Blacks and The Armed Forces
Black soldiers served in many non-European countries for the Nationalist cause. German commanders in higher ranks did not implement or order any special treatment for black soldiers, but removed Algerian blacks and individual French citizens during the 1940 campaign in France.
On the other hand, a number of blacks served in the Wehrmacht. The number of German blacks was low, but there were some instances of their being enlisted within Nazi organizations like the Hitlerjugend and later the Wehrmacht. In addition, there was an influx of volunteers during the African campaign, which led to the existence of a number of blacks in the Wehrmacht and SS in such units as the Free Arabian Legion.
Read more about this topic: Black People In Nazi Germany
Famous quotes containing the words blacks, armed and/or forces:
“The shadow of a mighty Negro past flits through the tale of Ethiopia the shadowy and of the Egypt the Sphinx. Throughout history, the powers of single blacks flash here and there like falling stars, and die sometimes before the world has rightly gauged their brightness.”
—W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt)
“it pleaseth me when I see through the meadows
The tents and pavilions set up, and great joy have I
When I see o’er the campana knights armed and horses arrayed.
And it pleaseth me when the scouts set in flight the folk with
their goods;
And it pleaseth me when I see coming together after them an host of
armed men.”
—Bertrans De Born (fl. 12th century)
“There is the falsely mystical view of art that assumes a kind of supernatural inspiration, a possession by universal forces unrelated to questions of power and privilege or the artist’s relation to bread and blood. In this view, the channel of art can only become clogged and misdirected by the artist’s concern with merely temporary and local disturbances. The song is higher than the struggle.”
—Adrienne Rich (b. 1929)