Motivated by their hatred of Communism, scores of Frenchmen volunteered to fight for the Third Reich in World War II, first in the regular army and then as part of the notorious Waffen-SS, primarily in the 33rd SS Grenadier Division “Charlemagne.” These unique soldiers saw bitter combat on the Eastern Front, including the desperate battle for Berlin, where they stood among the last defenders of Hitler’s bunker as the Soviets closed in. After the war, they returned home to an awkward peace.
