French Soldiers of the Third Reich

Aired 2026-03-10

Between 1941 and 1945 around 30,000 French citizens voluntarily joined the German army and engaged in terrible war crimes in central and eastern Europe. This documentary explores a little-known chapter in the story of the second world war and France’s collaboration with Nazi Germany.

Aired 2026-03-10

Between 1941 and 1945 around 30,000 French citizens voluntarily joined the German army and fought shoulder to shoulder with the Nazis. Episode two: In November 1942, Germany takes control of the French zone libre as the allied armies make gains in North Africa. Pétain is now the head of a Nazi satellite state with no army or empire.