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An Interlude in Belgium
In January, 1946, I spent a week in Belgium. Le
Président des Grandes Conférences Catholiques had
invited me to give some lectures concerning Red
Cross work in Germany during the last phase of the
war. What I remember most about this journey is the
way in which the name of Queen Astrid is still so
much alive among the Belgian people. As a Swede,
this gave me a feeling of happiness and pride.
I knew her very well as a little girl in Sweden. I
remember her as a very shy and reserved young girl.
It is quite amazing that from the moment she
came to her new country, she could show such an
unusual capacity for winning the hearts of the
Belgian people through her charm and kindness. I, for
my part, do not think it improbable that if she had
lived, she could, through her winning personality,
have prevented the Belgian royal problem from
becoming so acute and from reaching such a precarious
state as was the case. Queen Astrid was truly
popular in the best sense of the word. This young woman’s
deeds are proof of what a person full of goodness and
with a genuine desire to do her best can accomplish.
It is also undoubtedly due to her that the Belgian
people think so highly of Sweden today. The Swedish
people have every reason to be very grateful to her
for what she has done: her services benefited not
only the Belgian people but also her own country.
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