Narvik

[Andres]

Hi,

Can anybody tell me how many Spanish soldiers fought in Narvik in the 13 Demibrigade of the French Foreign Legion?

Thanks and regards from Spain.

[alsaco]

The french legion has an opportunity recruitment. They hire in the Legions volunteers, willing to join, present on the market, for a fixed time.

In 1940, the french legion did send to Narvick people having joined in 1938-1939. At this time the spanish civil war was finishing, and many republicans had crossed the frontier toward France.
These people had good references, and many of them were ready to continue the fight against fascism and nazism. Returning to Spain was impossible, they would have been jailed immediately. Finding work in France was not easy, as they mostly spoke only spanish, and the unemployment and control of foreign work forces was strong.
Instead of refugee's camp, many of them prefered to join the legion.

This is the reason of the strong spanish presence in legion units in 1940

These people then rejoined the french free forces, in Erythrea, Lybia, Tunisia and second DB, la nueve, and liberated Paris. Not alone, naturally.

The same phenomenon did bring many germans in Indochina in 1946, lots of Central Europeans after the hungarian revolt, many russians in 1992, Africans and Asians today.

Hope to have explained correctly and clearly this presence of spanish nationals in the allied forces in 1940-1945.

[Andres]

Thanks Alsaco,

But I refer to the number of Spanish soldiers.

It´s true that a large number of Republican soldiers escaped to France at the end of the Spanish Civil War and there many of them were sent to Special Camps.

Many of these soldiers joined ( or were forced) the French Army in 1940 fighting in the Foreign Legion or in the Regular Army where they fought bravely. And after the fall of France many of these soldiers joined Free France Forces (the first troops who went into Paris in 1944 where Republican Spanish soldiers of the 2nd French Armoured Division (G. Leclerc ?), or joined to the French Resistance in a huge number and fought as France where their own Fatherland. Also a great number of Republicans took prisoners by the German Army where sent to Concentration Camps (Mathaussen) where thousands were killed.

Regards from Spain.

[alsaco]

Citizens of Spain could not serve in the french army. They could only, as volunteers join the Legion, or after the beginning of the war be incorpotated as workers in auxiliary troups, foreign batallions.

If not volunteers they stayed in camps, or joined as workers groups of people employed in forests or mines, to produce wood and stones for military works

In Narwik, they were soldiers of the 13th Demi-brigade of the Foreign Legion. Repatriated in Great Britain in june, they decided to remain there and joined the Free French forces.

The spanish citizens sent to Mauthausen were not POW, but people having been arrested as opponents to nazism in occupied France, and some people from the camps in Vichy controlled non occupied France. I do not have any detail on how this was managed, and will have to collect informations. But the fact is attested by many frenchmen who have been sent to Mauthausen in 1943-44, particularly Pierre Daix.

[Andres]

Around 250 000 Republican Soldiers escaped to France where they were confined in camps: Argeles-sur-mer, St. Cyprien and Barcares in camps . Anarchist and some communist were confined at prisoners camps as Collioure and Le Vernet as they were considered as dangerous fellows.

Then the French government offered the Republicans to join the French Foreign Legion, the Regular Army or in Work Batallions (who worked fortifying Maginot line). Only the anarchist were offered to join the French Legion or being repatriated.

After the fall of France, many of these Republican joined the Free France Forces or joined the Resistance. And 12 000 Republican were taken prisoners by German Army and sent to Stalag XI-B in Fallingbostel and afterwards they were sent to Mauthausen where only 2000 come back.