Volksraad Vlaanderen 1945

[Halfdan S.]

Hi,

can anyone help me with the members of the flemish "government" in Germany in the spring of 1945 - the so called "Volksraad Vlaanderen" under Jef van de Wiele?

Best
Halfdan S.

[-Michael]

A Flemish government in exile was formed between September 1944 till the end of the war. Dr. J. Van de Wiele was unofficially/officially appointed as head of this future government. This government in exile was named Landsleiding Vlaanderen. The Landsleiding tackled existing issues and the futures issues. One existing issue was the care for the Flemish evacuees and labourers in the German Reich. For the futures issues study groups where created inside the Landsleiding. There where study groups for art and educational matters under Prof. Dr. R. Van Roosbroeck, technical matters under J. Haesaerts, social matters under E. Delvo and financial matters under Dr. G. Van Bergen. There were also groups for management (Dr. R. Lagrou), justice (Dr. S. Verdoodt), police (R. Verbelen), propaganda (P. Le Roy) labor service (R. Van Thillo), youth care (R. Van Hulse) and healthcare (Dr. H. Gravez).
There was also a counsel, consisted of Dr. C. Verschaeve, Dr. A. Borms and Dr. A. Jacobs.

[-Michael]

Another issue for the Landsleider, Dr. J. Van de Wiele was the recruitment for the SS-Volksgrenadierdivisie Vlaanderen (SS-Division Langemarck) among the Flemish evacuees and the labourers.
Dr. J. Van de Wiele was also SS-Obersturmbannführer and head of the Abteilung VI within the Divisionsstab. Because he lacked military knowledge, SS-Obersturmführer T. Van Dyck assisted him as his adjutant.

[Halfdan S.]

Thanks Michal,

what was the Landsleiding and what was the Volksraad?

Regards
Halfdan S.

[-Michael]

I thought I was clear.
Landsleiding can be translated into English as government.
Volksraad can be translated into English as people's counsel.
Like I told you, there was a counsel of three within the Landsleiding, that consisted of Dr. Verschaeve, Dr. Jacobs and Dr. Borms.
What is the context in which the word Volksraad was mentioned? What is your source? And why the are you interested?

[Halfdan S.]

A Flemish government in exile was formed between September 1944 till the end of the war. Dr. J. Van de Wiele was unofficially/officially appointed as head of this future government. This government in exile was named Landsleiding Vlaanderen...
There was also a counsel ...

Thanks for your answer, but I asked because it wasn't all clear to me - but I take from your answer that the council existed within the Landsleiding.

My source is Franz W. Seidler: Die Kollaboration 1939-1945, p. 551 (the entry on van de Wiele): (in German) "… lies er sich in Schloss Waldeck-Pyrmont nieder, wo er mit dem Titel "Landsleider van Vlaanderen" aus seinen Mitarbeitern den "Volksraad Vlaanderen" als flämische Landesregierung zusammenstellte".
There are in Seidler's book also entries on Borms, Delvo, Lagrou …

I asked because I realized that in all similar (exile-)governments there were officers of the SS (in Norway Riisnæs (not exile-g., off course), in Estonia Bangerskis, in France Darnand etc.) - I was just trying to understand the influence of the SS.

I also understand that there was a similar government made up by Wallons (under Degrelle? or wasn't he at the front?) - would you have similar information on this government?

Regards
Halfdan S.

[-Michael]

In this book Volksraad Vlaanderen is probably a mistake, it has to be Landsleiding Vlaanderen. The name Landsleiding Vlaanderen is the official name of the government in exile, used in the Flemish press published in the German Reich.
Other members of the Landsleiding, besides Dr. Van de Wiele held ranks in the SS.

Dr. iur. Lagrou (Interior) held the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer in the Germanische-SS and until 1942 he held the rank of SS-Rottenführer in the Waffen-SS; Verbelen (Police) held the rank of SS-Obersturmführer in the Germanische-SS, during the occupation he was active in the fight against terrorism, he held of function of Stafleider of the DeVlag; Van Hulse (Youth) held the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer in the Germanische-SS and of SS-Oberscharführer in the Waffen-SS, during the occupation he was so called inspector of the Hitler-Jugend Vlaanderen; Prof. Dr. Van Roosbroeck (Art and Education) held the rank of SS-Untersturmführer in the Germanische-SS. Dr. med. Gravez (Healthcare) volunteered for the Waffen-SS, while he was a member of the Landsleiding. He became SS-Obersturmführer and Bataillonsarzt of the SS-Freiwilligen-Bataillon Hitler-Jugend Vlaanderen.
It could be that some of these SS-officials where later on promoted, but it’s very difficult to find any evidence of this.
Dr. Van de Wiele and Degrelle where both given the assignment to work out a notion for a Reichsland Flandern and a Reichsland Wallonien (next to the Gaue and Reichsgaue), but I don’t think Degrelle didn’t invest much time and effort in creating the lines for a government like Van de Wiele did.

[Halfdan S.]

Thank you, Michael, very informative.

Regards
Halfdan S.