Ward Hermans
Encyclopedia
Cornelius Eduardus Hermans (born 6 February 1897 in Turnhout - died 23 November 1992 in Deurne) was a Belgian
Flemish nationalist
politician and writer.
Hermans saw service with the Belgian Army
during the First World War before becoming involved in politics as a member of the nationalist Frontpartij
. He served this party in the Belgian parliament from 1929 to 1932. He quit the Frontpartij in 1933 to join Verdinaso
and soon became known for his pro-Nazi Germany
stance in journals such as De Schelde, Volk en Staat and Strijd. His membership came to an end the following year when he argued with Joris van Severen
and so left the group to join the Flemish National Union
. Serving as an arrondissement
leader for the group from 1935 to 1940, he also returned to parliament as a VNV representative from 1939 to 1944.
Given his disposition towards Nazism
Hermans became an enthusiastic collaborator after the invasion. Along with René Lagrou
, he was the founder of the Algemeene-SS Vlaanderen
, the Flemish SS, in 1940. Having left his official engagements with VNV in October 1940 to concentrate on this assignment he also edited the new movement's journal SS-Man. In the later years of the war Hermans went to Germany
to broadcast propaganda
over the radio in Bremen
.
Hermans was sentenced to death in absentia
after the Second World War but he was not arrested until his capture in Germany in November 1946. He was returned to Belgium where his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and he was freed in 1955. He largely remained aloof from political involvement following his release, apart from a spell in the Vlaamse Militanten Orde
during the 1970s.
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...
Flemish nationalist
Flemish movement
The Flemish Movement is a popular term used to describe the political movement for emancipation and greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language, and for the over-all protection of Flemish culture and history....
politician and writer.
Hermans saw service with the Belgian Army
Belgian Army
The Land Component is organised using the concept of capacities, whereby units are gathered together according to their function and material. Within this framework, there are five capacities: the command capacity, the combat capacity, the support capacity, the services capacity and the training...
during the First World War before becoming involved in politics as a member of the nationalist Frontpartij
Frontpartij
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...
. He served this party in the Belgian parliament from 1929 to 1932. He quit the Frontpartij in 1933 to join Verdinaso
Verdinaso
The Verdinaso was an authoritarian and fascist-inspired political party in Belgium and the Netherlands during the 1930s...
and soon became known for his pro-Nazi Germany
Nazi 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...
stance in journals such as De Schelde, Volk en Staat and Strijd. His membership came to an end the following year when he argued with Joris van Severen
Joris Van Severen
Joris Van Severen was a Belgian nationalist politician, ideologist and leader of the national-solidarist Verdinaso.-Early years:...
and so left the group to join the Flemish National Union
Flemish National Union
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 .-Creation:...
. Serving as an arrondissement
Arrondissement
Arrondissement is any of various administrative divisions of France, certain other Francophone countries, and the Netherlands.-France:The 101 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The capital of an arrondissement is called a...
leader for the group from 1935 to 1940, he also returned to parliament as a VNV representative from 1939 to 1944.
Given his disposition towards Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
Hermans became an enthusiastic collaborator after the invasion. Along with 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....
, he was the founder of 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:...
, the Flemish SS, in 1940. Having left his official engagements with VNV in October 1940 to concentrate on this assignment he also edited the new movement's journal SS-Man. In the later years of the war Hermans went to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to broadcast propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
over the radio in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
.
Hermans was sentenced to death in absentia
Death in absentia
Death in absentia is a legal declaration that a person is deceased in the absence of remains attributable to that person...
after the Second World War but he was not arrested until his capture in Germany in November 1946. He was returned to Belgium where his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and he was freed in 1955. He largely remained aloof from political involvement following his release, apart from a spell in the Vlaamse Militanten Orde
Vlaamse Militanten Orde
The Vlaamse Militanten Orde or VMO – originally Vlaamse Militanten Organisatie – was a Flemish nationalist activist group in Belgium defending far-right interests by propaganda and political action...
during the 1970s.