Joseph Darnand

Joseph Darnand
Joseph Darnand c. 1943–1944
Born	(1897-03-19)19 March 1897 Coligny, Ain, Rhône-Alpes, France
Died	10 October 1945(1945-10-10) (aged 48) Fort de Châtillon, Paris, France
Cause of death	Execution by firing squad
Allegiance	France (1916–1940)  Vichy France (1940–1944)  Nazi Germany (1943–1945)
Service / branch	Schutzstaffel
Years of service	1916–1918 1919–1921 1939–1945
Rank	SS-Sturmbannführer (Major)
Battles / wars	World War I Franco-Turkish War World War II
Awards	Officer of the Legion of Honour (May 1940) (Knight: 7 April 1927) Military Medal (23 July 1918) Cross of War 1914–1918 (6 citations, 2 at army level) Belgian Cross of War 1914–1918 Cross of War 1939–1945
Relations	Antoinette Foucachon (1899–1994; spouse) Jean-Philippe Darnand (1926-2008; son)

Joseph Darnand (19 March 1897 – 10 October 1945) was a French collaborator with Nazi Germany during World War II. A decorated soldier in the French Army of World War I and early World War II, he went on to become the organizer and de facto leader of the Milice française, or French Militia, the collaborationist Vichy government's paramilitary police force. Darnand also served as an officer in the Waffen-SS. He was tried and executed after the war for treason.