Greet Hofmans

Greet Hofman ( Hofman actually Margaretha, * June 23, 1894, † November 16, 1968 ) was a Dutch miracle healer. For nine years she was a friend and advisor of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and often stayed in the palace in Soestdijk on.

Life

Hofman was introduced in 1948 on the initiative of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands at the court to treat an eye disease of Princess Marijke Christina. The disease was caused by a rubella infection during pregnancy Juliana. Hofman procured a large influence on the queen and inspired them for their pacifist ideas. In the times of the Cold War, this caused a crisis in the royal house. Allegedly at the end even the marriage between Juliana and Bernhard in danger.

Outside the Netherlands Hofman found the affair a great echo in the media. On June 13, 1956 article in the magazine Der Spiegel published with the title The faith healer. It was alleged that Prince Bernhard himself, who had supplied the information for the item you wish to sell Hofman order from the court.

The Cabinet of Willem Drees banned the import of this issue of Der Spiegel's and set up a commission of inquiry, consisting of the two former ministers Louis Beel and Gerbrandy and the former Governor General of the Dutch East Indies STL Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer, called Beel Commission. Result was the completion of Hofman's work at the Royal Court and a reorganization of the royal family.

Due to the secrecy of official and self- censorship of the press, the Netherlands Hofman affair gained a life of its own. It has been speculated, the affair would have been only a facade for a looming divorce of the royal couple.

Greet Hofman died in 1968 and is located in the cemetery Zorgvlied in Amsterdam buried.

Importance

Hofman had until her death trailer from the upper class who saw the personification of the ideal life in her sober, peace-loving, unselfish and full of humanity. Others, however, saw it as a charlatan, a schemer or even a wicked witch, at best, a naive person.

On 7 February 2004 Bernhard wrote in an open letter to the newspaper de Volkskrant: "As for the so-called Hofman's affair, so I remember that the Beel Commission in 1956 conducted an extensive investigation. For formal reasons, this Commission report is not public, so I would like to express my hope that the publication of all who were involved in this complicated affair, is back in a true light. " On 12 November 2008, the report of the Beel was Commission in a book about the marriage of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard published ..

The Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij (Association against Quackery ) Hofman has set in 14th place of the 20 largest charlatans of the 20th century.