The hot summer of 1939 gradually came to an end and gave way to autumn. The leaves began to slowly wither and outside it was fresher. Days became shorter and were accompanied with earlier nightfall and along with the temperatures fell the mood.
People barely dared to come out in recent days. Everywhere was a grim mood by recent events and that fear made itself master throughout Europe.
In short, you could have felt that something bad was in the air and would erupt any moment.
On a crisp morning those thoughts were therefore when in reality all neighborhoods soldiers suddenly started to emerge and patrol through the streets. This was for many a frightening image and a few days later it was confirmed what everyone had been afraid of: The Second World War had officially broken out. Which was lead by the Axis and the Allies.
Initially it started with the invasion of Germany in Poland making Poland, declare war to Germany. Later, more countries joined one of the two countries.
The King of Belgium, Leopold 3, had his children brought to France, so that they would not be involved in this war. He himself remained in Belgium to fight against the Allies. That was appreciated by the Belgian population, in these tough times themselves all possible means sought to oppose the war.
After almost three years of war, the children of King Leopold were transferred to Spain. Meanwhile, the war raged on and was extended to a very large area. No one knew at that time how long would this continue, but everyone hoped it would end soon, because one thing was certain, war is certainly not the easiest period.
After three years stocks of food, drinks and other supplies became scarce and the war was now in full swing. Those were very hard times but as with everything that happened, sooner or later the end would arrive and if it depended on the ordinary citizens it was hoped to be sooner rather than later.
Unfortunately it was only two years later that finally started coming breakthroughs. But for the Belgian King no misery was spared. So it was that he was at one time deported to Germany and then to Austria. But they felt that something was changing. It felt like there were improvements coming. The Allies began to slowly lose ground after the attack on Pearl harbor and their commander was pushed back by the opposing forces.
The end was in sight, so much was clear, but when and how? On this question no one could give an exact answer. Only the words: "hopefully soon", often came back and on a beautiful september morning the world woke up to the liberating news that everyone had been waiting for:
World peace prevails:
Since yesterday, September 2, 1945, there came an end to the long story of the German rulers. It's finally here, the war is over. We can come back out without worry. This morning, the peace treaty was signed and officially ended World War Two. In the world people are on the streets and celebrated. Unfortunately, the consequences of this war will drag on for a while yet. People have herein family, lost friends and acquaintances and of course there will still be talked often about the nearly six years of oppressions that everyone should experience the world. But today there is only one central thing: It's over! And no one will complain about that, that we are convinced of.
Finally there came an end to a brutal time that had tortured the world and Prince Baudouin and his brother Albert could return home. It was a huge relief for them. In the past two years they had barely seen their father, who had remained in Belgium to defend his country and that was appreciated by his people. now came a long period in which there would change much, thought Baudouin.
He had it right. The aftermath of the war continued to go on for several years. Arrests, suspicions, Processes, ... Each country had its hands full. Even the constitutions had now been tinkered again and there were new treaties. For example, the United Nations was founded on the twenty-sixth day of June, nineteen forty-five, with the Charter of the United Nations. The official end of the war was signed nineteen forty-seven on February, tenth, called: the Treaty of Paris. In nineteen forty-nine NATO was founded and the battle between the Allies and Japan ended with the peace treaty of San Fransisco in nineteen fifty-two, and so the war continued silently for a number of years.
When the Belgian population learned that their king had felt only a little during the suppression of the Allies, bad blood was placed which almost caused a civil war in the small but related country and after some serious consequences the people insisted that the king, king Leopold would give up the crown.
That meant that the first in line to take over the throne was his eldest son, Prince Baudouin. The latter was still studying in Geneva, but when he heard that heavy riots had broken out into his home-country, with even deaths, he was recalled and he had to lead his country at the age of only nineteen. A difficult task, but everyone was convinced that he could bring this to a successful conclusion, and that gave the prince an additional push in the back.
YOU ARE READING
Fellow Compatriots
Historical Fiction.In honor of a noble king, who died way too early, I have written a short novel about his life. The novel is partly written as seen through the eyes of a fictional character; Antonio, who knew king Baudouin personally.
