Tag: Louis XVI

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The de Facto Traitor

For those of you who follow kings, queens, and nobility, it can be quite a chore trying to figure out the genealogy of each family and then tracking how the marriages and children forge political links between countries. One example would be Britain and Russia. King George V (1865−1936) and Tsar Nicholas II (1868−1918) were first cousins and looking at the image of the two standing side-by-side, you would swear they were twins. Empress Maria Theresa (1717−1780) decided to end hostilities with France and so she offered up her ninth child (Marie Antoinette) in marriage to the French dauphin, the future King Louis XVI. (That decision didn’t end well for her daughter, did it?) Tracking British and French monarchies is relatively easy compared to the royal families of the Scandinavian countries and Germany.

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (left) and King George V of England (right). Photo by Ernst Sandau (c. 1913). Uploaded by Mrlopez2681. PD-Published before 1 January 1929. Wikimedia Commons.
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (left) and King George V of England (right). Photo by Ernst Sandau (c. 1913). Uploaded by Mrlopez2681. PD-Published before 1 January 1929. Wikimedia Commons.

As Hitler began his conquest of Europe in May 1940, it was clear to most that his armies would be successful, occupation was inevitable, and Germany would soon become the master of Europe. Every country Hitler targeted was confronted with the dilemma of determining whether its government should stay or leave in exile. France chose to create a new government, Vichy, and collaborate with the Germans. For Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, there was no choice in her mind. She immediately relocated her government to England and fought Hitler from abroad (click here to read the blog, Audrey Hepburn & Queen Wilhelmina). Belgium’s King Leopold III (1901−1983) stayed and tried to maintain neutrality but was captured and held in Germany until his liberation. (The Belgian government refused to stay and moved to England.) Norway was not able to maintain its neutrality and King Haakon VII (1872−1957) and his government escaped to London leaving the country to the infamous collaborator and traitor, Vidkun Quisling (1887−1945). Finland’s royal family fled to England and the country came under the thumb of the Soviet Union and then Germany. (Click here to read Valkoinen Kuolema and here to read Two Footballers and a War.) Read More The de Facto Traitor

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OB West

I thought perhaps you might like to read about a site I’ve decided to include in the first volume of our new book series, Where Did They Put the Gestapo Headquarters? A Walking Tour of Nazi-Occupied Paris. For those of you who have read one or more of my prior books, you know that four walks are included along with a section called “Métro Walks.” Each of the four walks has multiple stops and you can walk from one stop to the next without having to jump on the métro. However, there are sites that are interesting, but I couldn’t fit them into any of the walks or they are stand-alone stops accessible by means other than the métro. Typically, I include four of these sites in each book. For example, in volume two of the book, Where Did They Burn the Last Grand Master of the Knights Templar? A Walking Tour of Medieval Paris, one of the Métro Walk stops is Château-Gaillard. This is the castle built by King Richard the Lionheart after he was released from captivity in 1194 by Leopold V, Duke of Austria. It has a very interesting history and the castle’s ruins are situated on a hill overlooking the Seine River and easily accessible by car.

Today’s subject is in the town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a suburb of Paris about seventeen miles (twenty kilometers) to the west. It also sits on a hill overlooking the Seine. Its strategic location was one of the reasons why Hitler chose Saint-Germain-en-Laye as headquarters for the Oberbefehlshaber West (Ob West), or German Commander-in-Chief in the West. It is a somewhat compact town and perfect for walking to the numerous bunkers built by the Germans as well as their command headquarters. It is also a town with quite a bit of French history.

Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Château Neuf, 1637. The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye can be seen in the background. The Pavilion Henri IV is the pavilion on the right. Illustration by Auguste Alexandre Guillaumot (c. 1800s). Bibliothèque nationale de France. PD-GallicaScan. Wikimedia Commons.
Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Château Neuf, 1637. The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye can be seen in the background. The Pavilion Henri IV is the pavilion on the right. Illustration by Auguste Alexandre Guillaumot (c. 1800s). Bibliothèque nationale de France. PD-GallicaScan. Wikimedia Commons.

Read More OB West