Thursday, November 5, 2009

Queen Sophie calls the Entente "Pigs"


November 5, 1917

The New York Times continues its reporting on the newly released (and translated) telegrams between Queen Sophie of the Hellenes and her brother, Kaiser Wilhelm II. The telegrams are lengthy and are similar "in tone to others that have been deciphered" and have been made public. The telegrams show that Sophie "again and again urged that the Germans take the offensive on the Macedonian front." She also "assured" her brother of "Greek co-operation."

Field Marshall von Hindenberg and Foreign Secretary Zimmermann "could not agree" on the time of the attack, while the Allied blockade, "causing a shortage of food and munitions in Greece, prevented Greek action."

On January 10 of this year, Sophie telegraphed the Kaiser, to inform him about the food and ammunition shortage. Her telegram concluded with: "May the infamous pigs receive the punishment they deserve."

In other telegrams, the Queen promised the Kaiser "that all the Greek artillery would be destroyed if there was a danger of its falling into the hands of the Entente." She also kept Wilhelm informed "of the actions and intentions of General Sarrail," who commanded the Entente forces in Macedonia.

A telegram dated December 2 refers to the Allied blockade: "I consider the game lost. If an attack is not made soon it will be too late."

On another occasion, Sophie wrote to her brother: "In despair. Hope your counsel will once more help us improve the situation."

After the Crown Council decided against an attack in Macedonia, Sophie sent another wire to her brother: "It is too stupid that mistakes have been made." She also hoped that the allied control would not interfere with "this telegraphic service."

Another telegram to Wilhelm was signed by Sophie and her husband, King Constantine, who was known as Tino. The Greek sovereigns congratulated the Kaiser on his victories in Roumania. "The Entente's note is impertinent. They want to drive us to death."

Her final telegram to the Kaiser ended with: "Your exiled sister, who hopes for better times, Sophie."

[A book published in 2020, Monarchy in Modern Greece, further corroborated this and other reports that Sophie sided with Germany as he was able to use her correspondence with her sister,  Margarete, Landgravine of Hesse.



3 comments:

Skenderbey said...

Good for Sophie!
As they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend!

Unknown said...

Would these be from the famous telegraph line within the palace? Was this before or after Sophie tried to poison Constantine?

That article was full of so many lies it should have been printed in US Weekly! I hate that I'm a day late in reading this. It would have made an excellent addition to my history term paper.

Marlene Eilers Koenig said...

Taren,

These were real telegrams. Not lies, actually. I just finished reading a new book on British Diplomacy and the Greek monarchy .. and there is more confirmation of Sophie's actions during the war.