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{{Infobox political party {{Infobox political party
| colorcode = #FF7E00 | colorcode = {{party color|Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond}}
| name = Flemish National Union | name = Flemish National Union
| native_name = Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond | native_name = Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond
| logo = ] | logo = ]
| leader = ] (1933 – 1942)<br/>] (1942 – 1944) | leader = ] (until 1942)<br />] (from 1942)
| founders = {{list collapsed|
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
⚫ }}
| foundation = 8 October 1933 | foundation = 8 October 1933
| dissolution = 2 September 1944 | dissolution = 2 September 1944
| predecessor = '']'' | predecessor = '']''
| headquarters = ], ] | headquarters = ], ]
| slogan = "Authority, discipline, and Dietsland" | slogan = "Authority, discipline, and ''Dietsland''"
| newspaper = '']'' | newspaper = '']''
| youth_wing = ''Nationaal-Socialistische Jeugd in Vlaanderen''<ref>Witte, Els; Craeybeckx, Jan; Meynen, Alain (2010). ''Political History of Belgium: From 1830 Onwards.'' Asp / Vubpress / Upa. pp. 203–204. {{ISBN|978-90-5487-517-8}}.</ref>
| wing1_title = Paramilitary wing | wing1_title = {{nowrap|Paramilitary wing}}
| wing1 = ] (1941–43)<br>Diets Militia—Black Brigades | wing1 = {{nowrap|Diets Militia—Black Brigades}}
| ideology = ]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>] (after 1935)
| membership = 25,000 (1939 {{estimation}})<ref>. www.belgiumwwii.be.</ref>
| ideology = ]<br />] (until 1940)<ref>{{Cite web|last=DBNL|title=Maurice de Wilde, België in de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Deel 3 · dbnl|url=https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/wild022belg01_01/wild022belg01_01_0004.php|access-date=2021-07-03|website=DBNL|language=nl}}</ref><br />]<ref>
{{cite book
| editor1-last = Badie
| editor1-first = Bertrand
| editor1-link = Bertrand Badie
| editor2-last = Berg-Schlosser
| editor2-first = Dirk
| editor2-link = Dirk Berg-Schlosser
| editor3-last = Morlino
| editor3-first = Leonardo
| editor3-link = Leonardo Morlino
| title = International Encyclopedia of Political Science
| date = 7 September 2011
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Vn2iCQAAQBAJ
| publisher = SAGE Publications
| publication-date = 2011
| page =
| isbn = 9781483305394
| access-date = 9 September 2020
| quote = ... fascist Italy ... developed a state structure known as the corporate state with the ruling party acting as a mediator between 'corporations' making up the body of the nation. Similar designs were quite popular elsewhere in the 1930s. The most prominent examples were ''Estado Novo'' in Portugal (1932–1968) and Brazil (1937–1945), the Austrian ''Standestaat'' (1933–1938), and authoritarian experiments in Estonia, Romania, and some other countries of East and East-Central Europe,
⚫ }}
</ref><br>]
| position = ]<ref>{{Cite book |first=Els |last=Witte |title=Political History of Belgium, from 1830 onwards |publisher=ASP |year=2009 |page=157}}</ref> | position = ]<ref>{{Cite book |first=Els |last=Witte |title=Political History of Belgium, from 1830 onwards |publisher=ASP |year=2009 |page=157}}</ref>
| affiliation1_title = French-speaking counterpart | affiliation1_title = French-speaking counterpart
| affiliation1 = ]<ref name="Capoccia"/> | affiliation1 = ] (1936–1937)<ref name="Capoccia"/>
⚫ | flag = ]
| colours = {{Color box|#FF7E00|border=darkgray}}{{Color box|#FFFFFF|border=darkgray}}{{Color box|#1935D0|border=darkgray}}
⚫ | flag = ]
| country = Belgium | country = Belgium
}} }}


The '''Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond''' (] for "Flemish National Union" or "Flemish National League"), widely known by its acronym '''VNV''', was a ] political party active in ] between 1933 and 1945.<ref name="Ugent">. University of Ghent, 2010, Master thesis history</ref> It became the leading force of ] in ] during the ] in ]. ] by inclination, the party advocated the creation of a "]" (''Dietsland'') combining Flanders and the ]. The '''{{Lang|nl|Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond|italic=no}}''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈvlaːms nɑ(t)ɕoːˈnaːl vɛrˈbɔnt}}, "Flemish National Union" or "Flemish National League"), widely known by its acronym '''VNV''', was a ] political party active in ] between 1933 and 1945.<ref name="Ugent">. University of Ghent, 2010, Master thesis history</ref> It became the leading force of ] in ] during the ] in ]. ] by inclination, the party advocated the creation of a "]" (''Dietsland'') combining Flanders and the ].


==Origins== ==Origins==
The Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond (VNV) was founded on 8 October 1933. Its origins were in the long-established ], a moderate ] which was taken over by ] and moved to the right in 1932.<ref>Ishiyama and Brening, p. 1123</ref> From the start, the VNV was clearly authoritarian and anti-democratic, being influenced by ] ideas from elsewhere in Europe.<ref name=BWWII>B. De Wever, at Belgium-WWII</ref> However, it initially included both moderate and radical wings and was not a genuinely fascist organisation ''per se''.<ref name="Payne424">{{Cite book |first=Stanley G. |last=Payne |title=A History of Fascism, 1914–1945 |publisher=University of Wisconsin Press |year=1995 |page=424}}</ref> Ideologically, the party rejected Belgium and supported the creation of a new polity known as the ] (''Dietsland''), through the fusion of Belgian Flanders and the Netherlands, which would be linguistically and ethnically homogeneous. The party's slogan was: "Authority, discipline, ''Dietsland''". The {{Lang|nl|Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond|italic=no}} (VNV) was founded on 8 October 1933. Its origins were in the long-established ], a moderate ] which was taken over by ] and moved to the right in 1932.<ref>Ishiyama and Brening, p. 1123</ref> From the start, the VNV was authoritarian and anti-democratic, being influenced by ] ideas from elsewhere in Europe.<ref name=BWWII>B. De Wever, at Belgium-WWII</ref> However, it initially included both moderate and radical wings. It was not a genuinely fascist organisation ''per se''.<ref name="Payne424">{{Cite book |first=Stanley G. |last=Payne |title=A History of Fascism, 1914–1945 |publisher=University of Wisconsin Press |year=1995 |page=424}}</ref> Ideologically, the party rejected Belgium and supported the creation of a new polity known as the ] (''Dietsland''), through the fusion of Belgian Flanders and the Netherlands, which would be linguistically and ethnically homogeneous. The party's slogan was: "Authority, discipline, ''Dietsland''".


It shared many ideological elements with ], a rival party which had been founded two years earlier, but was slightly less radical. Unlike Verdinaso, the VNV took part in elections and also included a relatively moderate wing.<ref name="WorldFasc_86"/> Initially, it also differed from Verdinaso in not being an ] movement, but it increasingly embraced anti-Semitic elements after 1935, out of political calculation rather than ideological conviction.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Aristotle |last=Kallis |title=Genocide and Fascism: The Eliminationist Drive in Fascist Europe |publisher=Routledge |year=2009 |page=278}}</ref> It shared many ideological elements with ], a rival party founded two years earlier but slightly less radical. Unlike Verdinaso, the VNV took part in elections and included a relatively moderate wing.<ref name="WorldFasc_86"/> Initially, it also differed from Verdinaso in not being an ] movement. Still, it increasingly embraced anti-Semitic elements after 1935, out of political calculation rather than ideological conviction.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Aristotle |last=Kallis |title=Genocide and Fascism: The Eliminationist Drive in Fascist Europe |publisher=Routledge |year=2009 |page=278}}</ref>


In the ] the VNV received 13.6% of the Flemish vote, corresponding to 7.1% nationwide. After the election, in which the far-right nationalist and Catholic ] also performed strongly, the two parties concluded an alliance, intended to create a ] Belgian state with great autonomy for Flanders. The VNV revoked this agreement after just one year.<ref name="Capoccia">{{Cite book |first=Giovanni |last=Capoccia |author-link=Giovanni Capoccia |title=Defending Democracy: Reactions to Extremism in Interwar Europe |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |year=2005 |page=114}}</ref> In the ], the VNV moderately increased its share of the Flemish vote to 15% (8.4% nationally) while the Rexist vote collapsed.<ref name="WorldFasc_86">{{Cite encyclopedia |first=Bruno |last=De Wever |chapter=Belgium |encyclopedia=World Fascism: A Historical Encyclopedia |volume=1 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2006 |page=86}}</ref> In the ], the VNV received 13.6% of the Flemish vote, corresponding to 7.1% nationwide. After the election, in which the far-right nationalist and Catholic ] also performed strongly, the two parties concluded an alliance intended to create a ] Belgian state with great autonomy for Flanders. The VNV revoked this agreement after just one year.<ref name="Capoccia">{{Cite book |first=Giovanni |last=Capoccia |author-link=Giovanni Capoccia |title=Defending Democracy: Reactions to Extremism in Interwar Europe |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |year=2005 |page=114}}</ref> In the ], the VNV moderately increased its share of the Flemish vote to 15% (8.4% nationally) while the Rexist vote collapsed.<ref name="WorldFasc_86">{{Cite encyclopedia |first=Bruno |last=De Wever |chapter=Belgium |encyclopedia=World Fascism: A Historical Encyclopedia |volume=1 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2006 |page=86}}</ref>


Despite cooperating with the Flemish section of the mainstream centre-right ] on the local level, De Clercq realised that his movement would not be able to take power by democratic means. Instead, he initiated contacts with ], hoping that his project could be realised with German help. He contacted the ], Germany's military intelligence service, informing them that a part of the Belgian military supported his movement and could be controlled by him in case of Germany declaring war. The Belgian state security gained knowledge of these contacts and arrested some VNV supporters.<ref name="WorldFasc_86"/> Despite cooperating with the Flemish section of the mainstream centre-right ] on the local level, De Clercq realised that his movement would not be able to take power by democratic means. Instead, he contacted ], hoping his project could be realised with German help. He contacted the ], Germany's military intelligence service, informing them that a part of the Belgian military supported his movement and could be controlled by him if Germany declared war. The Belgian state security gained knowledge of these contacts and arrested some VNV supporters.<ref name="WorldFasc_86"/>


==Collaboration== ==Collaboration==
] who lead the VNV after De Clercq's death, pictured in 1942]] ] who led the VNV after Staf Declercq's death, pictured in 1942]]
When Nazi Germany invaded Belgium in 1940, De Clercq immediately chose to orient the VNV towards ], despite his previous declarations that he would not do so. ] did not install a civilian government (as in the Netherlands), but instead installed a ] headed by General ] of the ]. This, along with the departure of ] and ] to form the ],<ref>{{Cite book |author=Rees |year=1991 |title=Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right |page=179}}</ref> led the VNV out of focus, forcing it to intensify its collaboration in order to gain influence. Hitler and SS-leader ] made profit from the situation, and increased competition between various groups by founding some more extreme collaborationist groups like the ] and ] ("German-Flemish Working Group"). Nevertheless, VNV politicians were given the mayor's office in several Flemish towns. VNV-led local administrations participated in the organisation of the deportation of ] to Eastern Europe as part of ]. They willingly implemented Nazi policies like the obligation of Jews to wear the ]. VNV activists played a leading role in the anti-Jewish ] of April 1941.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Aristotle |last=Kallis |title=Genocide and Fascism: The Eliminationist Drive in Fascist Europe |publisher=Routledge |year=2009 |page=280}}</ref> When Nazi Germany invaded Belgium in 1940, De Clercq immediately chose to orient the VNV towards ], despite his previous declarations that he would not do so. ] did not install a civilian government (as in the Netherlands), but instead installed a ] headed by General ] of the ]. This, along with the departure of ] and ] to form the ],<ref>{{Cite book |author=Rees |year=1991 |title=Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right |page=179}}</ref> led the VNV out of focus, forcing it to intensify its collaboration to gain influence. Hitler and SS leader ] profited from the situation and increased competition between various groups by founding some more extreme collaborationist groups like the ] and ] ("German-Flemish Working Group"). Nevertheless, VNV politicians were given the mayor's office in several Flemish towns. VNV-led local administrations participated in the organisation of the deportation of ] to Eastern Europe as part of ]. They willingly implemented Nazi policies like the obligation of Jews to wear the ]. VNV activists led in the ] of April 1941.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Aristotle |last=Kallis |title=Genocide and Fascism: The Eliminationist Drive in Fascist Europe |publisher=Routledge |year=2009 |page=280}}</ref>


De Clercq died suddenly in October 1942, and was succeeded by ], 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 was liberated by the ]. The VNV was outlawed after the liberation of Belgium. Elias fled to Germany, but was tried after the war and imprisoned until 1959. Declercq died suddenly in October 1942 and was succeeded by ], a member of the more moderate side. Elias continued collaborating with the Nazis but tried to come to terms with the military government to prevent the installation of a civilian government 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 was liberated by the ]. The VNV was outlawed after the liberation of Belgium. Elias fled to Germany but was tried after the war and imprisoned until 1959.


==Electoral performance== ==Electoral performance==
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|166,737 |166,737
|7.06 |7.06
|{{Composition bar|16|202|hex={{Catholic People's Party/meta/color}}}} |{{Composition bar|16|202|{{party color|Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond}}}}
|{{increase}} 16 |{{increase}} 16
|{{increase}} 5th |{{increase}} 5th
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|164,253 |164,253
|8.40 |8.40
|{{Composition bar|17|202|hex={{Catholic People's Party/meta/color}}}} |{{Composition bar|17|202|{{party color|Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond}}}}
|{{increase}} 1 |{{increase}} 1
|{{increase}} 4th |{{increase}} 4th
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] ]
] ]
⚫ ]
]
] ]
⚫ ]

Latest revision as of 20:09, 6 December 2024

Political party in Belgium
Flemish National Union Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond
[REDACTED]
LeaderStaf De Clercq (until 1942)
Hendrik Elias (from 1942)
Founded8 October 1933
Dissolved2 September 1944
Preceded byFrontpartij
HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
NewspaperVolk en Staat
Youth wingNationaal-Socialistische Jeugd in Vlaanderen
Paramilitary wingDiets Militia—Black Brigades
Membership25,000 (1939 est.)
IdeologyFlemish nationalism
Greater Netherlands (until 1940)
Corporate statism
Right-wing populism
Political positionFar-right
French-speaking counterpartRexist Party (1936–1937)
Slogan"Authority, discipline, and Dietsland"
Party flag

The Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈvlaːms nɑ(t)ɕoːˈnaːl vɛrˈbɔnt], "Flemish National Union" or "Flemish National League"), widely known by its acronym VNV, was a Flemish nationalist political party active in Belgium between 1933 and 1945. It became the leading force of political collaboration in Flanders during the German occupation of Belgium in World War II. Authoritarian by inclination, the party advocated the creation of a "Greater Netherlands" (Dietsland) combining Flanders and the Netherlands.

Origins

The Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond (VNV) was founded on 8 October 1933. Its origins were in the long-established Frontpartij, a moderate Flemish patriotic party which was taken over by Staf Declercq and moved to the right in 1932. From the start, the VNV was authoritarian and anti-democratic, being influenced by fascist ideas from elsewhere in Europe. However, it initially included both moderate and radical wings. It was not a genuinely fascist organisation per se. Ideologically, the party rejected Belgium and supported the creation of a new polity known as the Greater Netherlands (Dietsland), through the fusion of Belgian Flanders and the Netherlands, which would be linguistically and ethnically homogeneous. The party's slogan was: "Authority, discipline, Dietsland".

It shared many ideological elements with Verdinaso, a rival party founded two years earlier but slightly less radical. Unlike Verdinaso, the VNV took part in elections and included a relatively moderate wing. Initially, it also differed from Verdinaso in not being an anti-Semitic movement. Still, it increasingly embraced anti-Semitic elements after 1935, out of political calculation rather than ideological conviction.

In the 1936 Belgian general election, the VNV received 13.6% of the Flemish vote, corresponding to 7.1% nationwide. After the election, in which the far-right nationalist and Catholic Rexist Party also performed strongly, the two parties concluded an alliance intended to create a corporatist Belgian state with great autonomy for Flanders. The VNV revoked this agreement after just one year. In the 1939 elections, the VNV moderately increased its share of the Flemish vote to 15% (8.4% nationally) while the Rexist vote collapsed.

Despite cooperating with the Flemish section of the mainstream centre-right Catholic Party on the local level, De Clercq realised that his movement would not be able to take power by democratic means. Instead, he contacted Nazi Germany, hoping his project could be realised with German help. He contacted the Abwehr, Germany's military intelligence service, informing them that a part of the Belgian military supported his movement and could be controlled by him if Germany declared war. The Belgian state security gained knowledge of these contacts and arrested some VNV supporters.

Collaboration

Hendrik Elias who led the VNV after Staf Declercq's death, pictured in 1942

When Nazi Germany invaded Belgium in 1940, De Clercq immediately chose to orient the VNV towards collaborationism, despite his previous declarations that he would not do so. Adolf Hitler did not install a civilian government (as in the Netherlands), but instead installed a military administration headed by General 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 to gain influence. Hitler and SS leader Heinrich Himmler profited 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 ("German-Flemish Working Group"). Nevertheless, VNV politicians were given the mayor's office in several Flemish towns. VNV-led local administrations participated in the organisation of the deportation of Belgian Jews to Eastern Europe as part of the Holocaust in Belgium. They willingly implemented Nazi policies like the obligation of Jews to wear the yellow badge. VNV activists led in the Antwerp pogrom of April 1941.

Declercq died suddenly in October 1942 and was succeeded by Hendrik Elias, a member of the more moderate side. Elias continued collaborating with the Nazis but tried to come to terms with the military government to prevent the installation of a civilian government 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 was liberated by the Allies. The VNV was outlawed after the liberation of Belgium. Elias fled to Germany but was tried after the war and imprisoned until 1959.

Electoral performance

Election Votes Seats Position Government
# % # ±
1936 166,737 7.06 16 / 202 Increase 16 Increase 5th
1939 164,253 8.40 17 / 202 Increase 1 Increase 4th

Footnotes

  1. Witte, Els; Craeybeckx, Jan; Meynen, Alain (2010). Political History of Belgium: From 1830 Onwards. Asp / Vubpress / Upa. pp. 203–204. ISBN 978-90-5487-517-8.
  2. VLAAMS NATIONAAL VERBOND (VNV). www.belgiumwwii.be.
  3. DBNL. "Maurice de Wilde, België in de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Deel 3 · dbnl". DBNL (in Dutch). Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  4. Badie, Bertrand; Berg-Schlosser, Dirk; Morlino, Leonardo, eds. (7 September 2011). International Encyclopedia of Political Science. SAGE Publications (published 2011). ISBN 9781483305394. Retrieved 9 September 2020. ... fascist Italy ... developed a state structure known as the corporate state with the ruling party acting as a mediator between 'corporations' making up the body of the nation. Similar designs were quite popular elsewhere in the 1930s. The most prominent examples were Estado Novo in Portugal (1932–1968) and Brazil (1937–1945), the Austrian Standestaat (1933–1938), and authoritarian experiments in Estonia, Romania, and some other countries of East and East-Central Europe,
  5. Witte, Els (2009). Political History of Belgium, from 1830 onwards. ASP. p. 157.
  6. ^ Capoccia, Giovanni (2005). Defending Democracy: Reactions to Extremism in Interwar Europe. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 114.
  7. Kinderen van de collaboratie. Ervaringen en getuigenissen van nakomelingen van collaborateurs in de Tweede Wereldoorlog. University of Ghent, 2010, Master thesis history
  8. Ishiyama and Brening, p. 1123
  9. B. De Wever, Vlaams Nationaal Verbond (VNV) at Belgium-WWII
  10. Payne, Stanley G. (1995). A History of Fascism, 1914–1945. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 424.
  11. ^ De Wever, Bruno (2006). "Belgium". World Fascism: A Historical Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 86.
  12. Kallis, Aristotle (2009). Genocide and Fascism: The Eliminationist Drive in Fascist Europe. Routledge. p. 278.
  13. Rees (1991). Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right. p. 179.
  14. Kallis, Aristotle (2009). Genocide and Fascism: The Eliminationist Drive in Fascist Europe. Routledge. p. 280.

References

External links

Fascism in Belgium to 1945
Political parties and collaborationist groups
People
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