L'Opinion et le Roi, 1940-1944

In: Res publica: politiek-wetenschappelijk tijdschrift van de Lage Landen ; driemaandelijks tijdschrift, Volume 20, Issue 1, p. 55-114

Abstract

The image of Belgium's King Leopold III as it was fashioned by PO during the German occupation is delineated. Various sources were consulted: reports on PO written for the exiled government in London, diaries, & underground leaflets & newspapers. Excluded were the collaborationists movements & the Belgian exiles in London. PO underwent a strong evolution from 1940 to 1944, & changed according to SCs. Some significant moments are described: the army's surrender, the king's marriage, forced labor. Admiration for the king was high in 1940 but had notably diminished by the end of 1941. This reversal was due to an increased confidence in democracy & a refusal of dictatorial projects formulated by some, intending to invest the king with absolute power in a corporative society rid of parliament & political parties. The king's image as a prisoner of war was negatively affected by his marriage, by sentiments imputed to his entourage, & by the fact that he kept silent about some of the occupants' actions. The church remained a resolute defender of the king. Flanders & Wallony reacted differently: the former, but not the latter, remained resolutely loyal to the king. In Liege, hostility to the king spread to some Christian democratic circles. Interest in the king faded away & the king's exile in 1944 met with indifference. No authorized voice in the underground movement asked for the king's retirement at the time of the liberation. For all groups & parties, the question remained open, but required explanation. The Royal Question of the late 1940s was based on positions adopted during the war, but can only be explained by circumstances that arose after the war. Modified HA.