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260
SWEDEN IN 1914 [chap. xv.
and of the Swedish people, her Germanic influence
spread quite naturally over her new family and her new
country.
She married her eldest son, the present King, to a
Princess of Baden, daughter of the respectable
Grand-Duchess Louisa and grand-daughter of the Emperor
William I.
Even under present circumstances, when so many
crimes and felonies have been perpetrated by Germany
against my unhappy country, I should consider that I
was lacking in fairness if I did not mention the high
qualities of the House of Baden and its courageous
fidelity to the ancient traditions of behaviour, charity and
justice. The Grand Duchy of Baden was the only place
in Germany where the Court dared to be humane to the
unfortunate dependants of enemy countries who became
civil prisoners; and Prince Max of Baden did all in his
power to make the work of the German Red Cross more
consistent with the recognised principles and
humanitarian objects of this great international organisation.
The Prince’s efforts were not always successful, for he
had to struggle against the blindness of an entire nation,
and the malignant duplicity of a powerful portion of it.
But I know for certain that he did make efforts.
Queen Victoria of Sweden, from the outset of the war,
frankly supported the German colours; she rejoiced
at Germany’s victories and deplored her defeats; she
did not curtail by one hour her usual long visits to
Carlsruhe,—visits which were, moreover, necessary on
account of her delicate health, which cannot stand the
severe Swedish winter; she did not seek to escape any
of the ovations given to her at this time in Germany ;
and yet, side by side with all this, she has always kept
up appearances, she has always remained a Queen. She
did all she could for our prisoners and for the
badly-wounded Russians who crossed Sweden in thousands.
She took a real interest in them. I only had the honour
of meeting her twice during the war, and then she
extended to the Russian Minister a welcome that was not
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