José Streel facts for kids

José Streel (born Lucien Alphonse Joseph Streel on December 14, 1911) was a Belgian journalist. He was a key thinker for a political group called Rexism. This group was active in Belgium before and during World War II.

Streel helped shape the ideas of Rexism in its early days. However, he became less involved when the Germans occupied Belgium. He was not very keen on working with Nazi Germany. After the war, he was executed by Belgium for working with the enemy. This is known as collaboration.

Early Life and Political Ideas

José Streel grew up in a Catholic family. He studied at the University of Liège, earning a special degree. This degree was in Romance philology, which is the study of languages like French and Spanish. He also led the Christian Students group at the university.

While working as a teacher, Streel joined a Catholic youth group in 1930. Here, he met Léon Degrelle, who would later lead the Rexist movement. Streel became an early member of this movement. In 1932, he wrote a book called Les Jeunes Gens et la Politique. In this book, he shared his dislike for many parts of the modern world.

Streel believed in a political idea called fascism. He described it as "something spiritual and mystical." Fascism is a type of government led by a strong leader. It often emphasizes national unity and control over people's lives. Streel thought that people should act rather than just think. He also believed that group identity was more important than individual freedoms.

Streel's Role in Rexism

In 1936, Streel became the main editor for all Rexist publications. That same year, he wrote another important book, Ce Qu'Il Faut Penser de Rex. This book laid out the main ideas behind Rexism. He argued against democracy, where people vote for their leaders. Instead, he supported an "organic society." This idea meant that society should work like a living body.

Streel believed that political parties were not good for society. He stressed the importance of belonging to groups. These groups could be based on family, region, culture, or national identity. His writings focused more on the ideas of Rexism than on how to put them into practice.

Streel had some concerns about Nazism. This was because of his strong Catholic faith. He was not generally in favor of Germany. He was a reserve officer in the Belgian Army. After the German invasion, he was briefly held as a prisoner of war.

Working Under German Occupation

Even with his concerns, Streel eventually agreed to work with the Germans. He feared that if Belgium did not cooperate, Germany would destroy it. In August 1940, he became the editor of Le Pays Réel, a Rexist newspaper.

When Degrelle joined the German army, Streel became an important advisor. He worked with the new Rexist leader, Victor Matthys. Streel strongly supported Belgium remaining independent. He wanted the Rexists to work with the Flemish National Union. This was an attempt to stop Germany from making Belgium part of a larger German empire.

However, when Degrelle returned, he disagreed with Streel's plan. Degrelle preferred a military-focused movement. Streel wanted Rex to be a strong political party. Because of these disagreements, Streel left the Rexist movement in January 1943.

After leaving Rexism, Streel continued to work with the Germans in a limited way. He wrote for journals and spoke on the radio. Degrelle called him "a little man with too many scruples." Streel privately felt that working with the Germans was no longer worth it. However, he never said this publicly.

After the War and Death

In 1944, Streel fled to Germany. He did not take on any political roles there. Instead, he worked in a factory. Belgian authorities sentenced him to death while he was away. This is called a trial in absentia.

Despite this, Streel chose to return to Belgium after the war. He turned himself in to the authorities. He was brought before the Brussels War Tribunal. Important people, including Paul-Henri Spaak, defended him. At first, his death sentence was changed to life in prison with hard labor.

However, a review of his case found an article he had written. In this article, he had criticized the Belgian government that was in exile during the war. Because of this, his original death sentence was put back in place.

Streel stated, "I regret nothing." He believed that fascism had been necessary for Europe. He was held at the Ixelles army barracks. José Streel was executed by a firing squad on February 21, 1946.

Books by José Streel

• Streel José, La révolution du XXème siècle (a new edition of his 1942 book), with a preface by Lionel Baland, Déterna, Paris, 2010.