The volunteer soldiers of June 7, 1940

Photo 1: Joseph Zytnicki enlists as a volunteer soldier in September 1939, on our photo foreground on the left at the Barcarès camp. He joined the 21st RMVE, trained at the camp of Barcarès in October 1939. The regiment made movement on 30 April 1940 towards Alsace and then the Ardennes where it was assigned to the 35th infantry division. It suffered a German attack on 9 and 10 June with significant losses. He retreated towards Sainte-Menehould and continued until reaching Allain on 19 June. Joseph Zytnicki fell in battle on 18 June 1940. His regiment was ordered to cease fire on 22 June.
Credits: Shoah Memorial/coll. Henri Zytnicki

On 1 September 1939, after the entry of German troops into Poland, the Council of Ministers decided on general mobilization. Public opinion oscillates between recrimination and determination to put an end to Germany’s coups. French Jews respond to mobilization instructions like the entire French population. Foreign Jews present themselves massively in the enlistment offices. More than 25,000 Jewish volunteers are incorporated either in the Foreign Volunteer Marching Regiments (RMVE), or in the infantry of the Foreign Legion, or in the Polish army reconstituted on French territory and in the Czechoslovak army.
Only a portion of the volunteers were actually incorporated throughout the winter of 1939 and the spring of 1940, depending on needs, resources in equipment often failing and host structure. Out of 83,000 applications, 43,000 foreigners will be incorporated, including 25,000 Jews. Faced with the German offensive of 10 May 1940, the fighting was fierce and the role of these units was preponderant. The bravery of these men is remarkable. Of thirteen palms obtained by units during the 1939-1940 campaign, five were acquired by foreign regiments. Thousands of soldiers were killed in battle, many were captured and interned in Germany.
(excerpts: Les Juifs de France dans la Shoah, Jacques Fredj, ed. Gallimard and the foreign Jewish volunteers in the French armies during the two world wars, under the direction of Olivier Lalieu, ed. Mémorial de la Shoah)

Photo 2: Joseph Zytnicki, his wife Brucha Zytnicki and son Henri. Brucha, resistant to the UJRE (Union of Jews for Resistance and Mutual Aid), managed to hide her son Henri in Murat in Auvergne with Alice Ferrière, a teacher.
Credits: Shoah Memorial/coll. Henri Zytnicki