One of the most prominent figures in the history of the SecondWorld War II is Leon Degrelle. Hitler admired him and considered him his only ally in Belgium. Leon played a big role in World War II. For his merits he received many medals and orders. Leon Degrell is a Belgian military leader, a politician with far-right views. He is also known as the leader of the Rexist Party of Belgium founded by him.
The Origin and Education of Degrelle
Leon Degrell was born June 15, 1906in Bouillon. His father was a member of the Belgian Parliament and an entrepreneur. Leon Degrelle received his primary and secondary education at a Jesuit college, then continued his studies at the University of Louvain, at the Faculty of Law. There Degrell also listened to lectures on art, political economy, philosophy and archeology. Leon traveled to North and Latin America, subsequently visiting the Middle East and North Africa.
Edition of the magazine, work as a war correspondent
Degrell already in his youth adhered to the extremeright views in politics. He was fascinated by the ideas of Charles Morras, a French journalist and poet who advocated monarchy, Christian values and social order. In 1930, Leon began to publish the magazine "King Christ", which had a conservative Catholic orientation. In 1933-34 he went to Mexico, where he watched the civil war as a war correspondent. Degrell was even more firmly established in his political views after the defeat inflicted on the Catholic Church by the revolutionary government.
Foundation of the Rexist Party
Returning to Belgium, Leon, along with hislike-minded people founded a fascist party called the Popular Front. This name, however, did not stick. Movement Degrellya contemporaries called the Party of Rexists. In modern literature this name is also accepted. The rexist party, led by Degrelle, proposed the creation of a corporate state based on Catholicism. As an anti-communist, Leon advocated the following social transformations: the elimination of unemployment, state control of the financial sector, and the reduction of inequality in society. The Rexists did not call for the creation of an open dictatorship in Belgium, although Degrelle repeatedly criticized the institution of parliamentarism, which he considered empty politicking.
Party popularity
The rexist party first had a certainsupport, especially the agrarian regions of Wallonia (in the Flemish, another Belgian region, there was already an ultra-right party). In the parliamentary elections held on May 24, 1936, she won 11.5% of the vote, taking the 4th place. The party gave way to Catholics, Social Democrats and liberals. However, Degrell soon found himself under the strong ideological influence of Hitler's Germany. The party founded by him has turned from fascist to national-socialist. A number of Germanophile and anti-Semitic attitudes have been added to the party program. However, broad sections of the Belgians did not approve of them. The country's major parties, from conservatives to communists, united against the rexists. The activities of their condemned as the Catholic Church of Belgium. Gradually, the popularity of the party began to fall. In 1939, in the parliamentary elections, the rexists gained only about 4.5% of the vote.
Degrelle's arrest and release
Degrell after the start of the Second World Warsupported the decision taken by King Leopold III on the neutrality of the state. However, Leon soon approved a foreign policy pursued by Nazi Germany. He stated that Belgium should become part of the Third Reich. Degrell and some of his associates were arrested by the police after the beginning of the Germans ’hostilities against Belgium, and were sent to France by stage. But France in June 1940 was defeated. She was taken by German troops. Leon Degrell was free.
Leon after the release began to lead activepolitical activity. Degrell became one of the main ideologues of collaborationism. He justified his cooperation with Germany with the need to create a national socialist order in Europe, as well as the struggle against the communist ideology and the USSR.
Formation of the Wallonia Corps, first awards and titles
After the outbreak of World War II, Leon became oneof the initiators of the formation of the Wallonia Volunteer Corps as part of the SS. By the way, he decided to fight private in this corps, although the Germans offered Degrelle the rank of lieutenant. The Walloon Corps belonged to Army Group South. Already in the winter of 1941-42. He participated in several major operations, including the crossing of the Dnieper. Leon was soon made an ober-sergeant-major, and also received a second-class Iron Cross, his first award. The Walloon Corps in the summer of 1942 participated in Wehrmacht operations carried out in southern Russia. Leon got a few more medals and became a lieutenant.
Degrelle's authority and his new achievements
Leon enjoyed great prestige amongpolitical and military leadership of the Third Reich. Hitler himself considered him the only Belgian acceptable to the Germans, which must be supported. Degrell in 1944 abandoned the idea of Belgium joining Germany. He advocated the founding of the "Great Burgundy", consisting of Wallonia and the northern regions of France.
Walloon Volunteer Corps June 1, 1943was transferred to the SS troops. He became known as the Wallonia Assault Brigade. Leon Degrell, Hitler's favorite, was promoted to Senior Lieutenant (Obersturmführer). In fact, he became deputy to Lucien Lipper, commander of the brigade.
"Wallonia" in November 1943 went toDnipropetrovsk, where it became part of the Viking SS division. At that time, fierce battles were fought on this sector of the front. Leon showed uncommon courage in these battles. Soon he received the Bronze Badge for the melee, as well as the title of captain (Hauptsturmführer).
Out of the Cherkasy boiler
В январе-феврале 1944 г."Wallonia", along with other parts of the SS and the Wehrmacht, was in the Cherkassy boiler. This happened during the Korsun-Shevchenko offensive operation of the USSR forces. During the period of fierce battles, many fighters of the brigade died in the environment, including Lipper, her commander. On February 14, Degrell performed his duties. It was he who led the brigade when the Germans made a breakthrough encirclement. His fighters were assigned a key role during this operation - they covered the troops. After leaving the encirclement, only 632 servicemen remained in the brigade. Leon was seriously wounded, but he continued to lead the unit. Adolf Hitler was delighted with his actions. He declared Degrelle the main creator of the exit from the boiler. The head of the Third Reich on February 20, 1944 personally awarded Leon the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Creating a collaborationist government
Degrell received the rank of major (Sturmbanführer) 20April of the same year. In August and September, Leon led the brigade during the battles in the Baltic States. For his actions, he received several more medals and orders. At the end of 1944, Degrelle became the head of the Belgian collaborationist government. Its formation was a propaganda act, since British-American troops had by that time liberated the whole territory of Belgium.
The rout of the Wallonians, Degrelle's flight
"Wallonia", which became a full-fledged SS division, withJanuary 1945 participated in heavy battles in Pomerania. Degrell, who by that time had become a colonel (Standarfenführer) SS, was again forced to organize a way out of the encirclement at the end of March. The remains of "Wallonia" at the end of April were transferred to the Western Front. Here they were forced to surrender to the Anglo-American authorities. On May 2, Degrell was promoted to major general (brigadeführer). This appointment, carried out by Himmler, was formally invalid, since by that time Hitler had removed Himmler from all posts and personally expelled him from the party. Leon fled to Norway, after which he flew to San Sebastian (Spain). When landing Degrell got into a plane crash (pictured below), but managed to survive. The leader of rexism was able to transfer his family to Spain (wife, four daughters and son) using fake documents.
How Degrell escaped the death penalty
Власти Бельгии при поддержке союзников начали seek from Spain its issuance. A Belgian court sentenced Degrell in absentia to death in December 1945 (for treason). Subsequently, Leon unsuccessfully 12 times appealed to the judicial authorities. He suggested that they conduct a repeated trial with the participation of a jury.
Однако авторитарный режим Франко, установившийся at the time in Spain, refused to hand over Degrelle. The authorities motivated their refusal with concern for the health of Leon, who had recently experienced a plane crash. After some time, the Spaniards organized Degrellu escape to Argentina.
The persecution of the family of Leon
Leon's family was harassedpost-war Belgium. His parents, who were not at all interested in politics, died in captivity in 1947. Degrelle's wife was sentenced to 6 years. Six of his children were sent across Europe with altered names. Degrell later managed to find them and rejoin them.
Degrell's Life in Spain
Леон в 1954 году возвратился в Испанию.He became its citizen and took the name Leon José de Ramirez-Reina. He founded a construction company with the help of Spanish authorities. Degrell became a successful businessman. Until his death, he was not deprived. At the same time, Leon continued to conduct journalistic and political activities, speaking as before from the extreme right. He justified Hitler’s policies and extolled him as a person. Degrelle criticized the socio-political system established in Europe, denied the Holocaust. For this, the Spanish court fined Leon a large sum. In 1973, in an interview with Belgian journalists, Degrelle confessed that he regretted that he had failed to realize what he had planned. However, he would repeat everything again if he had a second chance.
Leon Degrell, whose biography is presented in the article, died on March 31, 1994 from a heart attack in the Spanish city of Malaga. Until the last hour, Degrelle remained true to his idea.
Leon Degrell: books
Leon has written a number of journalistic articles.In addition, several memoirs created Leon Degrell. His books have been translated into many languages. Including Russian. Among the works of this author - "Hitler for a thousand years," "SS Assault Brigade", "Hitler's Eses Legion," and others. One of the most famous books that Leon Degrelle wrote is "Hitler for a Thousand Years." It analyzed the historical role of Adolf Hitler, as well as national socialism. For a long time no books have been published in Russia, the author of which is Leon Degrell.
"Russian campaign of 1941-1945."
Это произведение впервые было издано за границей back in 1949. It presents the memoirs of Degrell, who commanded the Wallonia division. This book has long been unknown to the Russian reader, despite the fact that it tells mainly about the war on the Eastern Front. Most recently, in 2012, it was translated into Russian. It is clear why Leon Degrell was not popular in the USSR. "Russian campaign of 1941-1945." much better known in Germany. However, currently this book finds more and more readers in our country. After all, Leon Degrell of the Russian said that this is a great nation. He noted that he was fighting not with them, but with the communist ideology. Leon Degrell, whose quotations became popular in our country after the release of his books, is one of the greatest figures of the Second World War. His view on events certainly deserves attention.
