Bert Eriksson
Encyclopedia
Armand Albert Eriksson (June 30, 1931 – October 2, 2005) was a leading Flemish neo-Nazi and Flemish
nationalist
.
father and Flemish
mother, Eriksson became a Nazi
at an early age and joined the Hitler Youth
before the end of the Second World War. A staunch anti-communist
, he went in 1950 to fight in the Korean War
.
In 1968 he opened a cafe, 'Den Odal', in Antwerp which became a leading centre for neo-Nazis after the War. He took command of the Vlaamse Militanten Orde
in the 1971 and after it was outlawed in 1984 became associaited with the Flemish Block, as well as the Odal Group, which presented itself as the successor to the VMO. He had come to attention in 1973 by going to Austria
and digging up the remains of Belgian collaborator Cyriel Verschaeve
, which he then reburied in Alveringem
. He later claimed to have done the same with the remains of Staf De Clercq
and Anton Mussert
.
Eriksson had been at the heart of the formation of the Flemish Block, setting up a series of talks in 1978 between right wing leaders that ultimately led to the formation of the party.
He also went on to be associated with the Wehrwolf-Verbond, an anti-Semitic
group based in Antwerp, and addressed their rally in 1996 (http://www.axt.org.uk/antisem/archive/archive1/belgium/belgium.htm).
He died in Westdorpe
, Netherlands
from lung disease, aged 73.
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
.
Biography
Born in Antwerp to a Eastern SwedishEastern Swedish
Eastern Swedish are the members of the Swedish ethnic groups that live in Baltic territories outside the Kingdom of Sweden....
father and Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
mother, Eriksson became a Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
at an early age and joined the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
before the end of the Second World War. A staunch anti-communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
, he went in 1950 to fight in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
In 1968 he opened a cafe, 'Den Odal', in Antwerp which became a leading centre for neo-Nazis after the War. He took command of the Vlaamse Militanten Orde
Vlaamse Militanten Orde
The Vlaamse Militanten Orde or VMO – originally Vlaamse Militanten Organisatie – was a Flemish nationalist activist group in Belgium defending far-right interests by propaganda and political action...
in the 1971 and after it was outlawed in 1984 became associaited with the Flemish Block, as well as the Odal Group, which presented itself as the successor to the VMO. He had come to attention in 1973 by going to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and digging up the remains of Belgian collaborator Cyriel Verschaeve
Cyriel Verschaeve
Cyriel Verschaeve was a noted Flemish-nationalist priest and writer who collaborated with the Nazis during the Second World War.-Biography:...
, which he then reburied in Alveringem
Alveringem
Alveringem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Alveringem proper, Beveren a/d Yzer, Gijverinkhove, Hoogstade, Izenberge, Leisele, Oeren, Sint-Rijkers and Stavele. On January 1, 2006 Alveringem had a total population of 4,887....
. He later claimed to have done the same with the remains of Staf De Clercq
Staf De Clercq
Staf De Clercq was a Flemish nationalist collaborator, co-founder and leader of the Flemish nationalist Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond .-Biography:...
and Anton Mussert
Anton Mussert
Anton Adriaan Mussert was one of the founders of the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands and its de jure leader. As such, he was the most prominent national socialist in the Netherlands before and during the Second World War...
.
Eriksson had been at the heart of the formation of the Flemish Block, setting up a series of talks in 1978 between right wing leaders that ultimately led to the formation of the party.
He also went on to be associated with the Wehrwolf-Verbond, an anti-Semitic
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
group based in Antwerp, and addressed their rally in 1996 (http://www.axt.org.uk/antisem/archive/archive1/belgium/belgium.htm).
He died in Westdorpe
Westdorpe
Westdorpe is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Terneuzen, and lies about 31 km southeast of Vlissingen.Westdorpe was a separate municipality until 1970, when it was merged with Sas van Gent....
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
from lung disease, aged 73.