Description

Rex and the New Order in the district of Verviers. 1935-1945. How? Why? Who? (28 November 2014-17 March 2015)

Rexism is a subject that often arouses curiosity and unleashes passions. Whenever people mention Rexism, it immediately throws up images of Léon Degrelle, the Walloon Legion and Collaboration. And yet the other facet of Rexism, its emergence in the thirties is a lesser known and less studied subject. This statement remains valid as far as Rex-Verviers is concerned. In 1936, almost one elector in four voted Rex in the Verviers constituency! In 1939, the vote for Rex had fallen to 7%.
During the Occupation, Rexism showed another face. It embarked on the road of Collaboration, surrounded by other small New Order (Ordre Nouveau) groups.
How and why were Rexism and those other organisations going to get a foothold in our regions?
And, above all, who were those men who committed themselves politically or militarily on behalf of those organisations?
So many questions which Stavelot Abbey endeavours to answer by relying on the book of the same title  as the exhibition by the author and historian Mathieu Simons published in the Editions Vieux Temps and by displaying many original documents and photos, uniforms, propaganda material, posters, objects and many other exhibits.
For the first time, light is shed on that dark side of the history of our district.