I

AUGUST_ 30. _1_948,

|-|, M. Queen

Wilhelmina C

elebrates‘

50th Wedding Anniversary Before Her Early Abdication

l o on August 31st, 1948, The

Nbmefluldl will celebrate the ma, anniversary of the reign o] Queen Wilhelmina. who as- “Med the throne on her 18th. birthday in 189B-

. 0.1 September 8th.. sfter Queen Wilhelmlnts abdication on September 4th.. Princess Juliana will be solemnly in- “gurated as Queen of the Netherlantll. i

when King William III already advanced in age, married Pris» C955 Emma of Waldeck Pyrniout 1n i879 and the young Queen gave birth, on August 31. i880. to a Mughter, the Dutch nation rejo c- ed in seeing the continuation of the beloved House of Orange, so closely interwoven with their his- wry, ggsured. 0f the King's chil- grer. from his first marriage, Princl wiiuam had died in i819. his youngtr brother, Prince Alexan- der, was in weak health and count m; he expected to live to succesd m, father on the throne. ‘Inc Kings‘ brother. Prince Hendrik. ha-i died childless in the same year of 1870. The line of the gicst founder's. Prince William the Sli-

- eiit's succession had menaced w

be broken and the nation might

l i

have had to welcome a. "stranger" p. the throne.

11. “as a nation-wide thanksgiv- mg, therefore, which greeted in: birth of Princess Wilhelmina and s11 through herlesrly years Dutch people looked upon her. as he. iv- telligcnt English governess. Miss Winicr Sax-ton, noted: "as if sne were the nation's pzlsonal proper ty, The name of "child of state" u'nich had been the term for inc political status of young William 111 in the 17th. century, was now popularly applied to Princess Wil- nelmina as an expression of lier lace in the nation's heart. ‘Our Wllicmientje" was the endearing name the people gave to their l..- tun Queen, an reviving a 17th. century couplet. they sang:

“How-ever small our princess may be. Hurrah,

None the less our Queen become will she. Hurrah!"

Queen Emma gave her daughter a very sound education which she personally directed with great love. She had taken a great place if‘. Princess Wilhelmina‘: formation u well as in her heart, the more so as the Princess was to lose he: father st an early age. King W.l- liams health declined gravely sl- ter i884 and he died in i890.

When Queen Wilhelmina came to the throne in 1898 she paid this tribute to her mother: "My deaf-v lllVPd mother. to whom 1 owe more than I can emros. has givc me an example of s noble and ex- siied conception of the duties which now rest upon me."

Of the Queen's young years- fiilcd with well-arranged studios and gay play in the quiet and harmonious atmosphere of Queen Emma's court. a few characteristic traits have been noted. The prin- cess had a predilection for playing with her dolls and pets: favorites were fathers’ gifts, including port- ies. rabbits, goats and her _ pet dog. Sis-ell. While her intelligence and strength of character were evident, she had a real child's sunplicity of heart, and while Eur- ope was watching the lovely chiid- queerl with curiosity and admira- tion, Wilhelmina often broke the court's cer moniai solemnity witl- her child-Ike galety. An intimaw recalls that the princess once wondered why her mother on such occasions gave her precedence in stead of having her step behind- s: other children did. and Queen Emma answered: “You know, yfll mlsht step on my train."

‘lrips to England, Germany and France were mostly of an educa- tional character with professors 1n attendance; most notable was the nsit to England in i895. wh.ch “was the occasion of her meeting with Queen Victoria.

Miss winter Saxton has record- cd being impressed, after tiicss ifllib» by the child's extraordinmy delight in coming back to her own "uuntrv. "Coming bsck to he: country" she writes, “was for Queen Wilhelmina something of hr greater importance than mos‘ of the adults around her were aulc to appreciate. Her excitement, a‘-- ready notable during the days of backing. increased with the hours and became nearly feverish as the train approached the Nellie..- isnds border. Her ilnsuppressed pleasure at first sight of the rel white-blue colours on barriers and witty boxes, her words of admis- ln: delight for the flat meadows and unlimited horizons. the radi-

ant happiness in her eyes, lookins-

at her own people, all that was s 10y to witness. And though nobody oould take greater pleasure L‘. thes; feelings than I did. yst I could not always resist the tempta- tion to chaff Her Majesty now sud then on this subject"

A Beloved Qaasa

To the "perso al property” — ltfllns which te Dutch people, according to this intelligent ob ltrver. cultivated for their younl Qlliln. this passlonstl love of no. W111i heart for her native coun- try and its people offers h mar- vellous counterpart. In later yrars "l4 Nbecially during m. ordeal- "l two wars, that love ramsihtd V’ l" Queen Wiihqminab lnspll "is force as well as a bond of ul' lvn with hsfpeople who. in fact.

H. M. QUEEN

.,>A

WILHELMINA

Tfiiilllélilllélflrjlfllll-UFTETOWN

him safely to Europe. A French poet. Jean Rameau, wrote at that time:

“Vous seule entre lea rols fixes is geste male"

ulsd Paris sang this chanson: ‘Bientot la reins Wilhelmina, Grandhlne dens un coeur we... fant,

Bravant les menaces de ruins Va 1e recevoir dignement.

Comma elle a du coeur;

Elle n'a pas peurl"

Forty years later. when the Ger- man terror invaded her country, fear did not for a single moment affect the principles and the decis- ion which inspired he; flaming protest and then led her to Eng. ‘land to wage the war as an exile The Queen's austere conception of her royal function made for \ rigid observance of the formalities safe-guarding both the royal dig- luty itself and the rules of constr- tutional democratic government. At the same time. the small num- ber of the Queen's intimates as well as the many people to whom she gave her personal interest knew her great heart, full o! what Dante has termed “a moor.- 'cr‘s severe love.” »

During the war, when every iii- dividual stood for his country m: Queen used to receive in her (LOH don home every single man or woman who had succeeded in es- oaping from occupied Holland, and in hundreds of intimate aria informal conversations she not only acquainted herself with ev- ery detail of the sufferings and the resistance of her oppressed nation but inspired them all wlul her strength while sharing therr burden.

When the Queen came to Ut- tawa in 19% for the christening of Princess Max-grist. Princess Ju- liana herself was struck by the depth of the Queen's compassion.

occasion. when the destiny of tar-i nation was at stake the cry oi "long live our country" which concluded her address to the oco- ple was felt to rise from ss dire-t‘. and passionate s. devotion as lslly patrlofs.

To Queen Wilhelmina, the words of her father which she quoted in lsr inaugural address in 1896 ‘The House of Orange can never do enough for the Netherlands" were a program as well as an ex- prueion of deep conviction. Part of this dominating sentiment was the Queen's love for her ow: language. Early in her reign, do- ing away with 19th. century fa~ ours for French or English. slic gave Dutch absolute preference at Court. and while cultivating the language of her own speeches and addresses to perfection. wok evrry occasion to praise its beauty and expressiveness.

‘The home-coming theme that used to be s child's delight, hau a historic transposition when March 13, 194d. after more than 4 years of exile. the Queen first seY foot in the Netherlands again. Fly- ing from London to Belgium, sne chose to cross the border to the Netherlands on foot, walking sli- ontiy and in deep emotion. and then proceeded to visit town a.‘

fer town, village after village. scanning with misled eyes every line in the beloved face of tue war-stricken country.

Already in the life of her great ancestor, William the Silent, whom Queen Wilhelmina always looked up to as her august example. tiie "motif" of exile and return had rung with a deep note. It occurs in the second strophe of the Dutch national hymn. the "Wil- helmus," written in 1568 by an un- known author:

"I've ever tried to live in The fear of God's command; Therefore I have been driven Prom people. home and land. But God, I trilst. will rate me His willing instrument. And one day reinstate me Into my government." ‘

On her 18th. birthday. sum-l‘. 3i, 1&8. the regency of Queer Emma ended and Queen Wilhel- mina took the throne, the solemn inauguration following on Scy- tem/ber 6th. st Amsterdam in tin: "Nieuwe Kerk."

In her proclamation on August 31st. she said: "I take for my life's Dumose to reign as a queen from the House of Orange is expected to do." And in the royal address at the inauguration ceremony. de- livered in s. musical, clear voice that charmed the audience as much as the words lmnremd them: ,

"I swear to the Dutch neopm that I will ever observe the Con‘ stltution. I swear that I will de- fend the independence and the territory of the realm with all is‘ rny power; that. I will protect toe general and particular liberty and rights of all my sisbiecfi m’! W71 Implcy, maintain and further tun general and particular prosperity with all means which the law places at my disfmll. ll ll 5100i King's duty. Bo help ma God Al- mighty."

Ae a constitutional ruler. Queen Wilhelmina has commanded frank admiration from many °l h" mm‘ isters as well as from experts of constitutional law. Hei- careful education and her wide and 91¢" cise understanding of constitution- al matters enabled her to observe in the most impeccable way 1h’- principles ruling the position of a constitutional monarch, while st the same time taking a full Def‘ and an active and highly intelli- gent interest in every ISM“ 4' the nation's life and living to sci" her own strength and inspiration

History records no instance of friction in the delicate junctions of constitutional monarchy and parliamentary government under Queen Wilhelmina. And in this pfflecb practice of a svmm which. as the historian of the firs‘ l0 years of her rei|n. Prof. .1. Brugmans, said: "asks for s. dotp dgygflfln and great. unseifishncss from all the organs involved." the

often felt that the Queen shares ‘Mu Patriotism instead of was ‘L! pblect. 0n many s memorable

prestige of the Crown was sits hsnced instead of diminished.

prominent Dutch historian.

lesson that:

monarchy is more suited to

ill

S: in a man. although persons s gifted are rare in both sexes:-

At the same time, in the myster lous halflzights and vague sin dows." which according to ta

writers, St/riiyckem- haunt

of the constitutional King's per

standards and courage themselves.

of veracity, devotlo could not

a Forceful quasi. Guides

vagueness. however, when second world war broke

having escaped Ge all to capture her (for which a spec iai parachute force had been brief

London. became the forceful guid of Dutch forces abroad, the 1.1 rpiration.’ of the resistance a

sonality was the anchor of tn

source of strength and courage l their manifold difficulties. To the unique reverence

contributed.

whole manifest charitable idslts

tlon as countless

I

siori with the people's during the war the

iii wearing down her

the slightest shadow has ev

ard and her absolute devotion

Iii fact. any blemish has come

llamentary journalists. Mr.

Hans, recognised the

not only excelled as a Queen the constitutional and sense of the word but she in all difficulties and; held unimpaired s. women's m jesty. Drawing strength from i". faith. the faith of the

al

rer dignity as a woman witno

Carrying out with great encr and courage a task that rnig

commanded respect by her an

ample for all the women of country."

Netherlands and is the object many anecdotes:

bsrrsssed her military aides lrotmlnding puddles and barb

man would. Already as a girl-queen, in l. very first years of her reign, s

Kruger, refugee president

Prom "i1! GWQHGIICI, IDOi-hl‘ O I

Prof. F. Japikse, has even drawn tlio “A parliamentary s woman than t.o a man. The quail- ties of resignation and self-sacri- fice so often demanded in such a position are more frequently found a woman. The chief requlre~ nients for making of a good kzig

are found as often in a womar

greatest of Dutch constitutional every attempt at a precise description

sonal part in the government o‘ gam, me House of orange was the cvuntrv- the personality l» perpetuated through one Princess. Q1199“ Wllhelmlnfl Hid he!‘ 1180 She was called Juliana after tllc

M11905"

There was no half-light nor

peaceful Holland and the Queer. attempt

ed) and having found refuge in

liome and. in fact. the personifi- cation of all that The Netherlarldz stand for in the world. Her per-

couniry's destiny. and for the gov- ernment in exile. a never failing

devotion to the Queen living ill the Dutch people, two moral fao tors may be said to have greatly

Tile first is the Queen's great human and Christian compassion with the needs and sufferings of individuals ss well as of the I14- in in peacetime and in her deep comps.‘-

suffering weight of WfLiCh certainly had s great shalt: physical, though not her spiritual strcugtr

The other one is, that not even

touched the Queen's own stand- the highest conception of royalty. be something unthinkable to her people. The riester of Dutch par- D. significance of this fact when he wrote: "he

national citmlggics

Oranges which never hindered her to meet

a blemish or rumple. Perhaps this is the deepest source of the rev- erence we feel for our Queen.

have daunted a msn. she always as a. cwclnen, and 1n this. als- lhe has been a high and pure es-

m“.

The Queen's strength of char- acter has become proverbial in The.

at manoeuvres. for instance. she sometimes em-

wlre any ‘more than an infantrv

surprised the world when she sent a Netherlands cruiser to Lorenzo Marques to receive famous Paul

Orange Pres state. and to br ‘ll

"Never before, perhaps," she said in a radio-talk. "have 1 seen su clearly how suffering has ‘led Mother to greater tenderness. These intimate words in a radio talk to the Dutch people also ai- ford a striking testimony to pie affectionate bonds uniting the nation with the Royal Family.

0n February '1. 190i, Queen Wil- helmina had married Prince Heu-

energy and devotion to the m,- t.on‘s interest. taking a great Dal‘! in organizations like the Red cross, the Boy Scouts and manv ' other charitable and welfare sc- ¢ tivitiss. ‘

on lApril s. 1900. Princess Ju- liana was born in the Royal Pal- ace of Noordeinde. The Hague. A-

C‘

l‘ mother of Prince William the sli- cnt, Juliana van Stoibsrg. a W011i‘ an of outstanding character and intelligence who had a stronfl “>- fluence on her great son.

The Queen bestowed great care in educating her daughter for in. high position that awaited 11c.‘- Aithough her education was trier

tugh. she was brought up amid lurroundings of the greatest sin.- plicity. Walking and cycllni We?‘ the rule. she had her elementary education in a class with aha-e girl friends under the supervision of a well known Dutch pedagogue. Jan Ligihart. supplemented by music lessons from the composes‘ Catharina van Rennes, whilst to’ recreation there were childre"! parties and in winter, skating. secondary education. incltrdinil ihe~three modern languaSBS. 6001' nlenced in the 11th. year. under a number of teachers, increased L1 ‘.023 by a fow university professor:-

r

L11 ove

t‘

t

i’.

and quick in perception and also prov- cd to possess s happy gift humour inherited from her faili- er On reaching her majority ‘in i927 and being confirmed. sne was allowed a Royal H°ll§°ll°l5 on a small scale, and in accordance with the Constitution she was BP- pointcd a member of the Couafl of State.

Then began s happy student life at the University of Leydtn. With a few other members of the Student's Club to which she , be- " longed. Princess Juliana lived our- Katwijk, a seaside resort near Leyden from which for 2 1-2 llean she regularly attended the Univer- sity classes like any other

iu

t0

Netherlands

in

the discussions of a Debating Club

s: With her vivacious nature.

l- l1

in i930, when she took her da

I

other religious convictions with F?“ u 1*“- D' “d lmmedmf"! e assumed the presidency of lha

profound respect, she maintainp commm" w

u; National Crisis

and also of her means.

B! ht . field. No word of a DIOBDOCUVI so

pounced one morning,

but in a two-sector Ford car. 9f

W cd

hi he

0f

Princess Jilliana was a good pupil.

of

lng these years in a small villa "t

law student, while taking also a nun.- ber of additional. subjects such as Literature. Church History and the History of Is- lam, Slavic Literature and Adnt Lew. She took an active P!" l"

tr.- Princess enjoyed her life as a hri student to the full. This happy period of her life came to an end.

which she gave much of her time

The year 1036 brought the er.- gogemerit of Princess Juliana W-l-h Prince Bernhard of hippo-Blaster-

engagement had leaked out. [when suddenly the great news was an- snd the same evening. about six o'clock. the young couple arrived in The Hague, not in an official carriage-

The Prince quickly won his hearts of the Netherlanders by n..\ amlabillty and very soon music-ed the Dutch language. The marriage which followed on January 7. iilul. was of a private character. No distinguished foreign guests were invited; only members of the fam-, ily and personal friends. The civil marriage took place at the Town Hall. in the same room when: cv- ery young couple in The Hague. on similar occasions. appears be-

PRINCESS JULIANA AND PRINCE BERNHARD

imposing one. whilst the enthusi- asm with which the newly-mar- rled pair were greeted on their six mile drive through the streets. was enormous. In accordance with the wish of the Princess, the wit- nesses to the marriage included not only the members of the fam- ily and high dignitaries prescrlo- ed by tradition, but. also her lo:- mer tutor, Professor Dr. J. Hui:- inga. a gesture intended to bonsai- Netherlands Culture and Science. On January 31. i938, a 110-)‘ scion was born to the House cf Orange. The perpetuation of the dynasty was assured by the birth

in modern times are insight, e~ d-k g Me plenum; Sghwggm, _ _ _ bility. character and, above er. ,,,',‘,,,,,,°_.,M hid known 5mm m; °l Prlllce“ Beatrix. Wlllli-mma. wmdousness o! the we“ 5k childhood‘ Armgard.“ The name Beatrix Whlch l! "trusted i0 YOYBlW Under the constitution. tlic f???‘ Si“ w“ “mils ham‘ standing as it does above all ai- p,‘ e h d no 905mm. or g ptfitl- ‘ ' ties, as the exalted bearer oi a J- ealnllfltilge. 1n manv social BCiflVl Prglceesrcggi: étugstge‘ t g! 13-9 - . n i115 , a. tional tradition. These qualities u”. however, he mgmgegged n1; w“ baptized Irene, m“ s“

"Peace. Fate determined, .iow- ever. that it was not on Dutcl- ground that the baptism should rake place. That ceremony was - in the chapel of Buckingham Pu‘.- ace in London. On May 12, Prince Bernhard received orders to take his wife and children to England. because from papers found on parachuiists it was clear that the enemy who had invaded the country on May 10 aimed at seiz- ing the royal family.

After the Germans had occupied Holland, and while the Queer. stayed in London to keep in close touch with her government and the Allied Supreme Command, Princess Juliana and her ChlidJAl went to live in Canada. arrivhig there in June 1940.

In a radio-speech that month she said: "Now 1 come and ask your hospitality, that my two ll‘.- tle daughters may be safe. Also: “Do not give me your pity. give us your fcrtifying love." The lam- Liy lived for some weeks at tre Seignory Club, then with the Ear. of Athlone and Princess Alice s: Government House till they found a house of their own, in Rockcihft.

In the Civic Hospital at Ottawa. Princess Juliaria’s third daughter. Princess Margriet. was born on wlariuary 19th. i943. That day, the Uttawla carillon played the Dutch national hymn and. extraordinary arid touching tribute to the Frill- cess born in exile, the Nether- lands flag was flown from Parlia- merit. Hill.

The Queen herself came to Cs- lada in the sulnrier of 194.2 whcn she went to Washington. D. C. to address Congress on Aug. 6th, 10-12, and again in 1943.