The Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond (Dutch for "Flemish National Union" or "Flemish National League"), widely known by its acronym VNV, was a Flemish nationalist political party active in Belgium between 1933 and 1945. It became the l…
The Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond (Dutch for "Flemish National Union" or "Flemish National League"), widely known by its acronym VNV, was a Flemish nationalist political party active in Belgium between 1933 and 1945. It became the leading force of political collaboration in Flanders during the German occupation of Belgium in World War II. Authoritarian by inclination, the party advocated the creation of a "Greater Netherlands" (Dietsland) combining Flanders and the Netherlands.
Ideologically, the party rejected Belgium and supported the creation of a new polity known as the Greater Netherlands (Dietsland), through the fusion of Belgian Flanders and the Netherlands, which would be linguistically and ethnically homogeneous. The party's slogan was: "Authority, discipline, Dietsland". In the 1936 Belgian general election the VNV received 13.6% of the Flemish vote, corresponding to 7.1% nationwide. After the election, in which the far-right nationalist and Catholic Rexist Party also performed strongly, the two parties concluded an alliance, intended to create a corporatist Belgian state with great autonomy for Flanders. The VNV revoked this agreement after just one year
Lyrics: (I had to use Google Translate for the last stanza, I deeply apologize for any mistakes)
Ziet gij den zwarten leeuw niet rijzen
Zo fier op t'trotse gouden veld
Ziet gij zijn forse reuzen klauwen
Waarvan een slag de vijand velt
Ziet gij zijn bloedige ogen gloeien
Ziet gij zijn maan , zo breed verward
Die leeuw is de leeuw van Vlaanderen
Die rustend nog de wereld tart
Die leeuw is onze leeuw van Vlaanderen
Die rustend nog de wereld tart
Hij ligt nu op de loer, de Waalse koning
Om hem vrij te maken in zijn band
Hij stuurt nu de benen van zijn rover
Naar het thuisland van de leeuw
Maar als de leeuw je wekt, brullend
Jullie zijn allemaal verscheurd door zijn klauw
Dan wordt die trotse witte lelie
Door hem met bloed besmeurd en modder
Dan wordt die trotse witte lelie
Door hem met bloed besmeurd en modder
