Degrelle, Along with Some of His Men, Was Evacuated by the German Navy to Denmark

Home , German Cross, Iron Cross, War Merit Cross, Wound Badge

Degrelle, along with some of his men, was evacuated by the German Navy to Denmark. Degrelle took a German warship to Norway, where Quisling offered Speer’s personal plane as a means of escape. Having been condemned to death as a traitor in his own country, Degrelle flew some 1500 miles across Belgium and France before crashing onto the Spanish beach of San Sebastian. He has lived in exile in Spain ever since.20 At the end of World War II, Leon Degrelle was the highest decorated Belgian and non-German in the Waffen-SS. His awards are : Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves German Cross in Gold Iron Cross Ist Class Iron Cross 2d Class Close Combat Bar in Gold (for 50 days close combat) Gold Wound Badge (for seven wounds in combat) ~edal for the Winter Campaign in the East 1941/42 War Merit Cross 2d Class (with Swords) Infantry Assault Badge Rexist "Blood Order" or Honor Badge of Rex21 The Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) was Germany’s highest award for gallantry in World War If. In theory, a soldier might win it for a single act of gallantry, but as any recipient must first possess the Iron Cross 2d Class and Ist Class, in practice most Knight’s Cross winners performed "continuous acts of exceptional bravery" before winning the Knight’s Cross.22 However, some commanding generals were decorated with the Knight’s Cross for achieving significant battlefield results. The Knight’s Cross was created by Hitler on September I, 1939. When continued campaigning made it clear that subsequent awards were going to be earned, Hitler instituted the Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross (Das Eischenlaub zum Ritterkreuz Des Eisernen Kreuzes) on June 3, 1940. Out of the 7,316 total awards of the Knight’s Cross, 890 were the Oak Leaves. Degrelle was the only non-German in the Waffen-SS to receive the Oak Leaves, but eight other non-Germans also received the award.23

Degrelle’s German Cross in Gold, officially known as Der Kriegsorden des Deutschen Kreuzes (War Order of the German Cross) also is a gallantry award. Established by Hitler to recognize bravery above the standard of the Iron Cross ist Class, but below that required to earn the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, it became an "intermediate" award. However, although a soldier had to possess the Iron Cross Ist Class in order to win the German Cross in Gold, the latter was not a preprequisite for the Knight’s Cross. Wartime records show that about 30,000 awards were made of the German Cross in Gold (about 17,000 to the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS).24 The Iron Cross 2d Class was normally awarded for a single act of bravery in combat beyond that required in the normal course of duty. The Iron Cross ist Class was awarded under the same criteria except that three to five more acts of bravery were normally required, and the receipient must already have the Iron Cross 2d Class. Degrelle’s Close Combat Bar (Nahkampfspange) in Gold reflects at least 50 days of close combat. Authorized by Hitler in 1942 for all ground troops who fought in hand-to-hand combat unsupported by tanks, the Bar was in bronze, silver, and gold for 15, 30, and 50 days of close fighting. If a man were

19 N wounded in combat, however, the time periods were reduced to I0, 20, and 40 days. Furthermore, time in service gave constructive credit for days in close combat: a man received five days credit after serving eight months; i0 days credit after serving 12 months, and 15 days credit after serving 15 months.25 Degrelle writes that at the time he received the Close Combat Bar in Gold, he had 50 days of close combat, but it is unclear if he in fact had 50 days or some combination of constructive credit and hand-to-hand combat. In any event, by the end of World War II, he had more than 60 days of close combatS26 Degrelle was wounded seven times between 1941 and 1945, and wears the Wound Badge in Gold (Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold). It reflects five or more combat wounds. A black grade (for 1-2 wounds) and a silver grade (for 3-4 wounds) were awarded prior to the award of the gold version, except that a severe injury like the loss of an arm or a leg caused the black- silver-gold progression to be waived, and the Wound Badge in Silver was awarded.27 Degrelle also wears the War Merit Cross 2d Class (with Swords) (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2.Klasse (mit Schwertern)). This decoration recognizes either bravery (War Merit Cross with Swords) or service (War Merit Cross ~¢ithout Swords) not in direct connection with combat. Hitler established it on October 18, 1939, and it was awarded both in Ist and 2nd Classes, with the latter being the lower grade, as with the Iron Cross. The War ~erit Cross was awarded to both m~litary personnel and civilians, and about six million awards with swords and 1.6 million awards without swords were made of both classes.28 Degrelle’s last two German awards are the Medal for the Winter Campaign in the East 1941/42 (Medaille "Winterschlact im Osten 1941/42") which was awarded for campaign service in Russia between November 15, 1941, and September 4, 1944, and the Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze (Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen). This badge was awarded for a minimum of three infantry assaults on three different days. Degrelle had many more than the three required for the award~ His only foreign award is the Rexist "Blood Order" (Order de Sang), or Honor Badge of the Rex. Himmler authorized the wearing of the award on November 15, 1944, but Degrelle was wearing the award long before then on his German uniform. The badge was awarded in various grades. A bronze version was awarded to Rexist Party members for service to the Party; a silver version was awarded to non-Party members for service--usually to Germans who helped the Walloon legionnaires during the war. The Rexist Blood Order also was awarded in Gold and Gold with Diamonds; Degrelle wore the latter version as "Chef de Rex" (Leader or Chief of Rex). The Rexist Blood Order also was called the Cross of Burgundy, as the badge incorporates the Burgundian cross, a s~ord, and the words BRAVOURE/HONNEUR/FIDELITE (Bravery/Honor/Fidelity) in its design.29 Today, L~on Degrelle remains an outcast in his own nation. However, his decorations and medals reflect a fascinating story of a brave soldier who is truly a survivor.