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The lifetime reputation of this great-grandson of Napoleon's Marshal Jean Bernadotte puts him squarely on the side of democracy in Sweden's undercover struggle. No less a democrat is his son, Gustafus Adolfus, who at 58 is still preparing to become King of Sweden. During the King's vacations Gustafus Adolfus has taken over his duties and his Ministers have found little difference between father & son. Not quite so tall, not quite so spare as Gustaf, his son has all his political acumen, all his popularity. It used to be said in Sweden that if the country became a republic, Gustafus Adolfus would be elected President.
Gustafus Adolfus rose from the ranks to the position of general in the Army—by ability, it is said—leads his own troops in maneuvers, has the personal loyalty of most high Army officers. Ordinary Swedes like him because in his younger days he was an expert skier, golfer, swimmer, horseman, cross-country runner and marksman, as well as being a famed archeologist. Not to be lightly dismissed in any attempted Putsch is this able, strongwilled, elderly Crown Prince. His two wives were English: one, Princess Margaret, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria; the other, Lady Louise Mountbatten, a great-granddaughter.
But the Crown Prince's son, Gustaf Adolf, second in line for the throne, married Sybille, Princess of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha, whose father recently visited the U. S. as head of the Nazi Red Cross. When Sweden and Germany were expelling each other's nationals in 1936, Gustaf Adolf Jr. trotted off to Berlin to smooth things over with the Nazis. Moreover, in 1937, the Crown Prince's nephew, Prince Carl Jr., married Countess Elsa von Rosen, niece of Göring's friend Eric. Prince Carl was referred to in the German press at that time as a pro-Nazi member of the Swedish Royal Family.
Sweden's dynasty, like Sweden's people, was last week in a grim predicament. King Christian of Denmark, the father-in-law of Gustaf's granddaughter, is now a German puppet; and Christian's brother, Haakon of Norway, was a target for German bombs and bullets. While Norwegians were fighting for their lives and freedom, Swedes, their closest national relatives, dared not go to their defense. But this week as Nazi warplanes swarmed over Sweden King Gustaf sent a stiff protest to Berlin.
With the determination of the Allies to purge Scandinavia of the German terror clearly demonstrated, Sweden was perhaps nearer war, but less in dread of it. By waiting she had probably served Norway as well as herself better than by going in too soon. And having seen what happened to the Norse and the Danes will make her a better fighter if war does come. For even to the war-shunning Swedes, death is better than vassalage.