Wouter Lutkie
Encyclopedia
Wouterus Leonardus Lutkie ('s-Hertogenbosch, February 23, 1887 - Nuland
, January 23, 1968) was a Dutch
Catholic
priest and fascist.
Lutkie came from a wealthy business family and initially was influenced by the idealism
of Ernest Hello
and Léon Bloy
. However he soon became more interested in nationalism
and combining it with his fervent Catholicism. He was ordained in 1919 but never completed his studies and, following a clash with his bishop over articles he published in the rightist journal Vreugde, he was set up in Nuland where he spent the rest of his life.
Initially a supporter of Charles Maurras
, Lutkie became drawn to Benito Mussolini
and travelled to Italy
in 1924, which increased his zeal. Writing for a number of fascist journals, he also set up his own Aristo in 1930. This lasted until 1943 before reappearing after the war and continuing until 1965. He also translated Mussolini's works into the Dutch language
and conducted and published a series of interviews with the Italian leader. He would also co-operate with Arnold Meijer
and the Black Front
. In all however Lutkie sought to weld traditional Christianity
to fascism's youthful dynamism and he built up a small but fanatical group of followers with the publication of Aristo.
Lutkie had little time for Anton Mussert
and did not support Nazism
and as such his collaboration
during World War II
was minimal. As such he faced no charges after the war, despite an examination, and spent the post-war years in semi-retirement (albeit still publishing Aristo).
Nuland
Nuland is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Maasdonk, about 8 km east of 's-Hertogenbosch....
, January 23, 1968) was a Dutch
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...
Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
priest and fascist.
Lutkie came from a wealthy business family and initially was influenced by the idealism
Idealism
In philosophy, idealism is the family of views which assert that reality, or reality as we can know it, is fundamentally mental, mentally constructed, or otherwise immaterial. Epistemologically, idealism manifests as a skepticism about the possibility of knowing any mind-independent thing...
of Ernest Hello
Ernest Hello
Ernest Hello was a French critic.-Life:He was born at Tréguier, in Brittany. He was the son of a lawyer who held posts of great importance at Rennes and in Paris, and was well educated at both places, but took to no profession and resided much, for a time, in his father's country-house in Brittany...
and Léon Bloy
Léon Bloy
Léon Bloy , was a French novelist, essayist, pamphleteer and poet.-Biography:Bloy was born in Notre-Dame-de-Sanilhac, in the arondissement of Périgueux, Dordogne. He was the second of six sons of Voltairean freethinker and stern disciplinarian Jean Baptiste Bloy and his wife Anne-Marie Carreau,...
. However he soon became more interested in nationalism
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...
and combining it with his fervent Catholicism. He was ordained in 1919 but never completed his studies and, following a clash with his bishop over articles he published in the rightist journal Vreugde, he was set up in Nuland where he spent the rest of his life.
Initially a supporter of Charles Maurras
Charles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras was a French author, poet, and critic. He was a leader and principal thinker of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-parliamentarist, and counter-revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced National Catholicism and "nationalisme...
, Lutkie became drawn to Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
and travelled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1924, which increased his zeal. Writing for a number of fascist journals, he also set up his own Aristo in 1930. This lasted until 1943 before reappearing after the war and continuing until 1965. He also translated Mussolini's works into the Dutch language
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
and conducted and published a series of interviews with the Italian leader. He would also co-operate with Arnold Meijer
Arnold Meijer
Arnoldus Jozephus Meijer was a Dutch fascist politician.Brought up a devout Roman Catholic and educated in a number of seminaries he soon became influenced by Wouter Lutkie, a Catholic priest and fascist...
and the Black Front
Black Front (Netherlands)
The Black Front was a Dutch fascist movement active before the Second World War.The Front grew out of the southern section of the General Dutch Fascist League, with regional organiser Arnold Meijer quarrelling with leader Jan Baars in 1934 and leading his followers out...
. In all however Lutkie sought to weld traditional Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
to fascism's youthful dynamism and he built up a small but fanatical group of followers with the publication of Aristo.
Lutkie had little time for Anton Mussert
Anton Mussert
Anton Adriaan Mussert was one of the founders of the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands and its de jure leader. As such, he was the most prominent national socialist in the Netherlands before and during the Second World War...
and did not support Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and as such his collaboration
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...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was minimal. As such he faced no charges after the war, despite an examination, and spent the post-war years in semi-retirement (albeit still publishing Aristo).