'German racialism has been deliberately distorted. It never was an anti-"other race" racialism. It was a pro-German racialism. It was concerned with making the German race strong and healthy in every way. Hitler was not interested in having millions of degenerates, if it was in his power not to have them. Today one finds rampant alcohol and drug addiction everywhere. Hitler cared that the German families be healthy, cared that they raise healthy children for the renewal of a healthy nation. German racialism meant re-discovering the creative values of their own race, re-discovering their culture. It was a search for excellence, a noble idea. National Socialist racialism was not against other races, it was for its own race. It aimed at defending and improving its race, and wished that all other races did the same for themselves.' -Léon Degelle
[Below: Léon Degrelle, circa 1928.]
[Below: Léon Degrelle.]
[Below: Belgian nationalist group the Rexist Party is seen here on parade in Brussels in 1942.]
[Below: The Rexist Party.]
[Below: Léon Degrelle speaking to his Rexist party.]
[Below: A young Degrelle speaking to his Rexist party.]
[Below: Léon Degrelle and Fernand Rouleau leaving the Palais des Arts at Brussels. Behind Degrelle is Victor Matthys, the freshly appointed chief deputy of the Rexist Movement.]
[Below: A young and handsome Degrelle.]
[Below: Degrelle in Rexist party uniform and German officers.]
[Below: Rexist newspaper, 1943.]
[Below: Léon Degrelle leaving the recruiting office for the Wallonian Legion in the summer of 1941. When Germany and the Axis attacked communist Russia on June 22, 1941 over 1000 Walloons volunteered immediately, among them Degrelle himself. Since Degrelle was an important political leader in Belgium the Germans offered him a leadership role in the Walloon volunteer force. Modestly, he declined, replying that he couldn't take the commission in good conscience since he had no military training, and that he would prefer to first gain experience in the ranks. That he did, becoming one of the most beloved and capable leaders in WWII.]
[Below: Léon Degrelle after the statement by Victor Matthijs (deputy and acting leader of the Rexist party) regarding the need to unite the groups, namely the Flemish National Union, the Rexist party and the Verdinaso (Verbond van Dietsche Nationaal-Solidaristen - Union of Diets National Solidarists), into one party for the Flemish people led by Staf De Clercq (leader of the Flemish National Union), May 10, 1941.]
'You must train harder than the enemy who is trying to kill you. You will get all the rest you need in the grave.'
-Léon Degrelle
[Below: Léon Degrelle]
[Below: Léon Degrelle (left) and Richard Jungclaus (March 17, 1905 - April 15, 1945). Jungclaus was a German SS-group leader and lieutenant general of police (1943) as well as Higher SS and Police Leader (HSSPF) of Belgium-Northern France.]
[Below: Léon Degrelle and Richard Jungclaus, among others.]
[Below: Léon Degrelle in his Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track with his children by his side during the parade of the SS Sturmbrigade Wallonien in Brussels on April 1, 1944. The Wallonien crossed the city from south to north passing in front of the 'Bourse' (the Belgian Stock Exchange Building).]
'I got to greet the Légion Wallonie parade in front of the stock house on one of our vehicles. I was happier and more proud than ever before when the armored cars and other vehicles drove past me with load noise. These were lent to us by Sepp Dietrich, but they were filled with our Belgian soldiers. I greeted every single machine with my right hand high, my steel helmet on and the freshly received Knight’s Cross on my chest. The other hand was intermittently holding one of my children’s hand who were allowed to climb into the vehicle and stand next to me. The mass, which estimatedly involved around a hundred thousand people, was cheering and threw us piles of flowers.'
[Below: Legion Walloon parade in Brussels.]
[Below: Legion Walloon parade in Brussels, Degrelle's children are with him.]
[Below: Legion Walloon parade in Brussels, Degrelle's children are with him.]
[Below: Legion Walloon parade in Brussels, Degrelle's children are with him.]
[Below: Legion Walloon parade in Brussels, Degrelle's children are with him.]
[Below: Legion Walloon parade in Brussels, Degrelle's children are with him.]
[Below: Degrelle and his children.]
[Below: Degrelle and his children.]
[Below: Degrelle and family.]
[Below: Degrelle and his daughter.]
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[Below: Degrelle and some of the survivors of the Walloon Sturmbrigade after escaping the Cherkassy Pocket. The savage and inhuman battering the brigade withstood resulted in its strength being reduced from 2000 men to 632! Yet despite being grossly outnumbered and out gunned it held its position.]
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[Below: Wallonian Legion Hauptmann Lucien Lippert, a former Belgian Army general staff officer, with his second-in-command Leutnant Léon Degrelle, July 1943.]
[Below: Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler visiting units of the Legion Wallonien, on Himmler's right is Léon Degrelle. Spring 1943.]
[Below: Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler and Léon Degrelle sharing a lighter moment.]
[Below: Léon Degrelle, commander of the 28th SS Wallonien, passing out cigarettes to his men, February 1945.]
[Below: Léon Degrelle, awarding Iron Cross 1st Class to Belgian soldier.]
-Léon Degrelle
