Today In History

The liberation of Paris.

In April 1944, the division is reorganized and prepared for the assault on Europe. The Spanish Republicans returned to fight fascism and Nazism, but this time at home, and dreaming that soon do the same in Spain.

After strenuous fighting in Norman lands, and exposing Le Mans and Alençon, General Leclerc received the order to go to Paris to release, as Parisians had revolted against the Nazis and should go in its support.

Leclerc instructs the captain Dronne and its unity, "The Nine," which is addressed as quickly as possible over there, doing these soldiers coming into Paris on 24 August 1944. They were the first to enter and liberate the city of light . They did it in "tanks" with names of famous battles of the Civil War and the Second Spanish flags Republic.

On August 25 the German surrender, General Leclerc receiving the official surrender of General Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of Paris. In this German general owe at least the tourists, where all the monuments of Paris are not destroyed, because Von Choltitz disobeyed the order of Hitler.

Leclerc and Spanish Republicans, with De Gaulle, walk the Champs Elysees and attend the ceremony of Notre-Dame. Parisian ate kisses to the Spanish soldiers, Parisians admired them. After days of debauchery and rest in the Forest of Bologna, Leclerc wanted to continue until the end, so soon resumed its military missions.

Between September and November campaign develops a hard way to Germany.

On 23 November, Strasbourg is liberated by the forces of Leclerc and reach "the eagle's nest," the final refuge of Adolf Hitler in Berchtesgaden. The May 8, 1945, Germany's surrender was signed.

Just my five cents about this page of history, Paris, Leclerc, the 2nd DB ...

As Juanma says, and as it can be checked everywhere on the web and by memorial plaques on real spots in Paris, it's the men of "The Nine", "La Nueve", Spanish warriors, the first men of 2nd DB who entered Paris.

Nevertheless, this point is, well, "diplomatically" eclipsed in the René Clément movie "Paris brûle-t-il", maybe only one or two tanks pictures suggest it in the full movie... Why ? To make people believe that only French soldiers were involved ? Paris must remain full Blue-White-Red in the mind of René Clément ...?

Siguendo a little more with the theme,,,, its battle tanks they called the names of battles acted and the Spanish civil war such as Teuel, Guadalarjara or Madrid.


In the book called "The furrows of chance" (in Amazon can be found in French), how it formed and how were the first to enter Paris. In comic format.


PS The photo on the right is the format in French

Yep Juanma, thanks.

I knew about this point of Spanish battles names for the tanks, also Robert Capa, in his book "Slightly out of focus", talk about them, and the guy knew these soldiers very well, they were the same Republican guys he meet in Spain, during the Civilian War ....