King Albert I as a child, an adolescent, and a young man. (I am sorry that the pictures are so small; to see a larger version, just click on the image)
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Mary Magdalen
A painting of St. Mary Magdalen by Rogier van der Weyden, from the right panel of the Braque Family Triptych (1450).
Ash Wednesday
Today is Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting and prayer marking the beginning of Lent. From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
The name dies cinerum (day of ashes) which it bears in the Roman Missal is found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day, all the faithful according to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead - or in the case of clerics upon the place of the tonsure - of each with the sign of the cross, saying the words: "Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return"...
More here.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
"Chez la Reine des Belges"
The Great War in a Different Light has an article from 1918 by Colette Yver, a French journalist, describing her meeting with Queen Elisabeth of Belgium during World War I. The article, entitled Chez la Reine des Belges, is written in the fervid rhetorical style of the period; nevertheless, it clearly conveys the austerity and simplicity of the royal couple's wartime life, and the Queen's heroism, intelligence, charm, tenderness, and grace.
I found this passage, where the author describes the Queen's concerns for the fate of the family in post-war Europe, particularly interesting:
Une chose intéresse Sa Majesté: le sort des femmes dans la societé de l'après-guerre; et l'entretien roule maintenant sur les conditions nouvelles où les mettront les exigences de la vie économique. La déficit effrayant des hommes produira dans toutes les branches...un appel puissant de mains féminines. Des millions de femmes devront travailler en dehors de chez elles. Que deviendront de ce fait la famille, la natalité? ...C'est un sujet d'effroi pour la reine, qui a foi en la famille, qui voit dans la famille le premier élément de l'organisme social et qui aime plus que nul autre la douceur familiale, de voir se préparer la faillite d'un ordre aussi vieux que le monde. Sa Majesté se demande qui élèvera l'enfant selon cette nouvelle économie, et s'il devient la proie de l'élevage officiel, comment subsistera le sentiment maternel alors que la mère ne connaîtra plus les êtres qu'elles a appelés à vie... Mais j'ai tort de dire que cette question est pour Sa Majesté un sujet d'effroi, car, ici, Elle a un mot qui met tout au point et montre l'équilibre et la profondeur de sa pensée. "Heureusement il y a l'instinct maternel!"... Tout ce qui s'établit à faux dans une societé, les instincts essentiels le renversent. Telle est la philosophie de ce cerveau lumineux. Intelligence sûre, solide, qui s'exprime timidement, par mots brefs, par phrases-éclair, cette entrevue m'en a montré les aspects divers. Intelligence frémissante, vibrant constamment avec tout ce qui est humain, avec tout ce qui est actuel, on peut dire qu'aucun des problèmes modernes ne lui est étranger, encore moins indifférent.One thing interests Her Majesty: the fate of women in post-war society, and the discussion now turns to the new circumstances into which they will be placed by the demands of economic life. The appalling lack of manpower will produce, in all fields .... a pressing need for women in the workforce. Millions of women will be obliged to work outside of their homes. What will be the consequences for the family, for the birth-rate? ... It alarms the Queen, who has faith in the family, who sees, in the family, the basic element of society, and who loves, more than anyone else, the sweetness of family life, to see the approaching collapse of an order as old as the world. Her Majesty asks who will raise the children in this new economy, and, if they fall prey to state upbringing, how maternal feelings will survive when the mother no longer knows those she has brought into the world... But I am wrong to say that this question is a subject of alarm for Her Majesty, for, at this point, she makes a remark which sets everything straight and which demonstrates the balance and the depth of her thought. "Fortunately, there is maternal instinct!" ... Everything that goes amiss in society will be corrected by essential instincts. Such is the philosophy of this lucid mind. Her sure, solid intelligence, which expresses itself timidly, in brief words and clear phrases, became evident to me, under its different aspects, during that conversation. This vibrant intelligence, alive with all that is human, with all that is contemporary - no modern problem is foreign, still less indifferent, to her.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Accession of Leopold III
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the accession of King Leopold III to the Belgian throne. On February 23, 1934, still grieving over the tragic death of his father, King Albert I, only 6 days earlier, the 32-year-old Sovereign made his "Joyous Entry" into Brussels and swore his accession oath before Parliament. He then delivered his accession speech in French and Dutch, concluding with the solemn promise: "I give myself entirely to Belgium." His wife, Queen Astrid, transported by the occasion, lifted up her little son, Baudouin, the new Crown Prince, to offer him to the country.
Above, we see a photograph of the accession ceremony. Interestingly, there are no coronations in Belgium; the new monarch simply swears to "observe the Constitution and the laws of the Belgian people, to maintain national independence and the integrity of the territory."
Here, we see King Leopold and Queen Astrid mourning the death of King Albert. I think the photograph admirably conveys their grief; and, at the same time, their dignity and courage in assuming their difficult new role. What sort of man was Belgium's new King? His father, shortly before his death, had confided to his entourage:
"Léopold est bien préparé pour me remplacer. Il a ma pondération et l'énergie de sa mère. Ce qui forme un métal dont la force de résistance est bien grande.""Leopold is well prepared to take my place. He has my thoughtfulness and his mother's energy. This forms a very tough metal."
Albert, in fact, had been so convinced of his son's readiness for rulership that he had, at times, considered abdicating in his favor.
Leopold's former secretary, Robert Capelle, writes in his memoirs:
L'affection qui unissait le père et le fils, leurs entretiens constants avaient contribué à assurer au pays une continuité de vues à la direction de l'État. Élevé dans les sentiments de devoir, désireux d'accomplir sa tâche avec conscience, profondément attaché aux institutions nationales, le roi Léopold, dès son avènement, redouble d'activité et de travail. Son caractère et sa maîtrise impressionnent ceux qui l'approchent. Esprit pondéré et réflechi, il rejette les décisions hâtives. Ses idées personnelles, il désire les éprouver, en les communiquant, à l'appréciation de personnes de confiance....The affection that united father and son, and their constant discussions, had helped to assure the country a continuity of views regarding the direction of the State. Raised with the sense of duty, desirous of accomplishing his task conscientiously, deeply attached to the nation's institutions, King Leopold, from the moment of his accession, doubled his activity and his work. His character and his mastery impressed those who came into contact with him. He had a thoughtful, reflective mind, and rejected hasty decisions. As for his personal ideas, he wished to test them, by offering them to trusted individuals, for their consideration...
In his excellent work on Leopold's activities during World War II, Léopold III, sa famille, son peuple sous l'occupation, Jean Cleeremans cites Alfred Willemart, a friend of the King during his youth, in describing Leopold's character. According to Willemart, Leopold's main moral and intellectual traits were:
...(L)'admiration qu'il vouait à son père et son désir de l'imiter, une extrême loyaute qui sautait aux yeux dans tous ses propos et ses actes... une volonté réfléchie... la recherche de la perfection, la domination de son extraordinaire force physique, et sa mâitrise de soi. D'une grande simplicité, le prince faisait également preuve d'une extrême bonté. Il était doué d'une intelligence dépassant de loin la moyenne... Sa charité chrétienne le poussait à se pencher sur le sort des humbles, des ouvriers notamment......The admiration he felt for his father, and his desire to imitate him; an extreme loyalty, which was immediately evident in all his words and deeds... a reflective willpower... the search for perfection, the mastery of his extraordinary physical strength, and his self-control. A man of great simplicity, the prince also evinced an extreme kindness. He was gifted with an intelligence surpassing, by far, the average... His Christian charity impelled him to concern himself with the fate of the poor, especially the workers...
King Leopold III, in short, was a very capable man, endowed with rare qualities of mind and heart.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Liège
Searching on the Wikimedia Commons I found these two pictures of 17th century Liège.
Liège in 1649. From the Novum ac Magnum Theatrum Urbium Belgicae, by J. Blaeu, published in Amsterdam in 1649.
A view of the city ca. 1650, from an engraving by Matthäus Merian published in Frankfurt.
Political Testament: Part VI
In the sixth section of his "Political Testament", entitled La réorganisation militaire, Leopold III stressed that Belgium should reconstitute its regular army immediately following liberation from German occupation.
La cessation des hostilités pourrait amener une crise d'autorité affectant une forme violente et qu'il serait malaisé de refréner en l'absence d'une force armée régulièrement constituée et formée d'éléments d'un patriotisme éprouvé indemnes de toute passion partisane.Pour des raisons de tranquillité à l'intérieur et de prestige à l'extérieur, je recommande de reconstituer dans le plus bref délai une armée belge formée de militaires de carrière valides, complétée par des volontaires, de préférence soldats ayant vu le feu. A cet effet, il faudra exiger le repatriement immédiat de nos officiers et soldats prisonniers en Allemagne et de tous ceux qui seront encore à l'étranger.The cessation of hostilities could lead to a crisis of authority, which might take a violent form, and which it would be difficult to control without a regular army, formed of elements of a proven patriotism immune to all partisan passion.For reasons of internal peace and external prestige, I recommend that a Belgian army be formed, as rapidly as possible, consisting of able professional soldiers, reinforced by volunteers, preferably soldiers who have seen action. To achieve this end, it will be necessary to insist upon the immediate repatriation of our officers and soldiers who are prisoners in Germany, and of all those still abroad.
The passages testifies to Leopold's prudence, in anticipating the civil disorders which might ensure after liberation, before normal government could be re-established. The King's emphasis on the need for a strong army also highlights his concern for national security and prestige.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Parents of King Albert I
Prince Philippe of Belgium (1837-1905), the Count of Flanders. He was the younger brother of King Leopold II of Belgium. Although, constitutionally, he was in the line of royal succession, his unfortunate deafness effectively disqualified him from the throne. An avid reader, he had an extensive library. His love of books was inherited, to a large extent, by his son, Albert. 
Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1845-1912), the Countess of Flanders. She was distinguished for her piety and charity; her brother-in-law, Leopold II, used to call her "Our Lady of Flanders." She was also an accomplished artist.In contrast to the irregular private life of Leopold II, the Count and Countess of Flanders were known for their domestic virtues. Philippe and Marie had four children: Prince Baudouin, a promising youth, who, tragically, died at age 22, Princess Henriette, Princess Josephine, and Prince Albert, who would later, due to his uncle's lack of a direct heir, become Belgium's beloved King Albert I.
The Brabançonne
A Queen in a Park
After a half-dozen sittings my wax sculpture of the Queen of Belgium was finished, but in the meantime a sort of friendship had grown up between us. She was easy to talk to because she was understanding, direct, and sincere, and entirely lacking in pose. She began asking me to stay after my work for the day was finished, and then to lunch as well.
That too was completely informal. Luncheon was served in her drawing-room; a table already set was rolled in on wheels by two footmen, another table was brought in on which silver-covered dishes stood on electric heaters, and coffee was served in a blue thermos bottle. The footmen left, and we were alone, waiting on each other. Once I remember the Queen smiled her mischievous smile as she offered me a new dish. "Do try some," she urged me. "It is our national dish. I have never liked it, but as I never dared tell the cook, I am always having it."
I liked her not because she was a queen, but because she had the soul of an artist and of an elf, a strange, half-human, half-divine being from legendary forests. She loved the great park at Laeken; her real life was centered on it. She and the King had a warm friendship with the old gardener, Monsieur Parat... I often saw him walking with the King in the park, where he had a little house in which he lived with his family...
In the river that crossed the park there were hundreds of swans, white ones and black. Often the gardener came to tell the Queen that a new swan had been born or to show her nests where there were swan's eggs.
Once at luncheon the Queen started to tell me something about the greenhouse. "What!" she exclaimed. "You have never seen it? Quick, let's finish lunch and go there." I followed her light quick steps as we hurried to the greenhouse. It was celebrated in Brussels, with its exotic flowers, orchids, and a pergola miles long over whose arch hung fuchsia. It was fantastically beautiful. It was that day she discovered I loved flowers, and never again did I leave the palace without my arms filled with them, placed in the carriage for me at the Queen's orders.
We began to take long walks in the park, talking, talking, for her interests were universal. One day she said she would like to paint in the park with me.
"Madame, I should be delighted," I replied, and I began to tell her some of my ideas about painting.
"Wait a minute," she exclaimed, and she ran out of the room and came back with some water-colors. "Now show me what you mean."
As we were bending over her work the door opened, and an unusually tall man with a beautiful head, even features, blue eyes, and blond hair appeared.
"Am I disturbing you?"
"Oh no," she said. "Come in."
That was Albert, the King of Belgium. He spoke slowly, in a low voice, with a pronounced Germanic accent. He squinted near-sightedly through a pince-nez. With almost as much simplicity as his wife, he talked to me for a moment about my husband, whom he knew, and about my son. Then he urged the Queen to go to some audience. Compared with her husband she was tiny...
The Queen of Belgium did not live in accordance with the usual ideas of court life. She rose early and after a light breakfast began to practice violin, either alone or with her teacher. If it were necessary, she went to the palace in Brussels for an audience or to receive a delegation, and she visited a number of charities and exhibitions. Every day she took a lesson in Flemish, which is not an easy language, as she was obliged to reply in that tongue when she opened bazaars in the Flemish part of Belgium. In the afternoons she often made music with other musicians or had someone play for her. In the evenings, if their presence was not required for an opening of some sort, the King and Queen remained alone at Laeken, taking long walks in the park or sitting before the fireplace while she read aloud to him. They were a devoted couple.
Once, when I knew her better, I asked: "Where did you meet the King for the first time?"
"Oh, that was in Paris in the house of my aunt, the Queen of Naples."
"And was it at once the coup de foudre?"
Her eyes sparkled. "I thought he was wonderful," she said simply.
They were a love match and they were happy. Together they visited all the corners of the earth, to see people, to learn about things. Like her, the King was insatiably curious and unwilling to be hedged around with court etiquette. They were wonderful companions and devoted parents to their three children, the handsome Prince Leopold, the strange and gloomy Prince Charles, and Princess Marie-José, who was extremely tall, with a thick bunch of curly blond hair and blue eyes...
More and more often I visited the Queen during that three-month visit to Brussels, and always after that, whenever I returned to Belgium, I spent most of my time with her in the park...
On a very gray day the Queen sent for me. She was waiting impatiently when I arrived and said: "Don't take off your coat. Come out into the park. I must show you something."
We hurried downstairs and into the park, walking until we reached a part which I did not know at all.
"Now," she said in excitement. "Close your eyes and give me your hand. Don't open your eyes until I tell you." We walked for a few moments, and then she said triumphantly, "Now!"
We stood in a little field completely blue with forget-me-nots, with a few trees laden with yellow blossoms. The sky was a deep heavy gray, and the whole composition gave the effect of an impressionistic picture.
The Queen was radiant. "Isn't it beautiful?" she exclaimed...
Court circles are rarely noted for their brilliance, but the Queen preferred to surround herself not with the usual court groups but with creative people - musicians, artists, writers, scientists. She wanted to know them, to grasp their ideas, and, as a result, she had a number of close friendships among such people.
And sometimes, during those long hours, I asked her about the First World War in which she proved herself to be a splendid nurse.
"Looking back now," she said, "I don't know how I was able to do it. When I first visited the hospitals and saw the wounded, I would cry. Finally the doctor told me I could not behave like that. Unless I pulled myself together, I would do more harm than good. It is amazing what you can endure, how much suffering and sorrow and blood and wounds and dead bodies one can see.
Once I remember visiting a battlefield after a battle. The sun had just gone down. The earth was black and damp, and there was a little pool of water red with blood. Lying beside it was a handsome boy, so blond, his helmet beside him. The doctors and I buried him, and I sent his medal to his mother. Oh, it was terrible. I could not do it again!"
But the next day a telephone call came from the palace, asking me not to come. There had been a great disaster at the mines, and the Queen had gone, smiling and compassionate, to console the distraught wives of the miners. Once more she was making the effort that she had said was impossible.
Soon, Mme. Barjansky was teaching the Queen the art of sculpting.
The Queen loved sculpture, and she had the satisfaction, rare for royalty, of knowing that she had accomplished it all herself. I never touched her clay. After her first lesson she was still so excited that I stayed on, and for two hours we walked in the park while she bombarded me with questions about sculpture. I remember, because it was a typical gesture of this elfin queen, that on the way back she caught a firefly and held it to her watch to tell the time...
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