The worst student of Hageveld
Arnold Meijer (1905–1965), who studied at the Hageveld minor seminary from 1924 to 1926 to become a priest, later became one of the most controversial politicians in the Netherlands. His time at Hageveld marked the beginning of a religious education he eventually abandoned, after which he moved into journalism. In 1934 he founded the Zwart Front, a fascist, antisemitic and anti-capitalist movement that tried to attract Catholic voters. The party initially gained some support, but quickly weakened after the Catholic Church openly criticised it. Meijer was strongly influenced by Italian fascism, especially Mussolini’s ideas and leadership. Although he spread antisemitic ideas himself, he criticised the persecution of Jews in Germany. He even sent a letter to Hitler in which he strongly condemned this persecution — something highly unusual within the extreme-right scene. In 1940 he renamed his movement Nationaal Front. Only a year later, the German occupiers banned the party because Meijer refused to fully follow the demands of the Nazis. This effectively ended his political career. After the war he was arrested and sentenced to four years in prison for collaboration. Once released, he chose a different path: he focused on tourism in Oisterwijk, worked for the local tourist office, and founded a holiday park. He died in 1965 at the age of 60.
Written by Mats Pijsel