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 Declercq in
Everbeek,
East Flanders on 16 September 1884. He was a member of the moderate
Frontpartij, became party leader in 1932, and moved them to the right, converting them into VNV the following year.
[ John T. Ishiyama & ]Marijke Breuning
Marijke Breuning (born 1957) is an American political scientist specializing in foreign poilcy analysis (FPA) and a Professor of Political Science at the University of North Texas. She completed her PhD at the Ohio State University.
Breuning s ...
, ''Ethnopolitics in the New Europe'', Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1998, p. 112-3 In 1936 his new party gained 13.6% of the votes in
Flanders, and 14.7% in 1939.
Welcoming of the
Nazi German occupation, Declercq believed it to constitute a chance for the creation of a ''
Diets state'', an unprecedented (apart from the medieval
Burgundian personal union) Dutch language-based community uniting Flanders, the
Netherlands and even the part of northern France with Flemish dialects (corresponding to
French Flanders). His organization supported the German occupiers in the identification and round-up of
Jews for deportation.
He died in
Ghent and was succeeded by
Hendrik Elias. In 1978 the
Vlaamse Militanten Orde
The Order of Flemish Militants ( nl, Vlaamse Militanten Orde or VMO) – originally the Flemish Militants Organisation (''Vlaamse Militanten Organisatie'') – was a Flanders, Flemish nationalism, nationalist activist group in Belgium defending fa ...
had his body transferred to the cemetery in
Asse
Asse () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. It comprises the towns of Asse proper, Bekkerzeel, Kobbegem, Mollem, Relegem and Zellik. Asse is also situated in the Pajottenland. As of 2020, Asse had a total popula ...
.
References
Bibliography
* ''Belgian Fascism'' by
R. H. Chertok
R. or r. may refer to:
* '' Reign'', the period of time during which an Emperor, king, queen, etc., is ruler.
* '' Rex'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning King
* ''Regina'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning Queen
* or , abbrevi ...
(
Washington University in St. Louis thesis, 1975)
* ''
Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890'' edited by
Philip Rees (1991, )
Footnotes
External links
''A Short History of Flanders and the Flemish Movement''from the
Vlaams Blok site.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Declercq, Staf
20th-century Belgian criminals
1884 births
1942 deaths
People from Brakel
Flemish National Union politicians
Members of the Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)
Belgian collaborators with Nazi Germany
Holocaust perpetrators in Belgium