The honorific of Righteous Among the Nations was bestowed upon Helen of Greece and Denmark in 1993 for her humanitarian actions shielding Jewish people during the Second World War. As Queen Mother of Romania between 1940 and 1947, she navigated a period of intense political instability and military occupation, ultimately witnessing the end of her family's monarchy.
Early Life and Exile
Born in Athens in 1896, she was the daughter of King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophia of Prussia. Her formative years were split between Greece, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The First World War and the subsequent removal of her father from the throne in 1917 forced her into a period of displacement, leading to an extended exile in Switzerland where she cared for her father.
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In 1920, she married the Crown Prince Carol of Romania, eventually giving birth to their son Michael in 1921. Her tenure in Romania was marked by personal strife, as her husband engaged in an affair with Magda Lupescu and eventually renounced his throne in 1925. Following their divorce in 1928, she was designated Queen Mother of Romania in 1927 when her young son ascended the throne.
Wartime and Humanitarian Efforts
Returning to Bucharest in 1940 to support her son during the dissolution of Greater Romania, she maintained a precarious position under the dictatorship of General Antonescu. Throughout the conflict, she leveraged her influence to protect Jewish populations from deportation. Her efforts during this period were formally recognized decades later by the State of Israel for her moral courage.
Final Years
Following the 1944 coup against the Axis-aligned government, the royal family faced increasing pressure from Soviet-backed communist forces. King Michael I was forced to abdicate on 30 December 1947, resulting in a permanent departure from Romania. She settled at Villa Sparta in Fiesole, Italy, before relocating to Switzerland in 1979. She died in 1982 in Lausanne and is buried at the Bois-de-Vaux Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1896, Athens
- Died: 1982, Lausanne
- Title: Queen Mother of Romania
- Righteous Among the Nations: 1993
- Languages spoken: French, German, Italian, English, Romanian, Greek
- Burial place: Bois-de-Vaux Cemetery
Questions readers ask
Why was she awarded Righteous Among the Nations?
She was recognized for her significant humanitarian efforts to save Romanian Jews during the Holocaust.
What led to her exile from Romania?
She left due to the ascent of a communist government and the forced abdication of her son, King Michael I, in 1947.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1993
