Order of Flemish Militants - Foundation and Early Years

Foundation and Early Years

In the years following the end of World War II, Flemish nationalists often fell victim in anti-Nazi rallies, manifestations and riots because of their anti-Belgicism and because the entire Flemish movement was discredited by military, political and economic collaboration with the Germans during World War II. The only outlets for organised Flemish nationalism were charitable groups dedicated to war veteran care or the Christian People's Party which, whilst not avowedly nationalist, did have a significant separatist wing.

However the VMO was founded in 1949 by Bob Maes, as part of a wave of Flemish nationalist groups that emerged that year, including Vlaamse Concentratie (Flemish Concentration). The group sought the creation of an independent (some even used the words racially pure) Flanders. Soon, the VMO started expanding and turned into a full-size paramilitary organization, a state within the state. Their armed members were prepared for combat and war in the numerous VMO training camps in the Ardennes.

Between 1950 and 1970, the VMO was heavily criticized but nevertheless tolerated by the Belgian Department of Justice. On 14 December 1953 however, 16 individual VMO members were convicted for the possession of forbidden weapons and for battering and injuring war heroes and resistance members, earlier that year. The VMO itself was not convicted (since it was impossible back then to prosecute a group on penal grounds, only individuals).

In 1954 the VMO became associated with the Christian Flemish People's Union and the more formal alliance of the VU that followed this group that same year. The VMO soon took over much of the propaganda and stewarding work for the VU although relations between the two groups became increasingly strained as the VU moved further towards a centrist position and the VMO hardened its rightist attitudes.