De vulgaire geschiedenis van Charelke Dop, (The vulgar history of Charelke Dop), is a novel written by Ernest Claes in 1923.
Synopsis
It is World War I. Charelke Dop lives in the Belgian municipality Diest. He pretends to be poor but is rather rich. After his wife Angelina dies he moves to Brussels. Charelke is a manipulative, lying, stingy, immoral but charming widower. He earns a lot of money by declaring people to the German soldiers although he is a smuggler, traitor and blackmailer. He convinces highly placed Belgians that he performed acts of valour (whilst it were only misdeeds) and thus receives medals of honour and an accompanying ceremony.
Miniserie adaption
The book was adapted for screen in a miniserie of two episodes in 1985 by the Belgian national television station BRT.