Paris mayor vows to honor Spanish WWII fighters of La Nueve

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire has pledged to continue honoring the memory of the Spanish soldiers of La Nueve, the vanguard unit that led the liberation of Paris in 1944. Grégoire, a socialist, made the commitment during the 82nd anniversary ceremony of the city's liberation from Nazi occupation.

He noted that his predecessor, Anne Hidalgo, who has Spanish heritage, had personally championed the official recognition of La Nueve. Grégoire stated, "We will continue to honor this memory," emphasizing that Hidalgo "personally committed herself to ensuring this story within history was remembered."

La Nueve, the colloquial name for the ninth company of the French Second Armored Division under General Leclerc, was known by its Spanish name because most of its members were Spanish Republicans exiled in France after the Spanish Civil War. These soldiers were instrumental in the French Resistance's uprising against the Nazi occupation.

They entered Paris on the night of August 24-25, 1944, in armored vehicles named after Civil War battles like 'Teruel' and 'Guadalajara,' reaching Paris City Hall hours before other Allied forces. During the ceremony at the Garden of the Fighters of La Nueve, named in their honor, the mayor highlighted their "passion for freedom."

Spain was represented by Fernando Sampedro, Secretary of State for the European Union, and Fernando Martínez López, Secretary of State for Democratic Memory. They linked the soldiers' fight to the broader struggle for liberties and their contribution to liberating France and Europe from fascism. Sampedro remarked, "European freedom was not a gift, it was a conquest," and advocated for a stronger, more united Europe capable of defending its values.