One of the most harrowing and brutal photographs of the Second World War shows a smiling member
of the French Resistance, whilst he stares at a German execution squad who are all there
with their rifles primed ready to take the shot.
It was an execution though that was repeated thousands of times across occupied countries
that fell under German control as many people suffered the wrath of Nazi death squads and
were executed by the Einsatzgruppen.
Resistors were treated with contempt and were dealt with severely by the Gestapo and the
SS and most of them were executed and paid the ultimate price for their defiance against
the Germans.
But what is the story of the execution of the smiling French resistor?
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Georges Blind was the man who was at the centre of the image.
He was born on the 17th November 1904, and he grew up to become a member of the fire
brigade in the town of Belfort.
He was dedicated to his role in the town, and he then would do anything to save people.
There was one time where he was commended by the mayor, and he wrote, ‘It has just
been reported to me that…
when called to a rescue a person suffocated by the lighting gas, you succeeded after an
hour and a half of efforts to revive the victim.
Thus bringing a total of 21 the number of successes recorded to your credit.’
He was a skilled fireman, but he was also in a good place to help the French resistance.
The Germans occupied the town of Belfort, and because of his job he could easily move
around the town without any questions asked, even at night.
There was very little suspicion on him, and along with other members of the fire brigade
he helped to transport Resistance members, information and even weapons from one place
to another.
He was serving almost as a courier for the Resistance, but over time he attracted suspicion
and the Nazis then arrested him on the 14th October 1944.
He had been serving the resistance network for the Ferrand group.
However his execution was not one which was straightforward.
The image of the execution of Georges Blind was one that was actually staged.
He was subject to a mock execution, this is where a victim is deliberately tricked into
thinking that their execution is imminent or is about to take place.
It is in a sense pschyological torture, and could go very far.
Some victims would be blindfolded and would be even forced to dig their own graves.
Unloaded guns would be held to their heads, and the trigger would sometimes be pulled,
or blank would be shot at them.
It was a brutal and horrific ordeal, and it was this that Georges Blind had been subjected
to.
Georges Blind was then taken to his mock execution to try and get him to talk, but instead of
this he stared at the executioners and just smiled.
This took place just outside of the citadel of Belfort, and it was referred to as the
smiling shot.
He refused to continue to talk and because of this he was sent with other prisoners for
a camp.
Blind was then sent to Dachau concentration camp as he would not give over any intelligence
about further resistance activities.
Because of this, he was imprisoned at the first concentration camp which was opened
but the Nazis.
But then he was one of 1014 deportees from Dachau who were selected to then go on to
Auschwitz.
However he then was moved to the Blechhammer concentration camp, and there were ten prisoners
who were considered to have been contagious or infected with disease.
One of these was Georges Blind who was then its believed killed inside of the concentration
camp.
However the image of Georges Blind survived the war and it was one which was considered
one of the most iconic of the Second World War.
But the image is not what is mostly believed as he was not executed at the end of the firing
squad, but the horrific reality of Georges Blind’s story is that he died inside of
a concentration camp like millions of other people during the Second World War.
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