During the Second World War, many volunteers from various countries, including the occupied ones, fought on the side of the Germans. This also applies to the French who fought against the Soviets, on the side of their former adversaries. The 33rd Waffen SS Division "Charlemagne" was created in 1944. Its nucleus was the "French Legion of Anti-Bolshevik Volunteers", which was formed in 1941.
The Legion was formed into a regiment and as the 638th Infantry Regiment (SP) joined the 7th German Infantry Division (MP) and fought in the winter of 1941-42 on the Moscow front. Later I took up security duties in the rear, carrying out operations against Soviet partisans, in Belarus. The regiment was mainly composed of French far-right, members of fascist organizations, but also several French prisoners of war, who preferred to serve the enemies of their country rather than the hardships of captivity.
In the same way, a second French formation, the Legion Tricolor, was formed, which was united, a few months after its formation, with the French Legion of Anti-Bolshevik Volunteers. The French force continued to fight the Partisans until the summer of 1944. When the Soviets broke through the German front in Belorussia, the French were sent to meet the Soviet barrage, joining the 4th Waffen SS Polizei Division. The French fought well and then it was decided to form a brigade, which would join the Waffen SS.
Thus the 8th Waffen SS French Assault Brigade was formed, 3,000 strong, commanded by SS Colonel Paul Marie Gamory Dubardo. In September 1944 the brigade was renamed the Grenadier Brigade Waffen SS Charlemagne and SS Brigadier General Gustav Krukenberg assumed command. The brigade had two SPs, the 57th and 58th, organized like their German counterparts. It is worth noting that, initially, the French wore German Army uniforms, with the tricolor coat of arms of France on the right sleeve. But then the men wore SS uniforms. The strength of the brigade reached 7,500 men.
In February 1945 the brigade was reorganized as the 33rd Waffen SS Grenadier Division. The Germans pledged to use it exclusively on the Eastern Front. The division fought against the Soviets and was almost disbanded in March 1945. Its remnants, consolidated into a company, fought to the end in Berlin.
French soldiers were trained and equipped exactly like the German and other European SS volunteers. However, each regiment had only two infantry battalions. Another assault battalion was added to the 58th SP. The division was reinforced with an artillery squadron, an anti-tank battalion, an engineer company and a transport company. French soldiers, driven by ideological springs, fought particularly well against the Soviets. The company that saw action in the final battle of the Third Reich, in Berlin, displayed incredible heroism, even though all its men knew they were fighting a lost cause.
By a strange quirk of fate, the French SS, officially attached to the 11th Waffen SS Nordland Volunteer Division, fought in the area of Berlin's Belle Alliance Platz, named after the farmhouse of the same name in Waterloo. The French were armed with 98k Mauser rifles, MP 38/40 submachine guns and MG 34 machine guns, initially. Later they were equipped with MG 42 machine guns and MP 44 assault rifles. In the later battles they used the famous panzerfaust in large numbers, even against enemy infantry.
Much can be said about the motives of these men who joined the power of the enemy of their country. Several had ideological - anti-communist motives. Others were just opportunists. As always happens in such cases things are confusing. However, the French SS certainly fought better than their fellow soldiers in 1940...