The Crown Recap : Episode 6, Season 2 : Vergangenheit

Episode 6, Vergangenheit

The past. That’s what vergangenheit means in German and this episode goes waaay back to right at the end of World War II when Nazis were making deals with the allied forces, trading information for their lives. This episode focuses on a specific file, the Windsor File, that was part of 400 tons of documents and evidence that made up the Marburg Files. The damning Windsor file? It is full of German documents (written by Germans) that detail the former King, Edward VIII’s involvement with Nazis.

The big question we all have to answer for ourselves: was this true information or propaganda and just how much was the former king wrapped up in the Nazi party? (Oh, you want us to answer that? We can’t. Historians differ on the answer.)

The question that the Queen must decide: how will the past affect her family’s future and will that future include forgiveness?

We strongly recommend you give a listen to our coverage of the life of Wallis Simpson as background to this episode, it just might give you a perspective that changes everything you thought you knew after seeing Vergangenheit. The History Chicks episodes 93 and 94.

This episode is all about the Duke of Windsor and his wife, Wallis Simpson–those Wacky Windsors (here at Trooper the Pug’s birthday.)

 

Their life in exile isn’t all costume parties and cards, David (we call the Duke David because we know him so well) needs porpoise…er, purpose.

 

Nazis, Wacky Exiled Windsors and Billy Graham, who seems very one of these things is not like the other, but it makes sense:  Elizabeth is the head of the Church of England and should, in all matters, look up for guidance (insert Billy Graham being tall joke here.).

Let’s take a moment to appreciate some accessories: Wallis’ fabulous necklace…

…the Diver Man at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance…

 

 

…Fruity’s drab little house bought with his much younger wife’s money…

 

…Elizabeth’s excellent posture…

 

…and the Queen Mum’s bold fashion statement for church.

 

And let’s also take a what the hell is on her head? moment

Back to our story… the whole episode deals with the truth: What is it? Who decides what version is true? And what kind of consequences and forgiveness are a result of that truth?

And Nazis…it’s about Nazis.

David on his ill fated, Don’t Call it a State Visit *wink* to Hitler’s Germany. 

 

The REAL David and Wallis with the very real Adolf Hitler.

 

 

In the end David is not allowed back in to England and sent back to his dull, non-purpose driven life. And cards. (And kings, yes, we get it.)

LINKS WE DISCUSSED:

We strongly recommend you give a listen to our coverage of the life of Wallis Simpson as background to this episode, it just might give you a perspective that changes everything you thought you knew after seeing Vergangenheit. The History Chicks episodes 93 and 94.

 

For more information on the Marburg and Windsor files you might want to start the at the US Office of the Historian

this about the Duke of Windsor and this one in Newsweek, that has a lot of photos and comparisons to The Crown. The movie The King’s Speech addressed the Duke of Windsor and his Nazi connection from King George VI’s view, and this piece has a look into that.

A book that both of us found interesting and added another layer of intel when we were researching Wallis was 17 Carnations by Andrew Morton.

This article from the New York Times talks about the preservation of Villa Windsor in Paris. Speaking of the Duke, his letters to one of his team of plotters (who also was a newspaper owner), Lord Beaverbrook, gives a little insight into his actual thought process during his exile.

Billy Graham played a pivotal role in this episode, this is him closing out his multi-month Crusade of Great Britain at Wembley Stadium.

Historian Margaret Lambert had a very small role in this episode, but in real life she was a pretty big deal. Here is her obituary in The Independent.

Link to Whaddon Hall Gate House on the market  ( we think this would make a wonderful History Chicks Clubhouse) and a flat in Waddon hall that’s no longer available but who doesn’t like a little real estate peek?

Want to see how the odds on who is making Meghan Markel’s wedding dress? Yeah, you do… Paddy Power.

Before WWII a lot of people thought that Hitler fellow might be a positive influence Europe. The Queen Mum, her young daughters and goofy Uncle David were playing around in the back yard and were influenced by him.

Photo Credit: Netflix; Stills: The History Chicks via Netflix