ADSS 1.216 Paolo Giobbe (1), Internuncio to Holland, to
Luigi Maglione, Sec State.
Reference:
Report number 2656/39, (AES 8122/39)
Location
and date: The Hague, 08.11.1939
Summary
statement: King Leopold of Belgium and Queen Wilhelmina of Holland issued an
appeal for peace and offered their mediation to the belligerents.
Language:
Italian
Text:
As
Your Eminence has certainly learned from the newspapers, on Monday night at
23.00, His Majesty King Leopold of the Belgians arrived at the Hague to confer
with the Queen of the Netherlands (2).
The conference started at once and lasted until 02.00 and was resumed at
09.00 and continued until 11.30. The
Dutch Foreign Minister and the Belgian Foreign Ministers, M. Spaak, were present
(3). As soon as the news of the meeting
was known, having been broadcast by radio, a general feeling of anxiety
pervaded the population as everyone feared that unknown and grave events were
imminent. In the afternoon several
members of the Diplomatic Corps went to the Foreign Ministry to obtain some
information and they knew then, in strict confidence, that the purpose of the
meeting was to discover in convert a way of promoting an understanding between
the belligerents to reach a peaceful solution of the conflict.
At
19.30 the message addressed by the two Sovereigns to the Governments of France,
Germany and Great Britain, of which I have the honour to send a copy to Your
Eminence, was published.
The
news restored calm and has raised people’s hopes.
In
the meantime, King Leopold took the opportunity of talking with the
Commander-in-chief of the Dutch land and sea armed forces, General S H
Reijders, which could mean that the proposal of peace was not the sole object
of the conversations, as, of course prudence would suggest (4).
Promising
to send further information in case of new developments, I am ,etc.
Enclosures:
Official
communiqué published following the talks of their Majesties the Queen of the
Netherlands and the King of the Belgians:
The
Queen of the Netherlands and the King of the Belgians met on 6-7 November.
Messrs.
Van Kleffens and Spaak, Ministers for Foreign Affairs accompanied the
Sovereigns.
The
Sovereigns have decided to address to the Heads of State of Germany, France and
Great Britain a telegram with a view to facilitating eventual negotiations.
This
initiative of the two Sovereigns is another manifestation of the identify of
outlook and of the solidarity which exists between the Netherlands and Belgium
The
text of the telegram follows:
“In
this anxious hour for the world, before war be unleashed in all its violence in
Western Europe, We are convinced that it is Our duty to raise our voice again.
The
belligerent parties have already stated, some time ago, that they would not refuse
to examine a reasonable and sure basis for a just peace. It seems to Us that it would be difficult for
them, in the present circumstances, to enter into communication with each other
to state and compare their points of view.
As
Sovereigns of two neutral States, having good relations with all their
neighbours, We are prepared to put at their disposal Our good offices.
If
that is agreeable to them, We are prepared to expedite, with all means in our
power, whenever they would like to suggest to Us, and, in the spirit of
amicable understanding, the search for the basis for an eventual agreement.
This,
it seems to Us, is the mission which We have to fulfil for the good of Our
peoples and in the interest of the entire world. We hope that Our offer will be accepted, and
that this a first step will be taken towards the establishment of a durable
peace”.
Notes:
(1)
Paolo Giobbe (1880-1972), Nuncio to Holland, based at The Hague.
(2)
Leopold III (1901-1983), King of Belgium 1934-51; Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
(1880-1962), Queen of Holland 1890-1948.
(3)
Eelco Van Kleffens (1894-1983), Foreign Minister Holland 1939-45; Paul-Henri Spaak
(1899-1972), Foreign Minister Belgium 1939-45.
(4)
Izaak Herman Reijders (1879-1966), General of the Royal Netherlands Army,
Commander-in-Chief of the Dutch Armed Forces 1934-40.
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