Flemish National Union
Encyclopedia
The Flemish National Union was a Nationalist
Flemish
political party
in Belgium
, founded by Staf de Clercq
on October 8, 1933. De Clercq became known as den Leider ("the Leader
").
, a moderate group that de Clerq had taken control of and moved to the right in 1932. The VNV, as the Frontpartij became the following year, was tied to the idea of uniting the many Flemish parties in post-1920s Belgium into a single movement, an objective finally attained with the party's creation, and it moved on to advocate the creation of a pan-Dutch
state, called Dietsland
, to include both Flanders
and the Netherlands
. Its slogan was: Authority, discipline and Dietsland.
Along the way, the new party became more and more authoritarian
in doctrine, and it quickly became a Fascist
movement - despite including a large grouping of democratic
elements.
invaded Belgium in 1940, de Clercq immediately chose its side, disregarding his own previous declarations that he would not collaborate
should such a situation occur. Adolf Hitler
chose not to install a civilian government (such as he had done in the Netherlands
) but instead installed a government headed by Alexander von Falkenhausen
of the Wehrmacht
. This, along with the departure of Ward Hermans
and René Lagrou
to form the Algemeene-SS Vlaanderen
, led the VNV out of focus, forcing it to intensify its collaboration in order to gain influence. Hitler and SS-leader Heinrich Himmler
made profit from the situation, and increased competition between various groups by founding some more extreme collaborationist groups like the 6th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Langemarck
and DeVlag
, the German-Flemish Workers Community.
De Clercq died suddenly in October 1942, and was succeeded by Hendrik Elias
, a member of the more moderate side. Elias
continued the collaboration but tried to come to terms with the military government to prevent the installation of a civilian government, which would be composed of Nazis
. Elias failed, as Hitler installed the new body and declared the annexation of Flanders
by Germany in 1944; seven weeks later, Belgium
had been liberated by the Allies
. The VNV was outlawed after the liberation of Belgium. Elias had fled to Germany, he was tried after the war an imprisoned until 1959.
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, founded by Staf de Clercq
Staf De Clercq
Staf De Clercq was a Flemish nationalist collaborator, co-founder and leader of the Flemish nationalist Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond .-Biography:...
on October 8, 1933. De Clercq became known as den Leider ("the Leader
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
").
Creation
The party initially grew out of the long-established FrontpartijFrontpartij
The Frontpartij was a Belgian political party that campaigned for increasing recognition for the Flemish people and their language. Originating from the earlier Frontbeweging, the Frontpartij was an early attempt to fully politicise the Flemish Movement...
, a moderate group that de Clerq had taken control of and moved to the right in 1932. The VNV, as the Frontpartij became the following year, was tied to the idea of uniting the many Flemish parties in post-1920s Belgium into a single movement, an objective finally attained with the party's creation, and it moved on to advocate the creation of a pan-Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
state, called Dietsland
Dietsland
Greater Netherlands is the political movement to unite all Dutch-speaking people into a single state. Also known as Dietsland , which uses the word "Diets," an archaic term for Dutch...
, to include both Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Its slogan was: Authority, discipline and Dietsland.
Along the way, the new party became more and more authoritarian
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a form of social organization characterized by submission to authority. It is usually opposed to individualism and democracy...
in doctrine, and it quickly became a Fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
movement - despite including a large grouping of democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
elements.
Collaboration
When Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
invaded Belgium in 1940, de Clercq immediately chose its side, disregarding his own previous declarations that he would not collaborate
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
should such a situation occur. Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
chose not to install a civilian government (such as he had done in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
) but instead installed a government headed by Alexander von Falkenhausen
Alexander von Falkenhausen
Alexander Ernst Alfred Hermann Freiherr von Falkenhausen was a German general. He was the head of the military government of Belgium from 1940–44 during its occupation by Germany in World War II....
of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. This, along with the departure of Ward Hermans
Ward Hermans
Cornelius Eduardus Hermans was a Belgian Flemish nationalist politician and writer....
and René Lagrou
René Lagrou
René Lagrou was a Flemish-Belgian politician and collaborator with Nazi Germany. Originating in West Flanders, Lagrou worked as a lawyer in Antwerp....
to form the Algemeene-SS Vlaanderen
Algemeene-SS Vlaanderen
The Algemeene-SS Vlaanderen , later Germaansche SS in Vlaanderen was the Flemish branch of the Germanic SS during the Nazi occupation of Belgium.-History:...
, led the VNV out of focus, forcing it to intensify its collaboration in order to gain influence. Hitler and SS-leader Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
made profit from the situation, and increased competition between various groups by founding some more extreme collaborationist groups like the 6th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Langemarck
6th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Langemarck
The 27th SS Volunteer Division Langemarck was a German Waffen-SS volunteer division comprising volunteers of Flemish background. It saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II....
and DeVlag
Devlag
Deutsch-Vlämische Arbeitsgemeinschaft , better known as DeVlag, was a pro-Nazi organization active in Flanders during the German occupation of Belgium...
, the German-Flemish Workers Community.
De Clercq died suddenly in October 1942, and was succeeded by Hendrik Elias
Hendrik Elias
Hendrik Josef Elias was a Belgian politician and Flemish nationalist.-Biography:Elias was a noted academic, holding doctorates in both Law and Philosophy from studies at the Catholic University of Leuven, the University of Paris and the University of Bonn before serving in a number of leading...
, a member of the more moderate side. Elias
Hendrik Elias
Hendrik Josef Elias was a Belgian politician and Flemish nationalist.-Biography:Elias was a noted academic, holding doctorates in both Law and Philosophy from studies at the Catholic University of Leuven, the University of Paris and the University of Bonn before serving in a number of leading...
continued the collaboration but tried to come to terms with the military government to prevent the installation of a civilian government, which would be composed of Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. Elias failed, as Hitler installed the new body and declared the annexation of Flanders
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
by Germany in 1944; seven weeks later, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
had been liberated by the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
. The VNV was outlawed after the liberation of Belgium. Elias had fled to Germany, he was tried after the war an imprisoned until 1959.