One of the most prominent figures in the history of World War II is Leon Degrell. 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 who adhered to ultra-right views. He is also known as the leader of the Rexist Party of Belgium that he founded.
The origin and formation of Degrell
Leon Degrell was born on June 15, 1906 in Bouillon. His father was a deputy of the Belgian parliament and an entrepreneur. Leon Degrell received 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 attended lectures on art, political economy, philosophy and archeology. Leon traveled to North and Latin America, and subsequently visited the Middle East and North Africa.
Magazine edition, work as a war correspondent
Degrell already in his youth adhered to extreme right-wing views in politics. He became interested in the ideas of Charles Morras, a French publicist and poet who advocated for the monarchy, Christian values and social order. In 1930, Leon began to publish the King Christ magazine, which had a conservatively Catholic focus. In the years 1933-34. he went to Mexico, where he watched the civil war as a war correspondent. Degrell became even more firmly established in his political views after the defeat inflicted upon the Catholic Church by the revolutionary government.
Founding of the Party of Rexists
Returning to Belgium, Leon, along with his like-minded people, founded the fascist party called the Popular Front. This name, however, did not take root. Contemporaries called the Degrell movement the Party of Rexists. In modern literature, this name is also accepted. The Rexist Party, led by Degrell, proposed creating 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. Rexists did not call for an open dictatorship in Belgium, although Degrell repeatedly criticized the institution of parliamentarism, which he considered empty politics.
Party popularity
The Rexist party initially had some support, especially in the agrarian regions of Wallonia (in Flemish, another Belgian region, an ultra-right party already existed). In the May 24, 1936 parliamentary elections, she received 11.5% of the vote, taking 4th place. The party gave way to Catholics, Social Democrats and liberals. However, Degrell soon came under the strong ideological influence of Nazi Germany. The party he founded transformed from a fascist party to a national socialist one. A number of Germanophilic and anti-Semitic attitudes were added to the party program. However, the broad strata of the Belgians did not approve of them. Large parties of the country, from conservatives to communists, united against the Rexists. The activity was also condemned by the Catholic Church of Belgium. Gradually, the popularity of the party began to decline. In the 1939 parliamentary elections, the Rexists gained only about 4.5% of the vote.
The arrest and release of Degrell
Degrell, after the outbreak of World War II, supported the decision taken by King Leopold III on the neutrality of the state. However, Leon soon approved of the foreign policy pursued by Nazi Germany. He stated that Belgium should become part of the Third Reich. Degrell and some of his associates, with the outbreak of hostilities of the Germans against Belgium, were arrested by the police and sent to France. But France was defeated in June 1940. She was occupied by German troops. Leon Degrell was free.
After his release, Leon began to conduct active political activity. Degrell became one of the main ideologists of collaboration. He justified cooperation with Germany by the need to create a national socialist order in Europe, as well as the struggle against communist ideology and the USSR.
Formation of the Walloon Corps, first awards and titles
After the outbreak of World War II, Leon became one of the initiators of the formation of the Walloon Volunteer Corps as part of the SS. By the way, he decided to fight as a private in this corps, although the Germans offered Degrell 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 promoted to chief sergeant major, and also received the Iron Cross of the second class, his first award. The Walloon Corps in the summer of 1942 participated in Wehrmacht operations carried out in southern Russia. Leon received several more medals and became a lieutenant.
The authority of Degrell and his new achievements
Leon enjoyed great authority among the political and military leadership of the Third Reich. Hitler himself considered him the only Belgian acceptable to the Germans who needed to be supported. Degrell in 1944 abandoned the idea of Belgium joining Germany. He advocated the founding of "Great Burgundy", consisting of Wallonia and the northern regions of France.
The Walloon Volunteer Corps was transferred to the SS troops on June 1, 1943. He became known as the Walloon Assault Brigade. Leon Degrell, Hitler's favorite, was promoted to senior lieutenant (Obersturmfuhrer). In fact, he became deputy Lucien Lipper, commander of the brigade.
Wallonia in November 1943 went to Dnepropetrovsk, where it became part of the SS Viking division. At that time, fierce battles were fought on this sector of the front. Leon showed extraordinary courage in these battles. Soon he received a bronze Badge for melee, as well as the rank of captain (Hauptsturmführer).
Exit from Cherkasy boiler
In January-February 1944, Wallonia, together with other parts of the SS and the Wehrmacht, ended up in the Cherkassky cauldron. This happened during the Korsun-Shevchenko offensive operation of the USSR troops. During fierce battles, many brigade fighters died surrounded, including Lipper, her commander. On February 14, Degrell began to perform his duties. It was he who led the brigade when the Germans broke through the encirclement. His fighters were assigned a key role during this operation - they covered the troops. After leaving the encirclement, only 632 troops remained in the brigade. Leon was seriously injured, but he continued to lead the unit. Adolf Hitler was delighted with his actions. He declared Degrell the main creator of the exit from the boiler. The head of the Third Reich February 20, 1944 personally awarded Leon the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Creation of a collaborative government
Degrell received the rank of Major (Sturmbanfuhrer) on April 20 of the same year. In August and September, Leon led the brigade during the fighting in the Baltic states. For his actions, he received several more medals and orders. At the end of 1944, Degrell became the head of the collaboration government created in Belgium. Its formation was a propaganda act, since British-American troops had liberated the entire territory of Belgium by that time.
The defeat of the Walloon, the flight of Degrell
“Wallonia”, which became a full-fledged SS division, from January 1945 participated in heavy battles in Pomerania. Degrell, who by that time had become a colonel (standartenfuhrer) of the SS, at the end of March was again forced to organize a way out of his entourage. The remains of the Walloon 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 (brigade defender). This appointment made by Himmler was formally invalid, since Hitler had removed Himmler from all posts by that time and personally expelled him from the party. Leon fled to Norway, after which he flew to San Sebastian (Spain). When landing, Degrell was in a plane crash (pictured below), but managed to survive. The leader of Rexism succeeded in transferring his family to Spain using fake documents (wife, four daughters and a son).
How Degrell escaped the death penalty
The Belgian authorities, with the support of the allies, began to seek the extradition from Spain. A Belgian court sentenced Degrell to death in absentia in December 1945 (for high treason). Subsequently, Leon unsuccessfully appealed to the judicial authorities 12 times. He invited them to conduct a second trial with the participation of the jury.
However, the authoritarian regime of Franco, established at that time in Spain, refused to extradite Degrell. Authorities motivated their refusal by concern about the state of health of Leon, who recently survived a plane crash. After some time, the Spaniards arranged for Degrella to escape to Argentina.
Pursuit of the Leon family
Leon's family was persecuted in post-war Belgium. His parents, who were not at all interested in politics, died in captivity in 1947. Degrell's wife was sentenced to 6 years. Six of his children were sent out across Europe with changed names. Degrell later managed to find them and reunite with them.
Degrell's Life in Spain
Leon in 1954 returned to Spain. He became her citizen and took the name Leon Jose de Ramirez-Reina. He founded a construction company with the help of the Spanish authorities. Degrell became a successful businessman. Until his death, he did not experience deprivation. At the same time, Leon continued to pursue journalistic and political activities, still speaking from far-right positions. He justified the policies pursued by Hitler and extolled him as a person. Degrell criticized the socio-political system established in Europe, denied the Holocaust. For this, a Spanish court fined Leon for a large sum. In a 1973 interview with Belgian reporters, Degrell admitted that he regrets that he was not able to realize what was planned. However, he would repeat it all over 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, Degrell remained true to his idea.
Leon Degrell: books
Leon wrote a number of journalistic articles. In addition, several memoirs were created by Leon Degrell. His books have been translated into many languages. Including in Russian. Among the works of this author are Hitler for a Thousand Years, SS Assault Brigade, Hitler’s Esessian Legion and others. One of the most famous books that Leon Degrell wrote is Hitler for a Thousand Years. It analyzes the historical role of Adolf Hitler, as well as National Socialism. For a long time, books were not published in Russia by Leon Degrell.
"The Russian campaign of 1941-1945."
This work was first published abroad as early as 1949. It contains the memoirs of Degrell, commander of the Wallonia division. This book has long remained unknown to the Russian reader, despite the fact that it mainly tells about the war on the Eastern Front. More recently, in 2012, it was translated into Russian. It is clear why Leon Degrell was not popular in the USSR. "The Russian campaign 1941-1945." much better known in Germany. However, this book is currently finding more and more readers in our country. After all, Leon Degrell spoke of the Russians as a great nation. He noted that he was fighting not with them, but with communist ideology. Leon Degrell, whose quotes became popular in our country after the release of his books, is one of the greatest figures of the Second World War. His view of events certainly deserves attention.