Emmarentia royalists reflects on historic day
Following the abdication of the former Queen of Denmark Magrethe II, Sewlyn Klass shares his special memories of his connection to the Danish royal family.
Emmarentia resident Selwyn Klass pictured with Royal Danish Ambassador, Her Excellency Elsebeth Søndergaard Krone, was invited to their embassy on the day of the historic abdication of Queen Margrethe II in favour of her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark who is now styled as King Frederik X.
This is said to mark the first abdication in 900 years of a reigning monarch in Denmark by a living sovereign. The ‘live’ crossing event in Copenhagen on 14 January prompted many special memories for Klass.
In 1996, by happy coincidence on his birthday, (February 17) Selwyn Klass was included in an international audience granted by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II during her state visit to South Africa. Present on that auspicious occasion was Crown Prince Frederik and Consort to the Queen, Prince Henrik.
Klass represented a TV channel for the SABC. “I asked her majesty whether there was any truth in the theory, the royal Danish household, in solidarity with their Jewish countrymen, had worn the Yellow Star of David during the Nazi occupation of Denmark. Her Majesty, then Princess Margrethe, who was born during the war, was considered a ray of hope for the nation.
According to Klass, at the time, Queen Margarethe said, “To a young democracy like South Africa, the truth is vital. The royal family never wore the yellow star nor did the swastika fly above the palace. To my grandfather, King Christian X, all his subjects were equal.”
In defiance of the enemy, the king would continue his daily horseback ride unarmed, unescorted through the streets of Copenhagen. When a fall ended his riding days, Princess Margrethe would be wheeled in her pram by her parents, the deputy regents.
Klass noted his Danish diplomatic détente spans many years by continuing to maintain close ties with the embassy. This is an initiative begun by his late father to honour their heroism in 1943 in the rescue of their Jewish community in fishing boats to the safety of Sweden.
In her new year’s message, Queen Margrethe announced her abdication, after 52 years as sovereign. She also spoke of the 80th anniversary of the rescue mission. Klass had coordinated a screening of Across the Waters, a film of the event as sourced by the Danish Embassy. It was hosted by The Historic Documentary Film Society and was attended by Danish Cultural Attaché, Tina Lund Lodahl.
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