"My paper hears Hitler has had a complete nervous breakdown—how about it?" "Is it true that German troops have mutinied in East Prussia and in Pomerania?" "How many generals have resigned and how many officers are under arrest?" "In London the Sunday Referee is printing a story from Paris that a prominent member of the Prussian aristocracy has revealed that three German officers armed with revolvers were arrested on their way to Berchtesgaden charged with intending to assassinate Hitler—how about that?"
After answering officially in the negative hundreds of queries like these, hour after hour and day after day in Berlin last week, Spokesman Alfred Ingemar Berndt of the German Government Press Office lost his temper with an especially persistent Dutch journalist, snapped: "What would you say if I told you I did not think Bernhard was the father of Juliana's baby?"
There are many Julianas, many Bernhards in The Netherlands, but obviously Herr Berndt was disparaging the newborn possible future Queen of The Netherlands (TIME, Feb. 14) Princess Beatrix, daughter of Crown Princess Juliana and Prince Consort Bernhard. Nationwide Dutch anger was intense when exasperated Herr Berndt's thoughtless slur was telegraphed to The Hague. Her Majesty Queen Wilhelmina instructed The Netherlands' Minister to make official representations at Berlin.