Political Testament: Part VIII

In the eighth section of his Political Testament, King Leopold III insisted upon solemn reparation from his ministers, who had unjustly accused him of treason at the time of the Belgian capitulation in 1940. Leopold's demand has often been viewed as a sign of obstinacy and arrogance, and as a fatal political mistake. It certainly did arouse great opposition to the King among politicians unwilling to repudiate past errors. Nonetheless, I do not consider his tone in this passage to be arrogant, but merely firm and dignified. His concerns for the honor of the dynasty and country seem entirely legitimate.

Il n'est point de patriote que ne tourmente le souvenir de certains discours prononcés à la tribune du monde entier, par lesquels des ministres belges se sont permis, à des heures exceptionellement critiques, où la sauvegarde de la dignité nationale imposait une extrême circonspection, de proférer précipitamment des imputations de la plus haute gravité contre la conduite de notre Armée et les actes de son chef. 

Ces accusations qui, dans un aveuglement obstiné, attentaient à l'honneur de nos soldats et de leur commandant en chef, ont causé à la Belgique un préjudice incalculable et difficile à réparer.

On chercherait vainement dans l'histoire pareil exemple d'un gouvernement jetant gratuitement l'opprobre sur son Souverain et sur le drapeau national. Le prestige de la Couronne et l'honneur du pays s'opposent à ce que les auteurs de ces discours exercent quelque autorité que ce soit en Belgique libérée aussi longtemps qu'ils n'auront pas répudié leur erreur et fait réparation solennelle et entière. 

La Nation ne comprendrait ni admettrait que la Dynastie acceptât d'associer à son action des hommes qui lui ont infligé un affront auquel le monde a assisté avec stupeur.

There is no patriot who is not tormented by the memory of certain speeches, pronounced before the entire world, in which Belgian ministers permitted themselves, at exceptionally critical moments, when the safeguarding of national dignity required extreme circumspection, hastily to hurl accusations of the highest gravity against the conduct of our army and the acts of its commander.

These accusations, which, in their obstinate blindness, attacked the honor of our soldiers and of their commander-in-chief, have caused Belgium immeasurable harm, which is difficult to repair. 

One would search in vain for similar examples in history of a government gratuitously casting disgrace upon its Sovereign and the national flag. The prestige of the Crown and the honor of the country forbid that the authors of these speeches exercise any authority whatsoever in liberated Belgium until they repudiate their error and make solemn, full reparation. 

The Nation would neither understand nor accept that the Dynasty should agree to collaborate with men who have inflicted upon it an affront which the world witnessed with astonishment.