Shortly after Belgian independence, the progressive and Flemish-minded Belgian-Walloon Lucien Jottrand put forward the idea. In 1857 Belgium already had Pan-Netherlandic organisations, such as the progressive liberal "Vlamingen Vooruit", which had members who proposed a Belgo-Dutch federation. Before the First World War and during the interwar period, Belgium in particular also had a number of less relevant Pan-Netherlandic groups such as the "Verbond der Lage Landen". Between 1934 and 1940, Joris van Severen's Fascist Verdinaso was the greatest propagandist of the Pan-Netherlands ideal. (Right-wing) Pan-Netherlandic circles often represent themselves with the Prince's Flag or the Burgundian Cross.