Léon Joseph Marie Degrelle (June 15, 1906 – April 1, 1994) was a Walloon Belgian politician, who founded Rexism and later joined the Nazi German Waffen SS (becoming a leader of its Walloon contingent). After World War II, he was a prominent figure in the neo-nazist and Holocaust denial movements.
Promotions:
12.02.1942 Gefreiter (Heer)
28.02.1942 Oberfeldwebel (Heer)
01.05.1942 Leutnant d. R. (Heer)
01.06.1943 SS-Obersturmführer d. R. der Waffen-SS
01.01.1944 SS-Hauptsturmführer d. R. der Waffen-SS
20.04.1944 SS-Sturmbannführer d. R. der Waffen-SS
01.01.1945 SS-Obersturmbannführer d. R. der Waffen-SS
20.04.1945 SS-Standartenführer d. R. der Waffen-SS
Note: Degrelle was promoted directly to SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS d. R. by Heinrich Himmler on 02.05.1945; an entry to this effect appears in his Soldbuch, however this promotion cannot be considered official as Himmler had been stripped of all SS and Party posts by Führer order on 28.04.1945.
Later, in Spain, Degrelle would often wear an SS-Standartenführer uniform, but according to historians, this was a usurped rank.
Decorations & Awards:
27.08.1944 Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as SS-Sturmbannführer d. R. and Kdr. 5.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Brigade “Wallonien” / Kampfgruppe Wagner / Armee-Abteilung Narwa / Heeresgruppe Nord, Northeastern Front
20.02.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer d. R., and Führer SS-Sturmbrigade “Wallonien” / 8.Armee / Heeresgruppe Süd, Eastern Front
09.10.1944 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold as SS-Sturmbannführer d. R. and Kdr. 5.SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade “Wallonien” / 5.SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking” / III.(germanische) SS-Panzer-Korps / Armee-Abteilung Grasser / Heeresgruppe Nord, Northeastern Front
21.05.1942 1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
13.03.1942 1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
14.09.1944 Nahkampfspange III.Stufe (Gold)
19.03.1944 Nahkampfspange II.Stufe (Silber)
30.11.1943 Nahkampfspange I.Stufe (Bronze) (other documents indicate 23.12.1943 and 20 .02. 1944)
25.08.1942 Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber
19.03.1944 Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Gold
20.02.1944 Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Silber (another document indicates 23.12.1943)
15.08.1942 Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42” (Ostmedaille)