Abbeville massacre
| Abbeville massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Battle of France | |
The bodies of Rijckoort, Van Severen, Monami, Wéry, and two Italians | |
|
| |
| Location | Abbeville, Somme, France |
| Date | 20 May 1940 |
Attack type | Summary executions |
| Deaths | 21 |
| Victims | Civilians suspected of colluding with Nazi Germany |
| Perpetrators | French Army
|
| Motive | Purging suspected fifth columnists and potential collaborators before they could be freed by the Germans |
| Convicted | René Caron Émile Molet |
The Abbeville massacre took place during the Battle of France in the French town of Abbeville on 20 May 1940. 21 political prisoners, mainly foreign nationals, were killed by the French soldiers who feared that they might become possible fifth columnists or collaborators with Nazi Germany.
Although four of those killed were actively working for the Nazis, with another two having genuine Nazi affiliations, the victims also included a number of individuals hostile to Nazism. These included fascists hostile to Nazism such as Joris Van Severen, the cofounder of Verdinaso. Several Jews and Communists were also killed.