Staf Declercq
Staf Declercq | |
---|---|
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Born | |
Died | 22 October 1942 Ghent, Belgium | (aged 58)
Nationality | Belgium |
Occupation | politician |
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.[1] 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 had his body transferred to the cemetery in Asse.
References[]
Bibliography[]
- Belgian Fascism by (Washington University thesis, 1975)
- Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890 edited by Philip Rees (1991, ISBN 0-13-089301-3)
Footnotes[]
- ^ John T. Ishiyama & Marijke Breuning, Ethnopolitics in the New Europe, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1998, p. 112-3
External links[]
- A Short History of Flanders and the Flemish Movement from the Vlaams Blok site.
- Newspaper clippings about Staf Declercq in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW
- 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