HISTORY THROUGH OUR EYES

March 30, 1944: Juliana of the Netherlands visits

When Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, near the start of the Second World War, the Dutch royal family and the government were evacuated. Princess Juliana, the heir to the Dutch throne, and her children moved to Ottawa, where they lived for the remainder of the war. That is how Juliana ended up greeting some loyal Dutch subjects in this city, just before attending an exhibition of Dutch paintings presented by the Montreal Art Association in 1944. She received a bouquet from “little Miesje Hartong” and was flanked by “another small Netherlander, Louis Hollander,” said the caption of this photograph, published on March 30, 1944. Also identified in the photograph are Mrs. C.F. Martin, behind Juliana, and Dr. C.F. Martin, standing next to the little girl. G.W. Boissevain, Netherlands chargé d’affaires in Ottawa, is the dapper man with the dark moustache. Montreal Mayor Adhémar Raynault can be seen in the background. He’s wearing a flower in his buttonhole. The name of the photographer was not recorded. Juliana’s extended stay in Ottawa and her admiration for the Canadian soldiers who fought for the liberation of the Netherlands created a strong bond between the two countries. When Juliana returned to the Netherlands in May 1945, the Dutch royal family sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa as a gesture of thanks for offering her shelter during the Nazi occupation. The tulips led to the creation of the annual Ottawa Tulip Festival, which takes place this year between May 10 and 20.