Léon Degrelle in Color

Léon Degrelle as a Leutnant in German Army uniform. The picture was probably taken in 1942 when he was a part of Wallonische Infanterie-Bataillon 373 / 97.Infanterie-Division. In October 1941 the first volunteers of Walloon Legion completed their training, and by the end of that month the decision was made to send them to the front. Because the Legion was too small a formation to fight on its own, the Germans tasked them with the protection of communication lines in the Dniepropietrovsk region in the Ukraine. In February 1942 Degrelle took part in the fighting at Gromowaja-Balka but was evacuated by Leutnant Lisein because he was in "shell-shock". He then participated in the Caucasus campaign as an orderly officer at the general staff until the end of the year.

SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve Léon Degrelle (Kommandeur 5. SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Wallonien") photographed by Walter Frentz at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, after the award ceremony for the "Heroes of Cherkassy" with Hitler on 20 February 1944. Degrelle’s Ritterkreuz recommendation reads as follows: "The SS-Sturmbrigade ‘Wallonien’ belongs to the formations of the Heer and Waffen-SS that defied all enemy attacks during the weeks of combat in the Cherkassy pocket, fighting all alone. Degrelle took over leadership of the Brigade after its former brave commander, SS-Sturmbannführer Lucien Lippert, died in battle on 13 February 1944 after a shot to the chest. Prior to this Degrelle had already distinguished himself several times through his personal bravery, and in his new role he demonstrated outstanding leadership during the decisive breakthrough fighting of the last days. He and his brave Walloons acquitted themselves very well as they struggled side by side with soldiers of the Heer and the Germanic men of the Waffen-SS in a true comradely fashion."

SS-Sturmbannführer der Reserve Léon Degrelle (Kommandeur 5. SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Wallonien") photographed by Walter Frentz at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, after the award ceremony with Hitler on 27 August 1944. Degrelle’s Eichenlaub recommendation reads as follows: "An enemy attack on 23 August 1944 that focused against Estonian formations led to the total disintegration of these units. With this the entire west/southwest flank of Dorpat was exposed, and only defended by alarm units of minimal combat minor. Meanwhile, during the morning hours of this day, SS-Sturmbannführer Degrelle was driving to a heavy Kompanie positioned further to the southwest. After discovering the situation he assembled the disorganized units in the vicinity of Lemmatsi that were fleeing towards Dorpat. He reformed them into a Kampfgruppe buttressed by weak German units, and on the very same day he used this unit to create a firm security line along the axis of the main enemy advance. His personal devotion to duty is characterized by the fact that he was able to persuade the less steadfast Estonians to hold their ground by giving his orders to them directly from the trenches themselves. It was only his commitment to the action that prevented an enemy advance towards the city of Dorpat and the consequent cutting-off of friendly elements that were still positioned south of the city.”

Source :
Mark C. Yerger photo collection
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2010/10/ss-standartenfuhrer-leon-degrelle.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/8721/Degrelle-Leon-Marie-Joseph-Ignace-Waffen-SS.htm
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/personen-c-f/
https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/photos-papers-propaganda-third-reich/signatures-waffen-ss-knights-cross-winners-6478-2/
https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/german-forces/41155/leon-degrelle-heer
https://x.com/GermanScholarrr/status/1802039067288191330/photo/1