Hendrik Jozef Elias (12 June 1902 – 2 February 1973) was a

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

politician and

Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...

nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...

, notable as the leader of the

Vlaams Nationaal Verbond The (Dutch for "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.

between 1942 and 1944.

Biography

Elias was a noted academic, holding doctorates in both Law and Philosophy from studies at the Catholic University of Leuven, the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

and the

University of Bonn The Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn (german: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn) is a public research university located in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded in its present form as the ( en, Rhine ...

before serving in a number of leading roles in both academia and the law.David Littlejohn, ''

The Patriotic Traitors ''The Patriotic Traitors: A History of Collaboration in German-Occupied Europe, 1940–45'' is a 1972 book by David Littlejohn. It is a history of the Europeans who took part in collaborationism with Nazi Germany. Individual chapters are dev ...

'', London: Heinemann, 1972, p. 173 He began his political career in 1930 as the secretary of the Vlaams Nationale Verbond (

Flemish National Union The ( Dutch for "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.

). He was a member of

Belgian Chamber of People's Representatives The Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: , french: link=no, Chambre des représentants, german: link=no, Abgeordnetenkammer) is one of the two chambers in the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the Senate. It is considered ...

from 1932 until 1944.

Philip Rees Philip Rees (born 1941) is a British writer and librarian formerly in charge of acquisitions at the J. B. Morrell Library, University of York. He has written books on fascism and the extreme right. Works *''Fascism in Britain'' (Harvester Pres ...

, ''

Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890 The ''Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890'' is a reference book by Philip Rees, on leading people in the various far right movements since 1890. It contains entries for what the author regards as "the 500 major figures on the r ...

'' He joined the

(VNV) on its formation in 1933 and soon gained a reputation as a leading moderate in the party, despite expressing a strong personal admiration for

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

. He was appointed Mayor of Ghent after the German invasion, although he continued to oppose plans to incorporate

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...

into

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

, arguing instead for a commonwealth. He became leader of VNV in 1942, following the death of

Staf De Clercq Staf Declercq (16 September 1884 – 22 October 1942) was a Flemish nationalist collaborator, co-founder and leader of the Flemish nationalist Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond (Flemish National League, or VNV). Biography He was born as Jeroom Gustaaf ...

, despite opposition of

Gottlob Berger Gottlob Christian Berger (16 July 1896 – 5 January 1975) was a senior German Nazi official who held the rank of '' SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS'' (lieutenant general) and was the chief of the SS Main Office responsible ...

, who was suspicious of his views on keeping the Flemish distinct from the Germans. Elias sought to stop recruitment to the

Waffen-SS The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...

and disband the

Hitler Youth The Hitler Youth (german: Hitlerjugend , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth organisation of the Nazi Party in Germany. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. ...

. In an effort to accomplish this he encouraged recruitment into the

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

rather than the SS and achieved some success in diverting Flemings away from

Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...

's men. Elias came into competition for support from the Germans with

Jef van de Wiele Fredegardus Jacobus Josephus (Jef) van de Wiele (Deurne, Belgium, 20 July 1903 – Bruges, 4 September 1979) was a Belgian Flemish Nazi politician. During the Nazi occupation of Belgium he became notorious as the leader of the most virulently pro-Na ...

, whose ''DeVlag'' movement was allowed to co-exist in occupied Flanders alongside the VNV. Van de Wiele endorsed full integration of Flanders into Germany, a view not supported by the VNV.Littlejohn, ''

'', p. 174 By April 1943 Elias had become disillusioned with the Nazis as they increasingly backed ''DeVlag'' and he came to argue that Nazism and Flemish

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

were incompatible.Littlejohn, ''

'', p. 175 Despite these private attitudes Elias did not go public with his reservations. In public, he claimed a German victory was needed, supported recruiting for the Eastern Front, defended forced labor service in Germany and requisitions. Towards the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

he came to co-operate more with the Nazis, fearing a communist takeover. Just before the liberation he authorized using the VNV militia in actions against the resistance. He fled to Germany in September 1944 but took no part in the exiled Belgian collaboration movement under van der Wiele. He was arrested by the French and extradited to

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. He was sentenced to death and this sentence was confirmed in appeal. The Belgian government commuted it to life imprisonment. He was released on 24 December 1959 for health reasons. In 1971 he published ''Vijfentwintig Jaar Vlaamse Beweging'', part history of the Flemish nationalist movement, part autobiography .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elias, Hendrik 1902 births 1973 deaths People from Machelen Flemish National Union politicians Members of the Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Mayors of Ghent Flemish activists Belgian collaborators with Nazi Germany People extradited from France People extradited to Belgium Belgian prisoners sentenced to death Prisoners sentenced to death by Belgium Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968) alumni University of Paris alumni University of Bonn alumni Belgian anti-communists Belgian expatriates in Germany Belgian expatriates in France