Rexism
From Free net encyclopedia
Rexism was a fascist political movement in the first half of the twentieth century in Belgium.
It was the ideology of the Rexist Party (Parti Rexiste), officially called Christus Rex, founded in 1930 by Léon Degrelle, a Walloon. The name was derived from the Roman Catholic social teachings concerning Christus Rex, and it was also the title of a conservative Catholic journal.
The ideology of Rexism called for the moral renewal of Belgian society in conformity with the teachings of the Church, by forming a corporatist society, and abolishing democracy. The Rexist movement attracted support mostly among the Walloons; it had a counterpart on the Flemish side in the Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond, or VNV. Rexism soon began to ally itself with the interests of Nazi Germany and to incorporate Nazi-style Antisemitism into its platform after Adolf Hitler's rise to power, and got financial support from German interests.
Closely affiliated with Rexism were the Legion Wallonie and Legion Flandern, paramilitary organizations along the lines of the SS. After Operation Barbarossa started, the two Legions sent respectively 25,000 and 15,000 volunteers to fight against the Soviet Union.
Image:Rexvlag.png With the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945, Degrelle took refuge in Francist Spain. He was convicted of treason in Belgium and sentenced to death, but requests to Spain to extradite him were unavailing. Degrelle died in Málaga in 1994.
The Belgian comic-book author Hergé of Tintin's fame has been accused of collaborating with Rexism, however little evidence is forthcoming. In fact, some claim that much of his 1930s work contained anti-fascist undertones.
References
- The Patriotic Traitors: A History of Collaboration in German-occupied Europe, 1940-45 by David Littlejohn (ISBN 043442725X)
- Wallonien: The History of the 5th SS-Sturmbrigade and 28th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division by Richard Landwehr, Ray Merriam, and Jean-Louis Roba (ISBN 1576380882)de:Rexisten