LEON deGRELLE (1835-1991)

Waffen SS

A very dedicated and highly decorated combat leader in the war, deGRELLE studied at a Jesuit college for his law degree and after a time as a journalist and becoming highly anti-communist, he met both Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler who provided his movement w2ith 2 million Lire and 100, 000 Reich Marks respectively. World War Two soon broke out.

deGRELLE joined the Walloon Regiment of the Wehrmacht which was organized in August 1941 to combat the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front. He joined as a lowly private. The Walloon Division was transferred to the Waffen SS and deGRELLE quickly rose in the ranks to Obersturmbannführer (Lt. Colonel), was badly wounded in the Cherkassy Pocket and received his Knights Cross from the hand of Adolf Hitler.

He was later decorated with the Oak Leaf to the Knights Cross – only two other foreigners were so highly decorated by the Reich.

An interesting bit of history that you will not read anywhere else …at the final days of the war when the surrender came, deGRELLE was caught in Copenhagen as all Reich unites were ordered to remain where they were until picked up by a unit of the Allies. deGRELLE would certainly have been given a quick mock trial and just as quickly executed. However, he met another Sharkhunters Member in that Danish city and that meeting saved deGRELLE‘s life. Click on the photo above to learn that story.