DeVlag
- Access and consultation: The fonds of the DeVlag movement can be accessed during the opening hours of the reading room. Its content is freely accessible. Reservation.
- Reproduction: The content of the fonds can be reproduced freely in our reading room. For any information about requests for a document reproduction carried out by CegeSoma staff can be found here.
- Research instruments: Inventory AA155
Archive fonds description :
Archief DeVlag
The archive fonds of the DeVlag movement contains several types of documents: files about the representations of the movement in Flanders and Germany, information about associated organisations, press clippings and magazine articles, and various documents such as posters and photographs. The fonds is in chronological order and sorted according to the different bodies that compose the movement. The documents originate from the evidence gathered by the auditorate-general in the course of postwar legal proceedings and form various donations by private individuals who wish to remain anonymous.
The DeVlag movement was founded in the years 1935-1936 and was mainly composed of intellectuals, professors and students. They were particularly interested in a convergence of Flanders and Germany and organised numerous university exchanges and cultural events to this end. The movement was led by Jef Van de Wiele and was put to a halt between 1939 and August 1940. DeVlag counted many German members who held key offices within the German military administration and was gradually and secretly integrated into the SS. It was supported by the Vlaams Nationaal Verbond and became a typical national-socialist movement dedicated to accomplishing the German objectives. As DeVlag became more important, conflicts with VNV arose, the latter claiming a predominant role in the Flemish collaboration. When Hitler issued the order to incorporate Flanders into the Third Reich, he did so by relying on DeVlag instead of VNV.
For more information :