In 1911, Frans Van Cauwelaert founded Ons Volk Ontwaakt, the weekly journal of the Flemish Catholic student organization.

[citation needed] Their goal was to publish a conservative, Catholic, Flemish daily newspaper in Brussels, to be called De Standaard.

However, a new paper, Het Algemeen Nieuws ("The General News") was published with De Standaard's staff and presses,[citation needed] printing only what the Nazi occupation government permitted.

After the liberation of Belgium in 1944, the management of Standard Group was accused of collaboration with the Nazi occupiers, and the company was banned for two years.

[citation needed] In 1947, the ban on Standard Group was removed, and with court permission the company reclaimed all its titles.

For example, despite its Catholic and conservative ties,[3] De Standaard was critical of American policy in southeast Asia.

De Standaard was rescued by André Leysen, a Belgian businessman, who formed Vlaamse Uitgeversmaatschappij N.V. (VUM - "Flemish Publishers Partnership").

[5] Unlike common practice for most of the newspapers this change occurred during its modernization process, not as a response to low circulation levels.