Tomb Staf de Clercq

Staf de Clercq (°1884) grew up and worked as a teacher in the Pajottenland. His parents lived for a while in Sint-Pieters-Kapelle, he himself studied in Enghien and Binche. Even before WWI, as a convinced Fleming, he actively campaigned against the domination of the French-speaking bourgeoisie. After WWI he was elected as a member of parliament for the front party.

> In Kester he was alderman for 15 years. Prime Minister Henri Carton de Wiart refused to appoint him mayor of Kester because of his outspoken Flemish views.

> After 1933 he succeeded in uniting the divided camp of Flemish nationalists under the flag of the Flemish National Alliance (VNV). To do so, he had to water down the Greater Dutch idea to a dependent Flanders in a federalist Belgian structure. As early as 1919, De Clercq took part in Flemish-minded 'processions' to the Calvary Cross on the Kesterheide. In the early 30s, he bought a large piece of meadow from a farmer, located on the flank of the Kesterheuvel (the terrain descending from the Calvary cross). The Landdagen of the VNV in the month of May of the 30s attracted a crowd of listeners to the Kesterheide every year. The VNV experienced its heyday under Staf de Clercq in the 30s, flaming speeches are fired from the Kesterheide that find national resonance. In the run-up to WW II, his movement received support from Nazi Germany. During the German occupation, Staf De Clercq burned his movement by fully opting for collaboration with the German occupier and National Socialism. > In 1942, De Clercq died of cancer. He was originally buried in kester cemetery. A year later his corpse moved to a mausoleum on the Kesterheide. The submission to Nazi Germany can count on less and less support and the VNV soon loses support. The end of WW II also meant the end of the VNV, the organization was outlawed.

> Popular anger in the aftermath of the liberation also turned against the dead Staf de Clercq. The tomb was blown up by opponents in October 1944 and again in May 1945. While his corpse from the destroyed grave was transferred to Leerbeek to be buried there, the remains were 'hijacked' by agitated opponents along the way and carried away and 'processed' during a nightly pub crawl along the surrounding cafes. The next morning the remains were quickly buried in an anonymous grave near the church of Leerbeek. The mayor of Kester refused a burial at Kester. De Clercq had not yet found his final resting place. In 1978, his corpse moved again. This time it was excavated at night in command style by Bert Eriksson and the VMO to be buried in sacred ground in Asse. The current concrete slab that you now see on Kesterheide is from 1990, but de Clercq is not buried here. A little further along the VIP we will pass the site where de Clercq organized his country days. > The role and significance of de Clercq in the struggle for Flemish emancipation is still very controversial today. As a youngster he grew up on the language border and his motivation for the Flemish cause was certainly fueled by the pressure of Frenchification and the contempt of French speakers towards Flemings. He succeeded in channelling this resistance and actually contributed to the awareness of Flemish identity. However, it all went completely wrong when he fully opted for submission to Nazism with the VNV. The open question is whether a man like Staf de Clercq has not done more damage to the Flemish cause and Flemish symbols than helped them?

est2000