ('French SS-Volunteer Grenadier Regiment'), and the Brigade Frankreich. Having already seen combat action in the Eastern Front, in August 1944 Waffen-SS Charlemagne Brigade was designated and rostered with Heinrich Himmler's blessing reaching troop strength of 6,363 men. These men would fight under the French flag, had a French officer and NCO corps, were deployed to faraway fronts to avoid fighting other Frenchmen, were allowed to practice Catholicism, were able to continue the use of the French language, and other little details I thought were unique.

The unit Charlemagne was eventually activated to the Eastern Front and fought in Operation Solstice, the German's last major armored offensive in WW2. They were deployed alongside the SS-Generals Felix Steiner's 11th SS-Panzer Army and various SS-Panzergrenadier divisions. This engagement was defeated in a combined effort under Soviet Marshals Zhukov and Rossokovksy, 1st and 2nd Belarusian Fronts respectively. The book gave the detailed account of Charlemagne's fighting, bravery, and ultimate defeat with the German military.

The subsequent fate of the survivors of Charlemagne varied considerably. a few escaped to South America and eventually died under circumstances that appear to have been engineered by French Deuxième Bureau agents. A few escaped Soviet or Allied captivity, while others eventually to France only to be imprisoned or executed after trial. pg 165

The appendices in the back gave a summarized overview of the unit, tables of organization and equipment, and command structuring. Graphs and maps were included throughout the book as well.
Overall an informative and interesting read on one of the smaller Waffen-SS foreign volunteer units. I would recommend this quick read to anyone interested in World War 2 history. Thanks

[David Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book on a little known but intrepid band of French SS men who sacrificed themselves for the defense of Berlin in the last days of World War Two.Knowing that surrender meant death,they fought like tigers against the Soviet onslaught in the rubble that was Hitlers Reich and its epic center.Powerful stories of courage in the midst of horrific carnage.

[Tim Stevelinck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interessant boek over de Fransen in dienst bij de Waffen SS. Vooral het tweede deel, de slag in Berlijn is aangrijpend deel en geeft enig inzicht in de psyche van Hitler's laatste verdedigers.