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From 'Het Leven', 1927
"The German former Crown Prince visiting Wieringen.
That the former Crown-Prince can not forget Wieringen, where he lived
for so long, is understandable. This week he came back to visit his
old acquaintances. For the photographer of Het Leven, who was present
ofcourse, the prince agreed to pose with mayor Kolff, which picture
can be seen here in the middle. Further, at top-left: the prince at
his former residence, the parsonage of Oosterland, at top-right: with
some of his acquaintances at Den Oever, at bottom-left a unique picture
at the townhall with the mayor and the town secretary, and at bottom-right
with blacksmith Leyt, an old friend where the prince, while at Wieringen
has been working so very often." |
From The History of Wieringen
(English translation from article in: the History
of Wieringen - see link on next page; translation by webmaster of
this site)
After the armistice of 1918, which de facto meant the defeat of
Germany, and after the socialist uprisings in Germany, the German
emperor and his son the crown prince, Friedrich Wilhelm V.E.A. Von
Hohenzollern fled to the Netherlands. Both asked for political asylum
in the Netherlands which was granted without much difficulty. However
a problem for the Dutch gouvernment was where to find residence
for the exiles. Wieringen was then, in 1918, still truly a rather
remote island and for that reason a proper place of exile for the
crown prince.
On the 22nd of November 1918 the prince and his household arrived
on the island and moved in the former vicarage in the village of
Oosterland. For a short period Wieringen was focus of world news:
photo's of the prince welding horseshoes at the smithy of his friend
blacksmith Luyt, on the Nieuwstraat at Hippolytushoef, went all
over the world.
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After
almost five years (November 10, 1923) the prince left the island.
The Stresemann gouvernment of Germany permitted him to return to
his fatherland. For some time the prince had the idea that he could
restore the old regime, but this did not succeed (This was the period
of the hyperinflation: Germany was bankrupt: an opportunity for
a strong regime).
Without anyone (except for the Dutch gouvernment, that assisted
him) knowing it he left Wieringen. He left behind an island with
- as is being said - some of his illigitimate children and a lot
of material for stories about which one could talk for several decades.
Famous, for example, is the story of the paper bathing suits he
handed out to some of the Wieringen young women. When these women
tried these bathing suits out in the water they disolved, meanwhile
the prince was watching with a lot of interest.
Image: The Mayors' wife, HRH, and Mayor Kolff
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