Remi Schrijnen
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Remi (or Richard and sometimes spelled Remy) Schrijnen was a Belgian volunteer in German army. He was a Flemish Nationalist and the only Flemish volunteer in the SS Flandern to have been awarded the German Knight's cross. Born: Kumtich, 1924-12-24, died in German Ruhr area 2006-07-27.
Before the War, Remi Schrijnen was a fervent Flemish Nationalist and joined the Vlaams Nationaal Verbond or VNV. He later claimed to have fought violent fights with supporters of Verdinaso. This originally fascist Flemish group led by Joris Van Severen had slowly been turning to Belgian nationalism after the accession of Adolf Hitler, seeing in German Nazism a threat to the culture and language of the Flemish and other inhabitants of the Low Countries. Meanwhile, the VNV became increasingly fascist in nature, and many members believed in collaboration with Nazi Germany to further the Flemish cause. After Germany occupied Belgium, the VNV had to compete with ever more radically pro-German groups to find favour with the German administration. After the first failures of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Germany addressed its allies for soldiers to make up its losses in manpower. In order not to be abandoned in favour of more radical groups and of French speaking Rex, the VNV sanctioned the creation of a "Flemish Legion" to operate as part of the German Army.
When first applying as a volunteer to the Flemish legion, Remi Schrijnen was refused because he was too small. Other volunteers called him the "Strumpf-Deutscher". But he showed his coldbloodedness and courage in the Battle of Leningrad in February 1943. He served as an anti-tank grenadier. He was promoted to SS-Unterscharführer. During the Battle of Narva, he was claimed to have single-handedly put over twelve Soviet tanks (including some Stalin tanks) out of action. Found wounded at the scene with six destroyed Soviet tanks around him, he was brought to Swinemünde and eventually Berlin, where he received the Iron Cross and a congratulatory telegram from VNV leader Hendrik Elias. However, the only Wehrmacht Sondermeldung about Schrijnen's action only claimed 7 tanks ("In der kämpfen der letzten tage bei Narwa hat sich der flämische ss-sturmmann Remi Schrijnen in der ss-freiwilligen panzergrenadier brigade "Nederland" durch abschuss von sieben panzern besonders hervorgetan") and it is very doubtful whether the PaK anti-tank gun as used by Schrijnen could destroy Josef Stalin tanks.
After the war, he returned to Belgium, was arrested, tried and received the death penalty. This was immediately commuted to life-long imprisonment. He was released in 1950 on condition of good behaviour. However, he participated in so called "amnesty marches" (claiming amnesty for those who had fought on the Eastern front) which often ended in brawls and scuffles with the police. After one such brawl, in 1953, he was arrested and held in prison for almost two years. In 1962, claiming fear of further arrests after a number of his comrades were about to come back from the Soviet Union, he emigrated to the Federal Republic of Germany and took German nationality. Flemish fascists and national socialists continued to revere him as "The Last Knight of Flanders" (which was also the title of a controversial book by Allen Brandt on the Flemish soldiers in the SS legions).
Controversially, Remi Schrijnen also received a Rex Honour badge, but it is not known when.
