OCCUPIED EUROPE: Flowers Verboten

When strapping, hawk-nosed Prince Karl of Denmark was crowned King Haakon VII of Norway, 36 years ago, the crown, too large even for his Viking dome, slipped down over his ears. Superstitious observers whispered that this was an evil omen for his reign. But last week in London the exiled King, on his 70th birthday, knew that in his people’s travail Norway’s crown fitted him more snugly than ever. Standing with Crown Prince Olav and Crown Princess Martha, the shy, baldish King, uniformed as an admiral, reviewed an expatriate kingdom: hundreds of civilians—men, women & children who had fled from Norway; Norwegian soldiers and sailors; women in Auxiliary Service khaki. Said the King: “Today the home front in Norway is united like a strong wall. . . . All Norwegians are thankful for the courage of the people who will not yield to Nazi demands.”

From the Royal Palace in Oslo the unassuming King used to pedal his bicycle almost every day. Now the palace is the home of Major Vidkun Quisling and an entertainment center for Nazi bigwigs, enjoying far greater luxury than frugal Norwegians would ever have expected of “Mr. King.” Early in the morning, on the King’s birthday, Nazi Gestapomen, Norwegian police and Quislingist Hirden (henchmen) began patrolling Oslo streets. But there was no trouble until the Nazis noticed that hundreds of Norwegians were wearing flowers in their buttonholes and tried to pluck some of them out. Then arrests and riots began. In the center of the town be-flowered crowds gathered, sang the national anthem and the royal song. Hastily the Nazis chased flower sellers off the streets and padlocked all flower shops. There were far too many flowers. In each flower was hidden a razor blade.