Moroccan corps: the most brutal soldiers of World War II (7 photos). Moroccan expeditionary force: the main scumbags of World War II

When it comes to the horrors and atrocities of the Second World War, as a rule, the acts of the Nazis are meant. Torture of prisoners, concentration camps, genocide, extermination of the civilian population - the list of atrocities of the Nazis is inexhaustible.
However, one of the most terrible pages in the history of the Second World War is inscribed in it by units of the Allied troops who liberated Europe from the Nazis. The French, and in fact the Moroccan expeditionary force, received the title of the main scumbags of this war.

As part of the French Expeditionary Force, several regiments of Moroccan Gumiers fought. Berbers, representatives of the native tribes of Morocco, were recruited into these units. The French Army used the Gumiers in Libya during World War II, where they fought Italian troops in 1940. Moroccan gumiers also took part in the battles in Tunisia, which took place in 1942-1943.
In 1943, Allied troops landed in Sicily. The Moroccan Gumiers, by order of the allied command, were placed at the disposal of the 1st American Infantry Division. Some of them participated in the battles for the liberation of the island of Corsica from the Nazis. By November 1943, the Moroccan soldiers were redeployed to the Italian mainland, where in May 1944 they crossed the Avrunk mountains. Subsequently, regiments of Moroccan Gumiers participated in the liberation of France, and at the end of March 1945 they were the first to break into Germany from the side of the Siegfried Line.

Why Moroccans went to fight in Europe

The Gumiers rarely went into battle for reasons of patriotism - Morocco was under the protectorate of France, but they did not consider it their homeland. The main reason was the prospect of decent wages by the standards of the country, an increase in military prestige, and a manifestation of loyalty to the heads of their clans who sent soldiers to fight.

The poorest inhabitants of the Maghreb, the highlanders, were often recruited into the regiments of the Gumiers. Most of them were illiterate. The French officers were supposed to play the role of wise advisers with them, replacing the authority of the tribal leaders.

How the Moroccan Gumiers fought

At least 22,000 Moroccan subjects participated in the battles of World War II. The permanent strength of the Moroccan regiments reached 12,000, with 1,625 soldiers killed in action and 7,500 wounded.

According to some historians, Moroccan warriors have proven themselves in mountain battles, finding themselves in familiar surroundings. The birthplace of the Berber tribes is the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, so the Gumiers perfectly endured the transitions to the highlands.

Other researchers are categorical: the Moroccans were average warriors, but they managed to surpass even the Nazis in the brutal murders of prisoners. The Gumiers could not and did not want to give up the ancient practice of cutting off the ears and noses of the corpses of enemies. But the main horror of the settlements, which included Moroccan soldiers, was the mass rape of civilians.

Liberators became rapists

The first news about the rape of Italian women by Moroccan soldiers was recorded on December 11, 1943, on the day the Gumiers landed in Italy. It was about four soldiers. The French officers were unable to control the actions of the Gumiers. Historians note that "these were the first echoes of a behavior that would later be long associated with the Moroccans."

Already in March 1944, during de Gaulle's first visit to the Italian front, local residents turned to him with an ardent request to return the Gumiers to Morocco. De Gaulle promised to involve them only as carabinieri to protect public order.

On May 17, 1944, American soldiers in one of the villages heard the desperate cries of raped women. According to their testimonies, the Gumiers repeated what the Italians did in Africa. However, the allies were really shocked: the British report speaks of the rape of women, little girls, teenagers of both sexes, as well as prisoners in prisons, right on the streets.

Moroccan horror near Monte Cassino

One of the most terrible deeds of the Moroccan Gumiers in Europe is the story of the liberation of Monte Cassino from the Nazis. The Allies succeeded in capturing this ancient abbey in central Italy on May 14, 1944. After their final victory at Cassino, the command announced "fifty hours of freedom" - the south of Italy was given to the Moroccans for three days.

Historians testify that after the battle, the Moroccan Gumiers committed brutal pogroms in the surrounding villages. All girls and women were raped, and teenage boys were not saved. Reports from the German 71st Division record 600 rapes of women in the small town of Spigno in just three days.

Over 800 men were killed while trying to save their relatives, girlfriends or neighbors. The pastor of the town of Esperia tried in vain to save three women from the violence of the Moroccan soldiers - the gumiers tied the priest and raped him all night, after which he soon died. The Moroccans also plundered and carried away everything that had at least some value.

The Moroccans chose the most beautiful girls for gang rapes. Queues of gummers lined up for each of them, wanting to have some fun, while other soldiers kept the unfortunate. So, two young sisters 18 and 15 years old were raped by more than 200 Gumiers each. The younger sister died from injuries and ruptures, the older one went crazy and was kept in a psychiatric hospital for 53 years until her death.

War with women

In the historical literature about the Apennine Peninsula, the time from the end of 1943 to May 1945 is called guerra al femminile - "war with women." French military courts during this period initiated 160 criminal proceedings against 360 individuals. Death sentences and heavy punishments were handed down. In addition, many rapists who were taken by surprise were shot at the scene of the crime.

In Sicily, the Gumiera raped everyone they could capture. The partisans of some regions of Italy stopped fighting the Germans and began to save the surrounding villages and villages from the Moroccans. A huge number of forced abortions and infections with venereal diseases had terrible consequences for many small villages and villages in the regions of Lazio and Tuscany.

The Italian writer Alberto Moravia wrote in 1957 his most famous novel, Ciociara, based on what he saw in 1943, when he and his wife were hiding in Ciociaria (a locality in the Lazio region). On the basis of the novel, in 1960, the film "Chochara" (in the English box office - "Two Women") was filmed with Sophia Loren in the title role. On the way to liberated Rome, the heroine and her young daughter stop to rest in the church of a small town. There, they are attacked by several Moroccan Gumiers, who rape both of them.

Testimony of victims

On April 7, 1952, the testimonies of numerous victims were heard in the lower house of the Italian Parliament. So, the mother of 17-year-old Malinari Velha spoke about the events of May 27, 1944 in Valecors: “We were walking along Monte Lupino Street and saw Moroccans. The soldier was clearly attracted to the young Malinari. We begged not to touch us, but they did not listen. Two held me, the rest raped Malinari in turn. When the latter finished, one of the soldiers took out a gun and shot my daughter.”

Elisabetta Rossi, 55, from the Farneta area, recalled: “I tried to protect my daughters, aged 18 and 17, but I was stabbed in the stomach. Bleeding, I watched as they were raped. A five-year-old boy, not understanding what was happening, rushed to us. They fired several bullets into his stomach and threw him into a ravine. The next day the child died.

Morocco

The atrocities that the Moroccan Gumiers committed in Italy for several months received from Italian historians the name marocchinate, derived from the name of the native country of the rapists.

On October 15, 2011, Emiliano Ciotti, president of the National Association of Marocchinate Victims, gave an assessment of the extent of what happened: “From the numerous documents collected today, it is known that at least 20,000 recorded cases of violence have been committed. This number still does not reflect the truth - medical reports of those years report that two-thirds of the raped women, out of shame or modesty, chose not to report anything to the authorities. Based on a comprehensive assessment, we can say with certainty that at least 60,000 women were raped. On average, North African soldiers raped them in groups of two or three, but we also have testimonies of women raped by 100, 200 and even 300 soldiers,” Ciotti said.

Effects

After the end of the Second World War, the Moroccan gummers were urgently returned by the French authorities to Morocco. On August 1, 1947, the Italian authorities sent an official protest to the French government. The answer was formal replies. The problem was raised again by the Italian leadership in 1951 and in 1993. The question still remains open.

When it comes to the horrors and atrocities of the Second World War, as a rule, the acts of the Nazis are meant. Torture of prisoners, concentration camps, genocide, extermination of the civilian population - the list of atrocities of the Nazis is inexhaustible.

However, one of the most terrible pages in the history of the Second World War is inscribed in it by units of the Allied troops who liberated Europe from the Nazis.

The French, and in fact the Moroccan expeditionary force, received the title of the main scumbags of this war.

Units manned by France in its North African colonies. In addition to the well-known Algerian zouaves, these are also Moroccan gumiers. The history of these military units is connected with the French colonization of Morocco. Once, in the XI-XII centuries. The Almoravids and Almohads - Berber dynasties from Northwest Africa - owned not only the deserts and oases of the Maghreb, but also a significant part of the Iberian Peninsula. Although the Almoravids began their journey south of Morocco, on the territory of modern Senegal and Mauritania, it is the Moroccan land that can rightly be called the territory where the state of this dynasty reached its maximum prosperity.

After the Reconquista came a turning point and starting from the XV-XVI centuries. the territory of North Africa, including the Moroccan coast, became the object of the colonial interests of the European powers. Initially, Spain and Portugal showed interest in Moroccan ports - the two main European maritime powers competing with each other, especially those located in close proximity to the North African coast. They managed to conquer the ports of Ceuta, Melilla and Tangier, periodically making raids also deep into Morocco.

Then, as they strengthened their positions in world politics and transitioned to the status of colonial powers, the British and French became interested in the territory of Morocco. Since by the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. most of the lands of North-West Africa fell into the hands of the French, an agreement was concluded between England and France in 1904, according to which Morocco was assigned to the sphere of influence of the French state (in turn, the French renounced their claims to Egypt, which in these years densely "fell" under English influence).

However, the French colonization of Morocco came relatively late and was somewhat different than in the countries of Tropical Africa or even neighboring Algeria. Much of Morocco came under French influence between 1905-1910. In many ways, this was facilitated by the attempt of Germany, which gained strength during this period and sought to acquire as many strategically significant colonies as possible, to establish itself in Morocco, promising the Sultan all-round support.

Despite the fact that England, Spain and Italy agreed with the "special rights" of France to Moroccan territory, Germany to the last obstructed Paris. So, even Kaiser Wilhelm himself did not fail to visit Morocco. At that time, he hatched plans to expand Germany's influence precisely in the Muslim East, for the purpose of which he established and developed allied relations with Ottoman Turkey and tried to extend German influence to the territories inhabited by Arabs.

In an effort to consolidate its position in Morocco, Germany convened an international conference that lasted from January 15 to April 7, 1906, but only Austria-Hungary took the side of the Kaiser - the rest of the states supported the French position. The Kaiser was forced to retreat because he was not ready for an open confrontation with France and, even more so, with her many allies. Germany's repeated attempt to oust the French from Morocco dates back to 1910-1911. and also ended in failure, despite the fact that the Kaiser even sent a gunboat to the coast of Morocco. On March 30, 1912, the Treaty of Fez was signed, according to which France established a protectorate over Morocco. Germany also received a small benefit from it - Paris shared with the Kaiser part of the territory of the French Congo, on which the German colony of Cameroon arose (however, the Germans did not rule it for long - already in 1918, all the colonial possessions of Germany, which lost World War I, were divided between the countries of the Entente).

The history of the Gumier units, which will be discussed in this article, began just between the two Moroccan crises - in 1908. Initially, France sent troops to Morocco, staffed, among other things, by Algerians, but rather quickly decided to switch to the practice of recruiting auxiliary units from among the representatives of the local population. As in the case of the Zouaves, the eyes of the French generals fell on the Berber tribes that inhabited the Atlas Mountains. Berbers - the indigenous inhabitants of the Sahara - retained their language and special culture, which was not completely destroyed even despite the thousand-year Islamization. Morocco still has the largest percentage of the Berber population in comparison with other countries of North Africa - representatives of the Berber tribes make up 40% of the country's population.

The modern name "Berbers", by which we know people who call themselves "amahag" ("free man"), comes from the ancient Greek word meaning "barbarians". From ancient times, Berber tribes inhabited the territory of modern Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, the northern regions of Niger, Mali, Nigeria and Chad. Linguistically, they belong to the Berber-Libyan subfamily, which is part of the Afroasian language macrofamily, along with the Semitic languages ​​and a number of languages ​​of the peoples of Africa.

Today the Berbers are Sunni Muslims, but many tribes retain obvious vestiges of ancient pre-Islamic beliefs. The territory of Morocco is inhabited by two main groups of Berbers - the shilla, or shleh, who live in the south of the country, in the Atlas Mountains, and the Amatsirgs, who inhabit the Rif Mountains in the north of the country. It was the Amatsirgs who in the Middle Ages and Modern times stood at the origins of the famous Moroccan piracy, raiding Spanish villages on the opposite coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Berbers were traditionally militant, but first of all they attracted the attention of the French military command for their high adaptability to the difficult conditions of life in the mountains and deserts of the Maghreb. In addition, the land of Morocco was native to them and by recruiting soldiers from among the Berbers, the colonial authorities received excellent scouts, gendarmes, guards who knew all the mountain paths, ways of surviving in the desert, the traditions of the tribes with whom they had to fight, etc.

General Albert Amad can rightfully be considered the founding father of the Moroccan Gumiers. In 1908, this fifty-two-year-old brigadier general commanded an expeditionary force of the French army in Morocco. It was he who proposed the use of auxiliary units from among the Moroccans and opened the recruitment of Berbers from among representatives of various tribes that inhabited the territory of Morocco - mainly the Atlas Mountains (since another area densely populated by Berbers - the Rif Mountains - was part of Spanish Morocco).

It should also be noted that although some units formed and served on the territory of Upper Volta and Mali (French Sudan) were also called Gumiers, it was the Moroccan Gumiers that became the most numerous and famous.

Like other units of the colonial troops, the Moroccan Gumiers were originally created under the command of French officers seconded from parts of the Algerian spagi and shooters. Somewhat later, the practice of nominating Moroccans to non-commissioned officers began. Formally, the Gumiers were subordinate to the King of Morocco, but in fact they performed all the same functions of the French colonial troops and participated in almost all armed conflicts waged by France in 1908-1956. during the Protectorate of Morocco. The duties of the Gumiers at the very beginning of their existence included patrolling the French-occupied territories of Morocco and carrying out reconnaissance against rebellious tribes. After the Gumiers were given the official status of military units in 1911, they switched to performing the same service as other French military units.

From other units of the French army, including the colonial one, the Gumiers were distinguished by greater independence, which was manifested, among other things, in the presence of special military traditions. The Gumiers retained traditional Moroccan clothing. Initially, they generally wore tribal costume - most often, turbans and blue cloaks, but then their uniforms were streamlined, although they retained key elements of the traditional costume. Moroccan gumiers were instantly recognizable by their turbans and gray striped or brown "djellaba" (cloak with a hood).

Moroccans in the ranks of the allies

As part of the French Expeditionary Force, several regiments of Moroccan Gumiers fought. Berbers were recruited into these units - representatives of the native tribes of Morocco. The French Army used the Gumiers in Libya during World War II, where they fought Italian troops in 1940. Moroccan gumiers also took part in the battles in Tunisia, which took place in 1942-1943.
In 1943, Allied troops landed in Sicily. The Moroccan Gumiers, by order of the allied command, were placed at the disposal of the 1st American Infantry Division. Some of them participated in the battles for the liberation of the island of Corsica from the Nazis. By November 1943, the Moroccan soldiers were redeployed to the Italian mainland, where in May 1944 they crossed the Avrunk mountains.

Subsequently, regiments of Moroccan Gumiers participated in the liberation of France, and at the end of March 1945 they were the first to break into Germany from the side of the Siegfried Line.

Why Moroccans went to fight in Europe

The Gumiers rarely went into battle for reasons of patriotism - Morocco was under the protectorate of France, but they did not consider it their homeland. The main reason was the prospect of decent wages by the standards of the country, an increase in military prestige, and a manifestation of loyalty to the heads of their clans who sent soldiers to fight.

The poorest inhabitants of the Maghreb, the highlanders, were often recruited into the regiments of the Gumiers. Most of them were illiterate. The French officers were supposed to play the role of wise advisers with them, replacing the authority of the tribal leaders.

How the Moroccan Gumiers fought

At least 22,000 Moroccan subjects participated in the battles of World War II. The permanent strength of the Moroccan regiments reached 12,000, with 1,625 soldiers killed in action and 7,500 wounded.

According to some historians, Moroccan warriors have proven themselves in mountain battles, finding themselves in familiar surroundings. The birthplace of the Berber tribes is the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, so the Gumiers perfectly tolerated transitions to the highlands.

Other researchers are categorical: the Moroccans were average warriors, but they managed to surpass even the Nazis in the brutal murders of prisoners. The Gumiers could not and did not want to give up the ancient practice of cutting off the ears and noses of the corpses of enemies. But the main horror of the settlements, which included Moroccan soldiers, was the mass rape of civilians.

Liberators became rapists

The first news about the rape of Italian women by Moroccan soldiers was recorded on December 11, 1943, on the day the Gumiers landed in Italy. It was about four soldiers. The French officers were unable to control the actions of the Gumiers. Historians note that "these were the first echoes of a behavior that would later be long associated with the Moroccans."

Already in March 1944, during de Gaulle's first visit to the Italian front, local residents turned to him with an ardent request to return the Gumiers to Morocco. De Gaulle promised to involve them only as carabinieri to protect public order.
On May 17, 1944, American soldiers in one of the villages heard the desperate cries of raped women. According to their testimonies, the Gumiers repeated what the Italians did in Africa. However, the allies were really shocked: the British report speaks of the rape of women, little girls, teenagers of both sexes, as well as prisoners in prisons, right on the streets.

Moroccan horror near Monte Cassino

One of the most terrible deeds of the Moroccan Gumiers in Europe is the story of the liberation of Monte Cassino from the Nazis. The Allies succeeded in capturing this ancient abbey in central Italy on May 14, 1944. After their final victory at Cassino, the command announced "fifty hours of freedom" - the south of Italy was given to the Moroccans for three days.

Historians testify that after the battle, the Moroccan Gumiers committed brutal pogroms in the surrounding villages. All girls and women were raped, and teenage boys were not saved. Reports from the German 71st Division record 600 rapes of women in the small town of Spigno in just three days.

Over 800 men were killed while trying to save their relatives, girlfriends or neighbors. The pastor of the town of Esperia tried in vain to save three women from the violence of the Moroccan soldiers - the gumiers tied the priest and raped him all night, after which he soon died. The Moroccans also plundered and carried away everything that had at least some value.

The Moroccans chose the most beautiful girls for gang rapes. Queues of gummers lined up for each of them, wanting to have some fun, while other soldiers kept the unfortunate. So, two young sisters 18 and 15 years old were raped by more than 200 Gumiers each. The younger sister died from injuries and ruptures, the older one went crazy and was kept in a psychiatric hospital for 53 years until her death.

War with women

In the historical literature about the Apennine Peninsula, the time from the end of 1943 to May 1945 is called guerra al femminile - "war with women." French military courts during this period initiated 160 criminal proceedings against 360 individuals. Death sentences and heavy punishments were handed down. In addition, many rapists who were taken by surprise were shot at the scene of the crime.

The Italian writer Alberto Moravia wrote in 1957 his most famous novel, Ciociara, based on what he saw in 1943, when he and his wife were hiding in Ciociaria (a locality in the Lazio region). On the basis of the novel, in 1960, the film "Chochara" (in the English box office - "Two Women") was filmed with Sophia Loren in the title role. On the way to liberated Rome, the heroine and her young daughter stop to rest in the church of a small town. There, they are attacked by several Moroccan Gumiers, who rape both of them.

Testimony of victims

On April 7, 1952, the testimonies of numerous victims were heard in the lower house of the Italian Parliament. So, the mother of 17-year-old Malinari Velha spoke about the events of May 27, 1944 in Valecors: “We were walking along Monte Lupino Street and saw Moroccans. The soldier was clearly attracted to the young Malinari. We begged not to touch us, but they did not listen. Two held me, the rest raped Malinari in turn. When the latter finished, one of the soldiers took out a gun and shot my daughter.”

Elisabetta Rossi, 55, from the Farneta area, recalled: “I tried to protect my daughters, aged 18 and 17, but I was stabbed in the stomach. Bleeding, I watched as they were raped. A five-year-old boy, not understanding what was happening, rushed to us. They fired several bullets into his stomach and threw him into a ravine. The next day the child died.

The atrocities that the Moroccan Gumiers committed in Italy for several months received from Italian historians the name marocchinate, derived from the name of the native country of the rapists.

On October 15, 2011, Emiliano Ciotti, president of the National Association of Marocchinate Victims, gave an assessment of the extent of what happened: “From the numerous documents collected today, it is known that at least 20,000 recorded cases of violence have been committed. This number still does not reflect the truth - medical reports of those years report that two-thirds of the raped women, out of shame or modesty, chose not to report anything to the authorities. Based on a comprehensive assessment, we can say with certainty that at least 60,000 women were raped. On average, North African soldiers raped them in groups of two or three, but we also collected testimonies of women who were raped by 100, 200 and even 300 soldiers,” Ciotti said.

Effects

After the end of the Second World War, the Moroccan gummers were urgently returned by the French authorities to Morocco. On August 1, 1947, the Italian authorities sent an official protest to the French government. The answer was formal replies. The problem was raised again by the Italian leadership in 1951 and in 1993. The question still remains open.

Obviously, this behavior of the Gumiers is quite plausible, given, firstly, the specifics of the mentality of the native warriors, their generally negative attitude towards the Europeans, all the more who acted as defeated opponents for them. Finally, a small number of French officers in the Gumier units also played a role in the low discipline of the Moroccans, especially after the victories over the Italian and German troops. However, the atrocities of the Allied forces in occupied Italy and Germany are most often remembered only by historians who adhere to the concept of "revisionism" in relation to the Second World War. Although this behavior of the Moroccan Gumiers is also mentioned in the novel Chochara by the famous Italian writer Alberto Moravia, a communist who can hardly be suspected of trying to discredit the Allied troops during the liberation of Italy.

After the evacuation from Europe, the Gumiers continued to be used for garrison duty in Morocco, and were also transferred to Indochina, where France desperately resisted Vietnamese attempts to declare its independence from the mother country. Three "groups of Moroccan camps of the Far East" were formed. In the Indochina War, the Moroccan gumiers served primarily in the territory of the North Vietnamese province of Tonkin, where they were used to escort and escort military transport, as well as to carry out the usual reconnaissance functions. During the colonial war in Indochina, the Moroccan Gumiers also suffered quite significant losses - 787 people died in the fighting, including 57 officers and ensigns.

In 1956, the independence of the Kingdom of Morocco from France was proclaimed. In accordance with this fact, the Moroccan units that were in the service of the French state were transferred under the command of the king. More than 14 thousand Moroccans, who had previously served in the French colonial troops, entered the royal service. The functions of the Gumiers in modern Morocco are actually inherited by the royal gendarmerie, which also performs the duties of carrying out garrison service in the countryside and mountainous areas and is busy maintaining order and pacifying the tribes.

When it comes to the horrors and atrocities of the Second World War, as a rule, the acts of the Nazis are meant. Torture of prisoners, concentration camps, genocide, extermination of the civilian population - the list of atrocities of the Nazis is inexhaustible.

However, one of the most terrible pages in the history of the Second World War is inscribed in it by units of the Allied troops who liberated Europe from the Nazis. The French, and in fact the Moroccan expeditionary force, received the title of the main scumbags of this war.

Moroccans in the ranks of the allies

As part of the French Expeditionary Force, several regiments of Moroccan Gumiers fought. Berbers were recruited into these units - representatives of the native tribes of Morocco. The French Army used the Gumiers in Libya during World War II, where they fought Italian troops in 1940. Moroccan gumiers also took part in the battles in Tunisia, which took place in 1942-1943.

In 1943, Allied troops landed in Sicily. The Moroccan Gumiers, by order of the allied command, were placed at the disposal of the 1st American Infantry Division. Some of them participated in the battles for the liberation of the island of Corsica from the Nazis. By November 1943, the Moroccan soldiers were redeployed to the Italian mainland, where in May 1944 they crossed the Avrunk mountains. Subsequently, regiments of Moroccan Gumiers participated in the liberation of France, and at the end of March 1945 they were the first to break into Germany from the side of the Siegfried Line.

Why Moroccans went to fight in Europe

Gumiers rarely went into battle for reasons of patriotism - Morocco was under the protectorate of France, but they did not consider it their homeland. The main reason was the prospect of decent wages by the standards of the country, an increase in military prestige, and a manifestation of loyalty to the heads of their clans who sent soldiers to fight.

The poorest inhabitants of the Maghreb, the highlanders, were often recruited into the regiments of the Gumiers. Most of them were illiterate. The French officers were supposed to play the role of wise advisers with them, replacing the authority of the tribal leaders.

How the Moroccan Gumiers fought

At least 22,000 Moroccan subjects participated in the battles of World War II. The permanent strength of the Moroccan regiments reached 12,000, with 1,625 soldiers killed in action and 7,500 wounded.

According to some historians, Moroccan warriors have proven themselves in mountain battles, finding themselves in familiar surroundings. The birthplace of the Berber tribes is the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, so the Gumiers perfectly tolerated transitions to the highlands.

Other researchers are categorical: the Moroccans were average warriors, but they managed to surpass even the Nazis in the brutal murders of prisoners. The Gumiers could not and did not want to give up the ancient practice of cutting off the ears and noses of the corpses of enemies. But the main horror of the settlements, which included Moroccan soldiers, was the mass rape of civilians.

Liberators became rapists

The first news about the rape of Italian women by Moroccan soldiers was recorded on December 11, 1943, on the day the Gumiers landed in Italy. It was about four soldiers. The French officers were unable to control the actions of the Gumiers. Historians note that "these were the first echoes of a behavior that would later be long associated with the Moroccans."

Already in March 1944, during de Gaulle's first visit to the Italian front, local residents turned to him with an ardent request to return the Gumiers to Morocco. De Gaulle promised to involve them only as carabinieri to protect public order.

On May 17, 1944, American soldiers in one of the villages heard the desperate cries of raped women. According to their testimonies, the Gumiers repeated what the Italians did in Africa. However, the allies were really shocked: the British report speaks of the rape of women, little girls, teenagers of both sexes, as well as prisoners in prisons, right on the streets.

Moroccan horror near Monte Cassino

One of the most terrible deeds of the Moroccan Gumiers in Europe is the story of the liberation of Monte Cassino from the Nazis. The Allies succeeded in capturing this ancient abbey in central Italy on May 14, 1944. After their final victory at Cassino, the command announced "fifty hours of freedom" - the south of Italy was given to the Moroccans for three days.

Historians testify that after the battle, the Moroccan Gumiers committed brutal pogroms in the surrounding villages. All girls and women were raped, and teenage boys were not saved. Reports from the German 71st Division record 600 rapes of women in the small town of Spigno in just three days.

Over 800 men were killed while trying to save their relatives, girlfriends or neighbors. The pastor of the town of Esperia tried in vain to save three women from the violence of the Moroccan soldiers - the gumiers tied the priest and raped him all night, after which he soon died. The Moroccans also plundered and carried away everything that had at least some value.

The Moroccans chose the most beautiful girls for gang rapes. Queues of gummers lined up for each of them, wanting to have some fun, while other soldiers kept the unfortunate. So, two young sisters 18 and 15 years old were raped by more than 200 Gumiers each. The younger sister died from injuries and ruptures, the older one went crazy and was kept in a psychiatric hospital for 53 years until her death.

War with women

In the historical literature about the Apennine Peninsula, the time from the end of 1943 to May 1945 is called guerra al femminile - "war with women." French military courts during this period initiated 160 criminal proceedings against 360 individuals. Death sentences and heavy punishments were handed down. In addition, many rapists who were taken by surprise were shot at the scene of the crime.

In Sicily, the Gumiera raped everyone they could capture. The partisans of some regions of Italy stopped fighting the Germans and began to save the surrounding villages and villages from the Moroccans. A huge number of forced abortions and infections with venereal diseases had terrible consequences for many small villages and villages in the regions of Lazio and Tuscany.

The Italian writer Alberto Moravia wrote in 1957 his most famous novel, Ciociara, based on what he saw in 1943, when he and his wife were hiding in Ciociaria (a locality in the Lazio region). On the basis of the novel, in 1960, the film "Chochara" (in the English box office - "Two Women") was filmed with Sophia Loren in the title role. On the way to liberated Rome, the heroine and her young daughter stop to rest in the church of a small town. There, they are attacked by several Moroccan Gumiers, who rape both of them.

Testimony of victims

On April 7, 1952, the testimonies of numerous victims were heard in the lower house of the Italian Parliament. So, the mother of 17-year-old Malinari Velha spoke about the events of May 27, 1944 in Valecors: “We were walking along Monte Lupino Street and saw Moroccans. The soldier was clearly attracted to the young Malinari. We begged not to touch us, but they did not listen. Two held me, the rest raped Malinari in turn. When the latter finished, one of the soldiers took out a gun and shot my daughter.”

Elisabetta Rossi, 55, from the Farneta area, recalled: “I tried to protect my daughters, aged 18 and 17, but I was stabbed in the stomach. Bleeding, I watched as they were raped. A five-year-old boy, not understanding what was happening, rushed to us. They fired several bullets into his stomach and threw him into a ravine. The next day the child died.

Morocco

The atrocities that the Moroccan Gumiers committed in Italy for several months received the name marocchinate from Italian historians, derived from the name of the native country of the rapists.

On October 15, 2011, Emiliano Ciotti, president of the National Association of Marocchinate Victims, gave an assessment of the extent of what happened: “From the numerous documents collected today, it is known that at least 20,000 recorded cases of violence have been committed. This number still does not reflect the truth - medical reports of those years report that two-thirds of the raped women, out of shame or modesty, chose not to report anything to the authorities. Based on a comprehensive assessment, we can say with certainty that at least 60,000 women were raped. On average, North African soldiers raped them in groups of two or three, but we also collected testimonies of women who were raped by 100, 200 and even 300 soldiers,” Ciotti said.

Effects

After the end of the Second World War, the Moroccan gummers were urgently returned by the French authorities to Morocco. On August 1, 1947, the Italian authorities sent an official protest to the French government. The answer was formal replies. The problem was raised again by the Italian leadership in 1951 and in 1993. The question still remains open.

When it comes to the horrors and atrocities of the Second World War, as a rule, the acts of the Nazis are meant. Torture of prisoners, concentration camps, genocide, extermination of the civilian population - the list of atrocities of the Nazis is inexhaustible.

However, one of the most terrible pages in the history of the Second World War is inscribed in it by units of the Allied troops who liberated Europe from the Nazis. The French, and in fact the Moroccan expeditionary force, received the title of the main scumbags of this war.

Moroccans in the ranks of the allies

As part of the French Expeditionary Force, several regiments of Moroccan Gumiers fought. Berbers were recruited into these units - representatives of the native tribes of Morocco. The French Army used the Gumiers in Libya during World War II, where they fought Italian troops in 1940. Moroccan gumiers also took part in the battles in Tunisia, which took place in 1942-1943.

In 1943, Allied troops landed in Sicily. The Moroccan Gumiers, by order of the allied command, were placed at the disposal of the 1st American Infantry Division. Some of them participated in the battles for the liberation of the island of Corsica from the Nazis. By November 1943, the Moroccan soldiers were redeployed to the Italian mainland, where in May 1944 they crossed the Avrunk mountains. Subsequently, regiments of Moroccan Gumiers participated in the liberation of France, and at the end of March 1945 they were the first to break into Germany from the side of the Siegfried Line.

Why Moroccans went to fight in Europe

Gumiers rarely went into battle for reasons of patriotism - Morocco was under the protectorate of France, but they did not consider it their homeland. The main reason was the prospect of decent wages by the standards of the country, an increase in military prestige, and a manifestation of loyalty to the heads of their clans who sent soldiers to fight.

The poorest inhabitants of the Maghreb, the highlanders, were often recruited into the regiments of the Gumiers. Most of them were illiterate. The French officers were supposed to play the role of wise advisers with them, replacing the authority of the tribal leaders.

How the Moroccan Gumiers fought

At least 22,000 Moroccan subjects participated in the battles of World War II. The permanent strength of the Moroccan regiments reached 12,000, with 1,625 soldiers killed in action and 7,500 wounded.

According to some historians, Moroccan warriors have proven themselves in mountain battles, finding themselves in familiar surroundings. The birthplace of the Berber tribes is the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, so the Gumiers perfectly tolerated transitions to the highlands.

Other researchers are categorical: the Moroccans were average warriors, but they managed to surpass even the Nazis in the brutal murders of prisoners. The Gumiers could not and did not want to give up the ancient practice of cutting off the ears and noses of the corpses of enemies. But the main horror of the settlements, which included Moroccan soldiers, was the mass rape of civilians.

Liberators became rapists

The first news about the rape of Italian women by Moroccan soldiers was recorded on December 11, 1943, on the day the Gumiers landed in Italy. It was about four soldiers. The French officers were unable to control the actions of the Gumiers. Historians note that "these were the first echoes of a behavior that would later be long associated with the Moroccans."

Already in March 1944, during de Gaulle's first visit to the Italian front, local residents turned to him with an ardent request to return the Gumiers to Morocco. De Gaulle promised to involve them only as carabinieri to protect public order.

On May 17, 1944, American soldiers in one of the villages heard the desperate cries of raped women. According to their testimonies, the Gumiers repeated what the Italians did in Africa. However, the allies were really shocked: the British report speaks of the rape of women, little girls, teenagers of both sexes, as well as prisoners in prisons, right on the streets.

Moroccan horror near Monte Cassino

One of the most terrible deeds of the Moroccan Gumiers in Europe is the story of the liberation of Monte Cassino from the Nazis. The Allies succeeded in capturing this ancient abbey in central Italy on May 14, 1944. After their final victory at Cassino, the command announced "fifty hours of freedom" - the south of Italy was given to the Moroccans for three days.

Historians testify that after the battle, the Moroccan Gumiers committed brutal pogroms in the surrounding villages. All girls and women were raped, and teenage boys were not saved. Reports from the German 71st Division record 600 rapes of women in the small town of Spigno in just three days.

Over 800 men were killed while trying to save their relatives, girlfriends or neighbors. The pastor of the town of Esperia tried in vain to save three women from the violence of the Moroccan soldiers - the gumiers tied the priest and raped him all night, after which he soon died. The Moroccans also plundered and carried away everything that had at least some value.

The Moroccans chose the most beautiful girls for gang rapes. Queues of gummers lined up for each of them, wanting to have some fun, while other soldiers kept the unfortunate. So, two young sisters 18 and 15 years old were raped by more than 200 Gumiers each. The younger sister died from injuries and ruptures, the older one went crazy and was kept in a psychiatric hospital for 53 years until her death.

War with women

In the historical literature about the Apennine Peninsula, the time from the end of 1943 to May 1945 is called guerra al femminile - "war with women." French military courts during this period initiated 160 criminal proceedings against 360 individuals. Death sentences and heavy punishments were handed down. In addition, many rapists who were taken by surprise were shot at the scene of the crime.

In Sicily, the Gumiera raped everyone they could capture. The partisans of some regions of Italy stopped fighting the Germans and began to save the surrounding villages and villages from the Moroccans. A huge number of forced abortions and infections with venereal diseases had terrible consequences for many small villages and villages in the regions of Lazio and Tuscany.

The Italian writer Alberto Moravia wrote in 1957 his most famous novel, Ciociara, based on what he saw in 1943, when he and his wife were hiding in Ciociaria (a locality in the Lazio region). On the basis of the novel, in 1960, the film "Chochara" (in the English box office - "Two Women") was filmed with Sophia Loren in the title role. On the way to liberated Rome, the heroine and her young daughter stop to rest in the church of a small town. There, they are attacked by several Moroccan Gumiers, who rape both of them.

Testimony of victims

On April 7, 1952, the testimonies of numerous victims were heard in the lower house of the Italian Parliament. So, the mother of 17-year-old Malinari Velha spoke about the events of May 27, 1944 in Valecors: “We were walking along Monte Lupino Street and saw Moroccans. The soldier was clearly attracted to the young Malinari. We begged not to touch us, but they did not listen. Two held me, the rest raped Malinari in turn. When the latter finished, one of the soldiers took out a gun and shot my daughter.”

Elisabetta Rossi, 55, from the Farneta area, recalled: “I tried to protect my daughters, aged 18 and 17, but I was stabbed in the stomach. Bleeding, I watched as they were raped. A five-year-old boy, not understanding what was happening, rushed to us. They fired several bullets into his stomach and threw him into a ravine. The next day the child died.

Morocco

The atrocities that the Moroccan Gumiers committed in Italy for several months received the name marocchinate from Italian historians, derived from the name of the native country of the rapists.

On October 15, 2011, Emiliano Ciotti, president of the National Association of Marocchinate Victims, gave an assessment of the extent of what happened: “From the numerous documents collected today, it is known that at least 20,000 recorded cases of violence have been committed. This number still does not reflect the truth - medical reports of those years report that two-thirds of the raped women, out of shame or modesty, chose not to report anything to the authorities. Based on a comprehensive assessment, we can say with certainty that at least 60,000 women were raped. On average, North African soldiers raped them in groups of two or three, but we also have testimonies of women raped by 100, 200 and even 300 soldiers,” Ciotti said.

Effects

After the end of the Second World War, the Moroccan gummers were urgently returned by the French authorities to Morocco. On August 1, 1947, the Italian authorities sent an official protest to the French government. The answer was formal replies. The problem was raised again by the Italian leadership in 1951 and in 1993. The question still remains open.