Rexists

(from the Latin motto of the party, Christus Rex, “Christ the King”), the members of a fascist party that existed in Belgium from 1935 to 1944. L. Degrelle was the party’s leader.

In October 1936 the Rexists attempted to seize power by organizing a “march on Brussels,” but their efforts ended in failure. After fascist Germany had seized Belgium in May 1940, they abetted the establishment of the occupation regime in the country and waged a struggle against the resistance. From their ranks there was formed an SS motorized brigade called the Wallonia, which fought against the USSR on the Soviet-German front. (The brigade was routed by Soviet troops in 1944.)