Campaign in Russia: The Wallonian Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front
Léon Degrelle (1906 – 1994) was a Walloon Belgian politician, who was leader of the Belgian Rexist Party before World War II. In 1936, Degrelle's party won 21 deputies and 12 senators and became one of the largest parties. After the outbreak of the Second World War, the Rexist Party split and Degrelle was arrested as a “suspected collaborator.” Upon the defeat of France, Degrelle was released by the Germans and restarted a new Rexist party, this time closely allied to National Socialism. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union, Degrelle enlisted as a private in the Walloon legion of the Wehrmacht in August 1941. In June 1943, the Walloons were transferred from the Wehrmacht to Waffen SS and became the 5th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Wallonien. He served for the rest of the war on the Eastern Front, with his personal bravery and ability propelling his promotion to Generalmajor der Waffen-SS d. R. right before the end of the war. He received the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) from Hitler's hands, who also told him that "if I had a son, I would want him to be like you." At the end of the war, Albert Speer provided him with an aircraft which was flown to Spain, where he was given asylum and lived until his death.