- Hendrik Elias
Hendrik Josef Elias (
June 12 1902 –February 2 1973 ) was a Belgian politician and Flemish nationalist.He began his political career in 1930 as the secretary of the
Vlaams Nationale Volkspartij and representedGhent -Eeklo in theBelgian Chamber of People's Representatives from 1932 until 1944. He joined theFlemish National Union (VNV) on its formation in 1933 and soon gained a reputation as a leading moderate in the party. Despite this he was appointed Mayor of Ghent after the German invasion, although he continued to oppose plans to incorporateFlanders into Nazi Germany, arguing instead for acommonwealth .He became leader of VNV in 1942, following the death of
Staf De Clercq , despite opposition ofGottlob Berger , who was suspicious of his views on keeping the Flemish distinct from the Germans. Elias sought to stop recruitment to theWaffen-SS and disband theHitler Youth , although towards the end ofWorld War II he came to co-operate more with the Nazis, fearing a communist takeover.He fled to Germany in September 1944 but took no part in the exiled Belgian collaboration movement under
Jef van der Wiele . He was arrested by the French and extradited toBrussels where a death sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. He was released onDecember 24 1959 and published an autobiography, "Vijfentwintig Jaar Vlaamse Beweging" in 1971.References
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Philip Rees ,Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890
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