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In more than 100 years, the Netherlands has not had a male monarch on the throne. As a result, this Netherlands 1970 silver 10 gulden coin commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of liberation features the two reigning queens of the middle twentieth century. On the reverse of the coin is a left facing profile of Queen Wilhelmina, who was the queen of the Netherlands at its liberation from the Nazis in 1945. The obverse features a right facing profile of Queen Juliana, who became queen in 1948 and reigned through the twenty-fifth anniversary of liberation in 1970. The exemplary leadership of both these women in tumultuous times makes this coin an excellent choice for inclusion into my Inspirational Ladies Custom set. Thus, the following paragraphs are a short narrative on both Queen Wilhelmina and her daughter, Queen Juliana.
World War II saw the Netherlands falling to a German invasion. Queen Wilhelmina and her daughter Juliana narrowly escaped capture by leaving the Netherlands on a British warship that the Germans nearly sank as it crossed the English Channel. A naval officer commenting on the incident said, "I have never seen a woman so completely calm in my life.” From Great Britain, Wilhelmina inspired her people and members of the Dutch underground with late evening radio broadcasts calling Adolf Hitler “the arch-enemy of mankind." Over the course of the war, Queen Wilhelmina became popular and respected among the leaders of the world. Winston Churchill described her as, “The only real man” among the governments-in-exile in London. Queen Wilhelmina also became the second women inducted into knighthood in the “Order of the Garter." While living in England, Queen Wilhelmina survived an assassination attempt that killed several of her guards. After the war in 1945, Queen Wilhelmina returned to the Netherlands and a rapturous welcome by her people.
In the era of colonization, the Netherlands was third to only Great Britain and France in the lands they controlled. The Dutch controlled the oil-rich Dutch East Indies or current-day Indonesia. A revolt after WWII in the East Indies brought sharp criticism on Queen Wilhelmina by the economic elite of the Netherlands. Subsequently, on September 4, 1948, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated in favor of her daughter, Juliana. Shortly thereafter, the Dutch East Indies gained their independence.
During World War II, the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands was particularly brutal resulting in a manufactured famine. As president of the Dutch Red Cross after the fall of Nazi Germany, Juliana was instrumental in the reconstruction and relief efforts for her country. Her down-to-earth demeanor endeared her to her people. Moreover, Queen Juliana had a heart of compassion towards her people. During Holland’s most destructive storm in 500 years on January 31, 1953, Queen Juliana waded through water and mud to bring food and clothing to the flood victims. Queen Juliana was also an accomplished public speaker. She frequently used her speaking engagements to advocate for philanthropic causes of which child welfare issues were among her favorite topics. She is quoted as saying, “A child must be surrounded with love. No one can live without receiving love, or without feeling wanted for his own sake. In fact, no human being lives without giving love."
Overall, Queen Juliana was a very popular queen, this in spite of various scandals from within her family and her own indiscretions involving excessive political influence from a so-called faith healer. One such scandal involved a bribe taken from the Lockheed Corporation by Juliana’s husband, Prince Bernard. Resilient as ever, Queen Juliana and her husband survived this scandal without abdicating the throne. Always loyal, Queen Juliana loved her husband, Prince Bernhard, up until the day she died. The thing that makes her love especially amazing is the fact that Prince Bernhard was a known philanderer.
Interestingly, there has not been a king on the throne since King William III died November 23, 1890 and Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont became the queen regent. However, when Queen Beatrix abdicates on April 30, 2013 in favor of Prince Willem-Alexander, the Netherlands will once again have a king on the throne.