The controversial Queen Frederica: What she wrote in her diary from the Civil War to the dictatorship

Her strong-willed and forceful personality, on with her inclination toward intrigue and her power implicit almighty men astir her, did not simply marque her an casual target. They led to her demonization, to specified an grade that the information astir her beingness has go astir inseparably mixed with exaggeration and myth.

Did she, successful effect, regularisation by overshadowing her frail husband, King Paul? Did she person extramarital affairs with figures similar General George Marshall oregon CIA presumption main Allen Dulles? Why did she clash successful 1964 with Constantine Karamanlis, erstwhile considered her ally? And what precisely were her intentions successful establishing a immense web of “child cities” (paidopoleis) crossed Greece during the Civil War?

Questions surrounding her existent role, influence, and powerfulness proceed to situation Greek historiography and volition apt bash truthful indefinitely.

At the aforesaid time, somewhat paradoxically, determination is inactive nary afloat documented, technological biography of a pistillate who undeniably loved her adopted homeland, Greece, with passion.

Frederica devoted her beingness to the state from 1938—when she joined Paul—until her comparatively aboriginal decease astatine property 64 successful February 1981. Officially, she was Queen of the Hellenes from 1947 to 1964. She had been calved successful Germany connected April 18, 1917.

A diary of 1,400 pages

On the juncture of the day of her birth, a large three-volume work titled “The Diary of Queen Frederica 1938–1967” sheds caller airy connected her life.

Spanning astir 1,400 pages and meticulously edited by Kostas M. Stamatopoulos, the diary records her regular docket successful detail, arsenic written by her idiosyncratic secretaries.

While it does not afloat reply cardinal questions astir her governmental influence, it presents her from a antithetic angle: arsenic an endlessly active, ever-present figure. A pistillate who listened chiefly to herself and acted arsenic the maestro of her ain fate—often intertwined with that of an full nation.

A sojourn to the beforehand (1949)

The diary includes precise, astir adust entries describing royal visits during the Civil War.

In February 1949, the royal mates traveled done bluish Greece. They were welcomed enthusiastically successful Xanthi, wherever King Paul addressed the public. At 1 point, a worker adjacent offered Queen Frederica a tiny cervid arsenic a gift.

Soon after, they traveled done snow-covered mountainous terrain toward Karpenisi, passing done areas wherever the snowfall reached up to 3 meters high—and wherever the bodies of fallen guerrillas inactive laic connected the mountainsides.

In the warfare zone: Konitsa, 1948

In aboriginal 1948, soon aft the siege of Konitsa ended, Frederica made a daring sojourn to the area.

Regardless of her motives, the travel was highly dangerous. Even during the oversea travel to Preveza, her vas narrowly avoided a naval mine.

Later, she would picture the sojourn arsenic “one of the top events of my life.”

At the time, King Paul was earnestly ill, apt with typhoid fever, and confined to bed. Despite this, Frederica chose to permission his broadside and question to the front, believing her beingness would boost morale.

According to her ain account, the renowned pianist Gina Bachauer played euphony extracurricular Paul’s room, which seemed to assistance trim his fever.

Diary entry: The Konitsa mission

The diary describes the travel successful ceremonial detail:

On January 7, 1948, Frederica departed Ioannina for Konitsa successful a convoy escorted by armored vehicles. Along the way, she met subject units and greeted soldiers, conveying the king’s message.

Upon arrival, she crossed a recently built span connected ft to cheers from engineers and civilians. In Konitsa, she was welcomed enthusiastically by the population.

She visited wounded soldiers housed passim the town, speaking to each 1 and personally awarding commemorative crosses. The sojourn lasted implicit an hour.

Standing atop a jeep successful the municipality square, she addressed the crowd, telling them she had travel to bring the king’s greetings, explaining his illness, and expressing her committedness to the people. The assemblage responded with aggravated emotion.

Personal reflections

Her memoirs supply much affectional penetration than the diary itself.

She described sharing meals with battle-worn officers, observing their courageousness contempt injuries and exhaustion. She besides admitted her fearfulness erstwhile shown unrecorded grenades, contempt her outward composure.

She aboriginal wrote that during Paul’s illness, communist forces launched a large violative connected Konitsa, aiming to found a “Free Greek Capital.” A tiny subject unit defended the municipality against thousands of attackers.

Everyday life

The diary besides records mundane regular activities:

• Attending societal events and ceremonial teas
• Acting arsenic godmother to children from mediocre families
• Fittings with her dressmaker
• Meetings with authorities officials
• Receiving gifts, specified arsenic good fabrics from salient figures

At the aforesaid time, it captures moments of idiosyncratic stress, specified arsenic her dilemma implicit whether to question to London for Princess Elizabeth’s wedding portion her hubby was gravely ill.

A crisp tongue

Testimonies uncover aspects of her personality.

In 1 incident, during a protestation successful Lamia, a disabled antheral accused her of giving jobs to communists aft helium had mislaid his limb “for her throne.”

Frederica reportedly replied bluntly:
“I springiness enactment to susceptible people. If you mislaid your limb for my throne and not for your country, past you’re a fool.”

The protestation ended abruptly.

The decease of King Paul (1964)

On March 6, 1964, King Paul died.

Frederica was devastated. She walked unsocial extracurricular the palace, appearing stunned. Later, she expressed a calm, astir philosophical acceptance of his death, telling others not to mourn but to spot it arsenic a peaceful passage.

She encouraged those astir her to enactment the caller queen, Anne-Marie, portion insisting that emotion endures beyond death.

The junta (1967)

The diary avoids nonstop references to large governmental crises, including the 1967 subject coup.

However, aboriginal accounts picture how, connected April 21, 1967, a vessel was stationed extracurricular her residence. When she confronted the officer, helium told her she was not allowed to permission for her ain protection.

Furious, she returned wearing her highest warfare decoration, reminding him of her service. Despite her protest, the serviceman did not move.

Eventually, she managed to interaction King Constantine done a car vigor device, arsenic telephone lines had been cut.

A fig betwixt past and myth

The diary offers a unsocial but incomplete portrait. It focuses connected events alternatively than deeper governmental analysis.

As a result, Frederica remains an enigmatic figure—part humanities actor, portion myth. Admired by some, criticized by others, she continues to provoke statement astir her existent relation successful Greece’s modern history.