Discussion & Research about Walther Sommerlath's Role in the Nazi Period


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
The press is desperate for news and if these actions were so dire, then why wasn't it brought up when the King and Sylvia were seeing each instead of many, many years later?
I think one reason for the Swedish media interest in well-known people's involvement with the Nazi in the 30:ies and during WW II today is political, as in the last decade or so a right-wing political party have gained more support in Sweden than they have had before. There might be an interest in making people aware where what could be seen as an "innocent" support of a right-wing political movement could lead. It's not just Walter Sommerlath who have been investigated, the same have been done to the founder of the IKEA chain. There was not the same interest (or perhaps the same need) to look for people's connections with the Nazi movement in the 1970:ies when the king and queen met.

As for the SRF and their Nazi links, the king's maternal grand-father was a member of the Nazi party from 1935 and was sentenced for his involvement with the Nazi's after the war.
 
Queen Silvia slammed for 'flawed' Nazi probe - The Local
Sweden's Queen Silvia was reportedly "shattered" following an investigative journalism report criticizing the findings of a probe meant to clear the air regarding her father's Nazi connections.
After Queen Silvia posted an updated version of a 2010 investigation into her father's Nazi past on the Royal Court website on Monday, TV4 documentary series Kalla Fakta (The Cold Facts) on Wednesday slammed the Queen's probe, saying the investigation was flawed.
”We can show point by point that there are pure inaccuracies to the Queen's investigation. Everyone is responsible for writing history. Even Silvia,” said Johan Åsard of Kalla Fakta in a statement.
In the wake of the new TV4 report, staff close to the Royals told Aftonbladet that they are worried about the Queen's reactions to the latest developments, as she has reportedly suffered greatly from the whole affair.
 
This whole issue has turned into pure harassment of the Queen. If there is an interest in who cooperated with the Germans during the time in question then all families in Sweden and elsewhere should be investigated and everyone's decisions and activities during this timeperiod should be open to the public. To publicly prosecute children for their parents activities is pure nonsense. Most children will never have a full and clear picture of their parents activities. Most of us are not our parents confidants.
 
There is a video at the Swedish royal court's homepage where queen Silvia tells about the work behind the book ”De glömda dokumenten – berättelsen om Walther Sommerlath och Efim Wechsler”, Drottningen om
You can also view all the documents yourself as they are available for download.
 
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There is a video at the Swedish royal court's homepage where queen Silvia tells about the work behind the book ”De glömda dokumenten – berättelsen om Walther Sommerlath och Efim Wechsler”, Drottningen om
You can also view all the documents yourself as they are available for download.

:previous:
Drottning Silvia ses i ny film – Berättelsen om Walter Sommerlath | Svensk Damtidning *** translation

Drottningen sätter punkt i video | Nyheter | Aftonbladet >
In a new film on the royal family's website says Queen Silvia The forgotten documents - the story of Walther Sommerlath and Efim Wechsler
- I'm relieved now that I got up the forgotten documents in light of my father's and Efins fate, she says in the video.
It is about the investigation of her father and a jew businessman National Antiquities Erik Norberg presented last year. So far, the Queen has been frugal with statements about its results.
- Perhaps many have wondered why I have not answered questions about my father before. It was not just the emotional work that was difficult to handle. It took search, knowledge and answers about events that happened 70 years ago. This is a process which takes time. And is not so easy to do in the public light always, she says in the film posted on the court's website.
The study showed that among annats settlement between Sommerlath and Weschsler 1939 meant that Sommerlath changed part of a Brazilian coffee plantation and three plots against Wechsler factory in Germany.
Wanted to get the truth
- What the queen would say is that now they have done everything possible to find documents about these families' history. This is her final commentary on the work, explains the court's information officer Bertil Ternert.
In the film, Queen says further:
- I have searched the truth about my father Walther Sommerlath and Efim Wechsler. I have found a deep thought-provoking and complex story of how two people's paths crossed and how vital it was for both of them. I'm relieved now that I got up the forgotten documents in light of my father's and Efins fate.
New Documents
The Queen also says she wishes she'd had the opportunity to ask any questions to his family directly.
- My parents never talked to me or my siblings about this time. There are many questions I would like to ask them, 'she says.
According Ternert has the investigation been added document confirming Norberg conclusions. All documents can be read on the court's website.
- The Queen has himself written again and afterword to Norberg's letter says Ternert said.


Drottningen berättar om sin pappa och kopplingen till nazismen | Hovbloggen >
The Queen talks about his dad and the link to Nazism

Just now la royal family a video where Queen Silvia talks about the studies she has made ​​about his father and his links to Nazism. A couple of years ago, TV4's Kalla Fakta a program about how much closer Walther Sommerlath was partitet than has previously been recognized, and they showed up some confusion about how he took over a jew party companies in Germany.

The queen says in the movie clip that her parents never spoke to her or her siblings this time.

And she responds to the question I was wondering about already when TV4 broadcast program. Why not commented on the queen of the new information about his father? It had been so easy for her to say briefly that she rejects Nazism and the possible links that existed then between her father and the party. For no one can accuse her of things that her father has done, no child can or need to take that responsibility. Inheritance Sin does not exist.

Instead, there was only silence from the palace and now tells the queen why.

- Perhaps many have wondered why I have not responded to questions about my father before. It was not just the emotional work that was difficult to handle. It took search, knowledge, and it took answers about events that happened 70 years ago. This is a process which takes time. And it may not always be so easy to do in the public light, either.
 
I just read the foreword written by the Queen and I can't wait to read the rest of the book!
 
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TV4's "Kalla Fakta" has at several programs examined Walther Sommerlaths background at the German Nazi Party.
Now journalist and "Kalla Faktas" former editorial director John Åsard is writing a book "The Queen's Secret" about the case. The book is said to reveal how the royal family is acting in secrecy to control the image of themselves. The book will be published by Ordfront Publishers in late August. "The Queen's Secret" will according to the presentation "uncover a world hitherto unknown to the Swedish people" where "royals acting in secret and use their status to control the public image of themselves."
Johan Åsard is very secretive about the content.
- It's no secret that I write the book, it is under production. But I will not say anything more about it, or what it will contain, he says.
Bertil Ternert, press officer of the court, is not aware of the issue.
- It was not familiar to me, I can not comment on that, says Ternert.
Ny bok ska avslöja Silvias ’hemlighet’ Nyheter Aftonbladet
 
Johan Åsard releases on 7th October his book "Drottningens hemlighet" (The Queen's Secret) about the Queen and her father's past and about how the royals control the image of themselves.
"Queen's secret uncovers a world hitherto unknown to the Swedish people. It's a world where the royals are acting in secret and use their status to control the public image of themselves"
Drottningens hemlighet - Johan Åsard - Bok (9789170377334) Bokus bokhandel
Translation
 
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Today Johan Åsard releases today his book "Drottningens hemlighet"

New book accuses Silvia for falsification of history
Now starts the next round in the dramatic deal about Queen Silvia's father's Nazi past.
On Thursday the book "Drottningens hemlighet ("The Queen's secret") will be released, it is said to reveal new information about Walther Sommerlath and how the Queen personally through her secret network should have tried to influence critical voices.
- Her own investigation is verging on the falsification of history, says the book's author Johan Åsard, former director of "Kalla Fakta" that led television program review of the case.
Åsard describes also how the queen tried to exert pressure with the help of influential contacts, both in Sweden and abroad. She wrote to people in her network. For example, to Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president of Brazil, about the Brazilian scholar Eva Blay who expressed criticism of her father in "Kalla Fakta".
"I was very glad to get your e-mail and that you have tried to talk to Mrs Blay, thank you so much!" Silvia writes in an email to Cardoso, quoted in the book.
According to Eva Blay several other people tried to "push" her on behalf of Silvia. Among them, James Wolfensohn, former head of the World Bank, and a former mayor of Rio de Janeiro.
Åsard notes that before "Kalla Fakta" examination in 2010 it was very quiet in the Swedish media about Walther Sommerlaths background. He denied in 1976 on direct question from Expressen's Ulf Nilson that he had been a member of the Nazi party. Only in 2002 could the historian Mats Deland reveal in the newspaper Arbetaren that the queen's father had joined the German Nazi party in 1934 and gained membership card number 3592030.
Expressen's Diamant Salihu met last night Queen Silvia when she attended the Childhood Autumn Dinner at Confidencen. But the Queen refused to comment on the allegations in Johan Åsards book. Bertil Ternert came five minutes before the Queen to answer questions.
Ny bok anklagar Silvia för historieförfalskning Nyheter Expressen Senaste nytt - Nyheter Sport Nöje TV
Translation

The queen accused of wanting to silence critics
Drottningen anklagas för att vilja tysta kritiker - DN
Translation

How she tried to whitewash her dad
Queen Silvia has devoted years to exonerate her father's dark Nazi history.
In a new book reveals journalist Johan Åsard how the Queen sent letters to ex-president in Brazil and around 20 business leaders.
- The aim was to put pressure and get sympathies to her father's favor, saying Åsard.
The book also disclosed that she contacted several peaks of Swedish businesses, including Carl -Johan Bonnier, Chairman of the Bonnier Group. When Aftonbladet took a contact to Bonnier he chooses not to comment on the issue.
- The letters show how the Queen acted secretly to spread her own image of her dad. She wants sympathy, influence and exerts pressure on various people, says Johan Åsard.
Så försökte hon rentvå sin pappa Nyheter Aftonbladet
 
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Its a shame that the Queen feels the need to conceal details about her father's past. It would have been unusual if he hadn't joined the Nazi party since it was more than common to do so back then. Especially as a businessman. Only a small percentage of the population hadn't joined and joining in 1934 meant that nobody knew what was happening / going to happen to full extent. It was more a case of 'everybody did it'. And if she is not proud of his dealings afterwards she should accept it and move on. Its not her business, its her fathers.

And then, Queen Silvia is not responsible for her father's actions and she should not hold herself accountable for what he did or trying to whitewash his past. He remains her father, with all his baggage, and this is where it should end.

I find the try to whitewash much worse than the fact that WS was a member of Nazi party. What he did was his own responsibiltiy, not his daughter's.
 
History will in a certain way always be falsificated because it is mainly based on personal conceptions of facts.
We always learned at school that the spanish war (80 years war between the Dutch and Spaniards) was because of freedom of religion.
In fact it was of course a fact of money.

Queen Silvia probably had a fantastic youth with a fantastic father (her hero) never knowing anything about his past. People did not speak about that war after that war.
I can imagine that she was schocked about these revelations
For children, even when they are adults, it is allways painfull to discover that your parents are human beings with their good and wrong choices in life.
As a child you will always try to defend your parents.

As a queen, it would have been wise to confine herself to a declaration that her father will always be her father but that she strongly condemns the Nazi-regime.

Though Queen Maxima strongly comdemned the regime, her father served, some still think that she is the daughter of a dictatorship-supporter.

Anyway today children of people from the "wrong side" are certainly not proud about it and certainly don't show it of.
I work with war victims and their children and I can imagine that they hate regimes that made/make them suffer, but the children "from the other side" are in a way victims too
 
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Queen's older brother Ralf de Toledo Sommerlath reacts sharply when he heard about the new book.
- It is terrible! I do not know how one can do such a thing to my poor sister. She was not even born at the time. All that stands in her investigation is true. I know, it is proved that our father was helping a Jew. Our father was a very proper man, everything went correctly when he bought the factory.
Ralf de Toledo Sommerlath defends his father.
- Yes, my father joined the Nazi party, as so did many others. When you're young you do mistakes. But he was never political active. He was not a Nazi.
Silvias bror rasar mot de nya anklagelserna Nyheter Expressen Senaste nytt - Nyheter Sport Nöje TV
Translation
 
From Aftonbladet

Silvia's network tried to silent the researcher
John Åsard reveals at the paperback edition of 'The Queen's Secret' more of the games trying to hide or alter the story of Walter Sommerlath.
One of the experts of 'Kalla Fakta' was historian Mats Deland. In an email to Deland's former head of Persson's Holocaust Project, professor emeritus Klas Åmark, law professor Madeleine Leijonhufvud writes: 'Mats Dellham (sic!) has lost all credibility as a scientist through what he has allowed himself to become part of. It does not feel good if you and other researchers in the field with high ethical profile do not react. '
Åmark thinks that Leijonhufvud asked him to discredit Deland. It was very remarkable and out of line.
Åmark was not aware then that Leijonhufvud stands close to queen Silvia. She has been on the board of World Childhood Foundation ten years and has defended Silvia in several articles. When Åmark found out that the Queen might be in the background, he thought it was even more wrong.
Leijonhufvud is surprised when she hears that her email was published.
Klas Åmark understood that you wanted him to discredit a colleague?
- I thought it was important to find out if a researcher was unethical.
Had you discussed about the email with Queen Silvia?
- It would not occur to me to tell you whom I am talking with.
Queen Silvia sent an email with attachment to former Brazilian President Cardoso, the attachment attacked '"Kalla Fakta". In a later email to Cardoso the queen clarified that the attachment was written by a professor of law, 'Madeleine' as the writer.
- It is important to emphasize that no one believes that Silvia has responsibility for what her father did or did not do. But it is improper for a queen to attack the media in secret. She is acting to protect herself and she does so under the radar, away from public view. It's completely inappropriate, says Johan Åsard.
When asked if the Queen knew of the e-mail to Åmark Margareta Thorgren answers:
"This is a reissue of an old book and the information in it is known and therefore not worthy of comment."
Silvias nätverk försökte tysta forskare Nyheter Aftonbladet
 
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Only those who have had a father who committed crimes, including the abuse of the innocent, will understand the devastating, punch to the gut, down to the pit feeling of discovering that your beloved, hero father is pure evil.

I believe Queen Silvia is protecting her children and her children’s children. Yes, it was wrong to try to discredit a researcher, but until you walk in her shoes, until it’s your adored father, no one will know the agony the offspring of evil go through, and the strong pull to cover up the evil.
 
Expressen tells about the private meeting this summer - about the Queen's father and a German group with links to the resistance movement during World War II.
Letter exchanges and a member list will inter alia link Walther Sommerlath to smuggling of Jewish refugees.
The meeting took place on July 17 at Solliden Palace.
Shortly before, Erik Norberg had a hint that a family in Malmö found information about the Queen's father, Walther Sommerlath. Norberg researches Walther Sommerlath on behalf of Queen Silvia and immediately booked a meeting with Tomas Sielski, IT consultant in Malmö with Polish background.
In his family archives, Sielski has found correspondence from World War II where a person, driver Otto, provides more detailed descriptions of Walther Sommerlath's activities during World War II.
Queen Silvia, who for several years has been committed to cleaning his father from Nazi attacks, became immediately interested.
Tomas Sielski tells how the family - Tomas, wife Eva and children Maja and Julia - had to cancel their holiday to go to Solliden Palace and meet the royal family.
- We were in Cyprus and suddenly Erik Norberg called and insisted that we should cancel our plans. We were going from Cyprus to Malmö and then to Mallorca. But he said the queen wants to meet you and looks forward to the meeting. He said that our facts seemed to match the things they checked and that she was very keen.
Sielski had found correspondence with details about Sommerlath and an item belonging to the Sommerlath family.
- The Queen knew it because it belonged to her mother.
Sielski tells us how for three hours he described his family material for Crown Princess Victoria, Queen Silvia and Erik Norberg at Solliden Palace.
- At first only me and then the rest of the family was allowed to come in and answer a lot of questions from the Crown Princess and the Queen.
- We were there for three hours. It was surprising for it all was scheduled for 45 minutes. Actually, my wife and the children shouldn't have been with, but when the queen heard they were nearby they were sent in. The Crown Princess went out to pick them up from the park.
Sielski tells him he was taken by the meeting.
- It was a surreal feeling when Silvia served us coffee. The queen spilled some coffee and the crown princess said it was an old carpet that certainly had some stains.
Tomas Sielski's wife Eva has previously described the meeting on her blog:
- A while later we sat on a couch, drank royal coffee, and chatted the Crown Princess while T continued discussing Otto's history.
Erik Norberg confirms the contacts with Tomas Sielski but does not want to comment on the meeting. He does not want to comment on how the Queen and Crown Princess assessed the information. He still estimates that the data from Sielski can be important pieces of puzzle in the story of Walther Sommerlath.
Margareta Thorgren confirms that the royal family has met Tomas Sielski and his family.
- That's right. The king, the queen and the crown princess met the family this summer at Solliden. The family has found interesting information in their family archive which the father reported during the meeting with the royal family. It was a nice and nice meeting, she says, continuing:
- The Royal Family often has private meetings that concern different issues. There is nothing unusual. The content is nothing we usually comment on.
Why was the meeting important?
- The Queen's investigation of her father's life is obviously an open investigation in progress. New puzzles are constantly showing up, pieces of puzzles that have to be reviewed and valued.
Who took the initiative to the meeting?
- I don't have any information of that.
Mötet om drottning Silvias pappas förflutna _ Kungligt _ Expressen
Translation

It's interesting though that Expressen's photographer Sven Lindwall was at Solliden then...

Eva Sielski about the meeting at her blog:
While I and the children walked among the beautiful garden, T sat at the Palace, just a bit away, describing Otto's history. Suddenly Julia received a cryptic sms with the request that we should immediately head to the main entrance. There we met the Queen's adjutant who led us in the private area just outside the main entrance to Solliden Palace. Outside the entrance we were surprised by a puppy who just jumped and gave us no choice - both me and the girls just had to pat on nice Brandie. The puppy's owner presented himself as Carl Gustaf and he welcomed us to the Palace. There we met an enchantingly beautiful Queen Silvia and her equally beautiful daughter, Crown Princess Victoria. We suddenly felt an atmosphere of royal dignity, which affected our courage, but it was immediately balanced by the Queen's and Crown Princess's down-to-earth personalities. A while later we sat on a couch, drank royal coffee, and chatted with the Crown Princess while T continued discussing Otto's history.
I would like to say a big thank you to the Queen and Crown Princess for the opportunity to attend T's report lasting almost 3 hours.
Rosorna på Solliden…… – Four Seasons Diary
 
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I read a few comments by Tomas Sielski on the matter in a group on Facebook a few months ago. I remember thinking that if true the Queen would be very interested in seeing the material.
 
Dad's Nazi background has been described as Queen Silvia's dark family secret.
But Expressen can now reveal new information that links the father to the resistance movement that wanted to overthrow Nazism.
According to hitherto unknown documents, he was behind a secret train transport in which German members of resistance movement were smuggled into Sweden following an attack on Hitler.
The documents are also said to show that the father was not as strongly linked to the Nazi party as previously stated.
Behind the new tasks is IT consultant Tomas Sielski in Malmö and a research team consisting of, among others, historian Sven Rosborn.
However, Queen Silvia, who also continued her own investigations into her father's Nazi background, has been in contact with Sielski and gained some insight into the findings.
- She has no control over our work in any way but will get to see the final report I will present later this spring.
The court is now reportedly awaiting that report.
Margareta Thorgren says:
- The queen knows that new information has been revealed about her father, Walther Sommerlath. The queen herself has done some research that is consistent with the new information.
Dokumenten_ Silvias far smugglade motståndsmän
Translation
 
The five-page agreement was rescued from the flames following the bombing of Berlin during World War II.
For the first time, over 80 years later, it now reaches the public eye.
Expressen can today reveal the previously unknown agreement between Queen Silvia's father and a Jewish businessman.
Expressen has asked Queen Silvia for a comment and receives an answer from Margareta Thorgren.
- The queen has devoted a lot of energy to researching history and knows that the statements made about her father were not true. The information now published confirms the image the queen has of history and her father's role in it. That's the most important thing for the queen.
This is the first time the agreement has been published, but she says that Silvia took part in the agreement already in 2013, and that she regards it as a kind of final proof in the matter.
- The Queen sees the agreement as proof that an agreement has been concluded between two parties in accordance with good business practice. It further strengthened the image that the queen has of her father.
The Queen has the same opinion as before, and which has also been questioned, that is, it was this affair that helped the Jewish businessman to flee Germany.
Okända avtalet om drottning Silvias pappa – nya detaljer om nazistaffären
Translation
 
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