JANS, Eugène

In May 1943, Eugène was forcefully conscripted into the Wehrmacht and underwent three months of training in Leśno, a village in northern Poland. Fighting on the Eastern Front, he was wounded in January 1944 and transferred to Arlon, Belgium. Eugène was eventually assigned to a German division tasked with holding the Lorraine region against the Allied advance. On 11 September 1944, Eugene successfully deserted to Nilvange, France, and returned to his hometown Diekirch. He briefly joined the local militia, until the Germans reoccupied Diekirch again in December 1944, during the short-lived Battle of the Bulge. Eugène was forced to take refuge in Dudelange. He worked for a short time in a German POW camp in Wiltz.

In March 1945, Eugène voluntarily joined the Luxembourg Army and was assigned to the Corps de la Garde. In February 1947, he was transferred to the gendarmerie in Echternach for a period of 14 days. After the outbreak of the Korean War, Eugène, who was then a Sergent, served in the second contingent as leader of the machine gun squad. Following his return from Korea, Eugene continued his military career, working primarily as a driver, driving instructor and mechanic.

In 1967, Eugène joined again the Luxembourg Gendarmerie. He was said to be a rigorous and competent officer. He was also a member of the Comité des Anciens Combattants where, as vice-president, he relentlessly defended the interests of the veterans of the Korean War.

He was married to Yvette Hemmer and had five children.