Remi Schrijnen

Remi Schrijnen (or Richard; sometimes spelt Remy; 24 December 1921–27 July 2006) [cite web|url=http://www.germandaggers.info/remyschrijnen.htm|title=REMI SCHRIJNEN (24-12-1921, died 27-07-2006)] was a Belgian volunteer in the 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. He is also one of only a handful of privates to have received the Knights Cross.cite web| url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ykyPnalO5twC&pg=PA90&lpg=PA90&dq=%22Remi+Schrijnen%22&source=web&ots=MlKi5-2Wu_&sig=kzIixfbjqdbQpf2ZMDoXv1G4KoQ&hl=en| title=The German Soldier in World War II| author=Stephen Hart & Matthew Hughes|page=90]

Born in Kumtich on 24 December 1921, Schrijnen was a fervent Flemish Nationalist and joined the Vlaams Nationaal Verbond or VNV before the war. 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 on 3 March 1944, he single-handedly destroyed eleven enemy tanks He was found unconscious and close to death the following day, 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 Flemish soldiers in the SS legions).

Controversially, Remi Schrijnen also received a Rex Honour badge, but it is not known when. He died in the German Ruhr area on 27 July 2006.

References

External links

* [http://www.ww2awards.com/person/34654 Short biography and list of decorations]
* [http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Waffen-SS/Schrijnen-Remi.htm German biography] ger
* [http://www.geocities.com/wolfram55/rschrijnen.html English biography]