IN THE FALL OF 1978 THE PRINCE WAS THE SUBJECT OF FURTHER UNFAVORABLE PUBLICITY RESULTING FROM THE ALLEGATION IN A JOURNAL THAT A) HE HAD SOLD SECRET PLANS OF THE DUTCH DEFENSE SYSTEM TO THE GERMANS IN 1938, AND B) THAT HE HAD OFFERED BY LETTER IN 1942 TO BECOME GAULEITER OF THE NETHERLANDS, KEEPING THE COUNTRY UNDER CONTROL FOR THE NAZIS.

1. Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Message Text
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 01 THE HA 02321 181546Z
ACTION EUR-08
INFO OCT-01 SS-14 ADS-00 NSCE-00 SSO-00 /023 W
------------------107278 181554Z /46
O 181515Z APR 79
FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
TO AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY HELSINKI IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM IMMEDIATE
INFO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5013
C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 2321
LIMDIS
FOR TORRICELLI/RENTSCHLER
E.O. 12065: RDS-4 (DUNN, L. MILNER) OR-E
TAGS: OVIP (MONDALE, WALTER), NL
SUBJECT: LOCKHEED AND PRINCE BERNHARD
1. (C - ENTIRE TEXT)
2. THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF PRINCE BERNHARD'S INVOLVEMENT IN
THE LOCKHEED SCANDAL IS PROVIDED FOR BACKGROUND ONLY.
3. ALLEGATION ARISING FROM THE 1975-76 LOCKHEED BRIBERY
SCANDAL IMPLICATED PRINCE BERNHARD AS THE POSSIBLE BENEFICIARY
OF PAYMENTS IN THE 1960'S VIA SWITZERLAND. THE PAYMENTS WERE
SAID TO BE IN LIEU OF A PROPOSED GIFT OF A PERSONAL AIRCRAFT
TO THE PRINCE BY LOCKHEED TO EXPRESS THE COMPANY'S GRATITUDE
FOR THE SALE OF LOCKHEED F-104 STARFIGHTERS TO THE DUTCH. AT
THE TIME OF THE SALE AND UNTIL THE BRIBERY ALLEGATION, THE
PRINCE SERVED AS INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE ARMED FORCES.
4. THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE PRINCE CAUSED A STRONG
PUBLIC REACTION IN THE SPRING OF 1976 THAT THREATENED A
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PAGE 02 THE HA 02321 181546Z
MAJOR CRISIS FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MONARCHY. PRIME
MINISTER DEN UYL AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER VAN AGT, AS
WELL AS MOST OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES, AGREED TO THE
CREATION OF THE BLUE RIBBON" DONNER COMMISSION TO
INQUIRE INTO THE MATTER. THE COMMISSION'S FINDINGS
WERE PUBLICLY RELEASED IN AUGUST 1976 AND CREATED A
MAJOR FUROR IN DUTCH SOCIETY AS THEY IMPLICATED THE

2. Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
PRINCE FOR HAVING ENTERED TOO LIGHTLY INTO TRANSACTIONS
WHICH WERE BOUND TO CREATE THE IMPRESSION THAT HE WAS
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FAVORS.
5. AT THE DEN UYL GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST, BERNHARD GAVE UP
ALL HIS MILITARY POSITIONS, RESIGNED FROM HIS SOME 300
BUSINESS DIRECTORSHIPS, AND WROTE A LETTER OF APOLOGY.
THE PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS SUPPORTED THE GOVERNMENT'S
HANDLING OF THE AFFAIR. THE DUTCH PEOPLE ACCEPTED THESE
RESULTS AS THE PROPER WAY TO CLOSE A RATHER NASTY FAMILY
AFFAIR. THE QUEEN EMERGED AS A STRENGTHENED AND MORE
RESPECTED PERSON. THE SUBDUED AND CHASTENED PRINCE HAS
SINCE BEEN SOMEWHAT REHABILITATED.
6 THE LOCKHEED SCANDAL REMAINS A SCAR ON DUTCH-AMERICAN
RELATIONS--ONE TO BE REMEMBERED BUT NOT MENTIONED.
7. IN THE FALL OF 1978 THE PRINCE WAS THE SUBJECT OF
FURTHER UNFAVORABLE PUBLICITY RESULTING FROM THE ALLEGATION
IN A SENSATIONALIST JOURNAL THAT A) HE HAD SOLD
SECRET PLANS OF THE DUTCH DEFENSE SYSTEM TO THE
GERMANS IN 1938, AND B) THAT HE HAD OFFERED BY LETTER
IN 1942 TO BECOME GAULEITER OF THE NETHERLANDS, KEEPING
THE COUNTRY UNDER CONTROL FOR THE NAZIS. NO REAL
SUBSTANCE WAS FOUND TO EITHER OF THESE CHARGES--THE
PRINCE'S WAR RECORD HAD BEEN EXEMPLARY--AND THEY HAVE
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PAGE 03 THE HA 02321 181546Z
LARGELY FADED AWAY, BUT A LITTLE MORE TARNISH HAS BEEN
LEFT ON BERNHARD'S ESCUTCHEON.
JOSEPH
CONFIDENTIAL
NNN

3. Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
Message Attributes
Automatic Decaptioning: Z
Capture Date: 01 jan 1994
Channel Indicators: n/a
Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Concepts: BRIBERY, BRIEFING MATERIALS
Control Number: n/a
Copy: SINGLE
Draft Date: 18 apr 1979
Decaption Date: 20 Mar 2014
Decaption Note: 25 YEAR REVIEW
Disposition Action: RELEASED
Disposition Approved on Date:
Disposition Case Number: n/a
Disposition Comment: 25 YEAR REVIEW
Disposition Date: 20 Mar 2014
Disposition Event:
Disposition History: n/a
Disposition Reason:
Disposition Remarks:
Document Number: 1979THEHA02321
Document Source: CORE
Document Unique ID: 00
Drafter: n/a
Enclosure: DG ALTERED
Executive Order: R9 19850418 DUNN, L MILNER
Errors: N/A
Expiration:
Film Number: D790178-0987
Format: TEL
From: THE HAGUE OR-E
Handling Restrictions:
Image Path:
ISecure: 1
Legacy Key: link1979/newtext/t19790444/aaaabkuk.tel
Line Count: 97
Litigation Code IDs:
Litigation Codes:
Litigation History:
Locator: TEXT ON-LINE, ON MICROFILM
Message ID: 013761c0-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc
Office: ACTION EUR
Original Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Original Handling Restrictions: LIMDIS
Original Previous Classification: n/a
Original Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a
Page Count: 2
Previous Channel Indicators: n/a
Previous Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Previous Handling Restrictions: LIMDIS
Reference: n/a
Retention: 0
Review Action: RELEASED, APPROVED
Review Content Flags:
Review Date: 13 jan 2006
Review Event:
Review Exemptions: n/a
Review Media Identifier:
Review Release Date: n/a
Review Release Event: n/a
Review Transfer Date:
Review Withdrawn Fields: n/a
SAS ID: 3256198
Secure: OPEN
Status: NATIVE
Subject: LOCKHEED AND PRINCE BERNHARD
TAGS: OVIP, PINS, NL, LOCKHEED, (MONDALE, WALTER)
To: COPENHAGEN HELSINKI
Type: TE
vdkvgwkey: odbc://SAS/SAS.dbo.SAS_Docs/013761c0-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc
Review Markings:
Sheryl P. Walter
Declassified/Released
US Department of State
EO Systematic Review
20 Mar 2014
Markings: Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014