Category Archives: German Royals

Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

NOTE: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz (Older Line), the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera (Younger Line), the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss of Gera was born on May 13, 1895, at Schloss Ebersdorf (link in German) in Ebersdorf, Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Saalburg-Ebersdorf in Thuringia, Germany. He was the youngest of the five children and the youngest of the three sons of Heinrich XXVII, 5th and the last reigning Prince Reuss of Gera and Princess Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Heinrich XLV had four elder siblings:

  • Princess Viktoria Feodora Reuss of Gera (link in German) (1889 – 1918) married Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; Viktoria Feodora died in childbirth a day after giving birth to her only child, a daughter Woizlawa Feodora
  • Princess Luise Adelheid Reuss of Gera (1890 – 1951), unmarried
  • Prince Heinrich XL Reuss of Gera (born and died 1891)
  • Prince Heinrich XLIII Reuss of Gera (1893 – 1912), died at age 18

Sitting: Heinrich XLIII & Elise, Princess Reuss of Gera; Standing: Heinrich XLV & Viktoria Feodora; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich XLV attended the Rutheneum-Gymnasium (since 1949 the Goethe-Gymnasium), founded in 1608, the oldest high school in Gera, then the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in the German state of Thuringia. In the German education system, a Gymnasium is the most advanced of the three types of German secondary schools. He also attended the Vitzthum-Gymnasium in Dresden, then in the Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony.

Heinrich XLV was the only surviving son of his parents. The eldest son Heinrich XL died shortly after his birth in 1891 and the second son Heinrich XLIII died in 1912 at the age of 18. In 1913, when his father succeeded to the throne of the Principality of Reuss-Gera, Heinrich XLV became the Hereditary Prince Reuss of Gera. During World War I, Heinrich XLV served as a first lieutenant in the Imperial German Army. After World War I, Heinrich XLV studied literature, musicology, and philosophy at universities in Leipzig, Marburg, Munich, and Kiel.

Heinrich XXVII, 5th Prince Reuss of Gera, Elise, Princess Reuss of Gera and their son Heinrich XLV; Credit – WIkipedia

On November 11, 1918, following the German defeat in World War I, Heinrich XLV’s father, Heinrich XXVII, abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII that granted him some castles and land. After his abdication, Heinrich XXVII continued to live with his family at Schloss Osterstein (link in German) in Gera. When Heinrich XXIV, the 6th and last Prince Reuss of Greiz died in 1927, the House of Reuss-Greiz became extinct and any claims to titles passed to Heinrich XXVII. When Heinrich XXVII, the 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera died on November 21, 1928, Heinrich XLV became Head of the House of Reuss.

Heinrich XLV was a lover of theater and worked in the theater as a director, author, and consultant. In 1923, he became head of the dramaturgy at the Reussian Theatre (link in German) in Gera. In 1931, with Hans Oppenheim, he founded the Deutsche Musikbühne, a touring opera company. Hans Oppenheim was forced out of the opera company in 1933 because of his Jewish origins and immigrated to the United States. Heinrich XLV gave up his position in 1934.

Because Heinrich XLV was unmarried and had no heirs, he adopted Prince Heinrich I Reuss of Köstritz for inheritance reasons but not for succession rights as the Head of the House of Reuss. Prince Heinrich I Reuss of Köstritz married Duchess Woizlawa Feodora of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the daughter of Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Viktoria Feodora Reuss of Gera, the sister of Heinrich XLV. Viktoria Feodora had died delivering Woizlawa Feodora, her only child. Woizlawa Feodora was the only niece or nephew of Heinrich XLV and so Heinrich XLV’s private assests would remain in the family.

Heinrich XLV became a Nazi sympathizer and member of the Nazi Party. After World War II, the area that included the property and assets of Heinrich XLV was in the area of Germany which was controlled by the Soviet Union. It eventually became part of East Germany. In August 1945, Heinrich XLV was arrested at Schloss Ebersdorf by the Soviet military and has been missing ever since. He was likely imprisoned and killed at NKVD special camp Nr. 2, the former German concentration camp Buchenwald, which was transformed into one of the post–World War II internment camps in the Soviet-occupied parts of Germany. However, Heinrich XLV’s name is not on any of the internment camps’ lists of the dead. He was legally pronounced dead on January 5, 1962, by a court in Büdingen, West Germany, retroactive to December 31, 1953.

Heinrich XLV’s entire personal fortune was seized and confiscated in 1948 by the Soviet Military Administration in Germany, including Schloss Ebersdorf, Schloss Thallwitz, Schloss Osterstein and Jagdschloss Waidmannsheil (all links in German) as well as other property in Gera and works of art. After the German reunification in 1990, Heinrich XLV’s niece Woizlawa Feodora, as her husband’s heir, sued for restitution based on the fact that her late husband was of British nationality, as well as German, and his property should not have been confiscated under occupation law. A legal restitution claim for movable assets (works of art) was passed by the Bundestag (the German legislature) and many works of art in museums were returned to Woizlawa Feodora. In another settlement, Woizlawa Feodora received two castles and some forest property. Woizlawa Feodora lived to be 100 years old, dying in 2019.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XLV. (Reuß Jüngere Linie). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XLV._(Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngere_Linie)> [Accessed 24 March 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Feodora Reuß Jüngere Linie. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feodora_zu_Reu%C3%9F> [Accessed 24 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Duchess Woizlawa Feodora Of Mecklenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchess_Woizlawa_Feodora_of_Mecklenburg> [Accessed 24 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss Younger Line. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XLV,_Hereditary_Prince_Reuss_Younger_Line> [Accessed 24 March 2020].

Princess Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Princess Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Princess Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was the wife of Heinrich XXVII, 5th and the last reigning Prince Reuss of Gera. Elise Victoria Feodora Sophie Adelheid was born on September 4, 1864, in Langenburg, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. She was the second of the three children and the elder of the two daughters of Hermann, 6th Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Leopoldine of Baden. Elise’s paternal grandmother was Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and two of Elise’s names reflect that family connection.

Elise had two siblings:

  • Ernst, 7th Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1863 – 1950), married Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (granddaughter of Queen Victoria via her son Prince Alfred), had three daughters and two sons; their son Gottfried married Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark, sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
  • Princess Feodora Viktoria Alberta of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1866 – 1932), married Emich, 5th Prince of Leiningen (grandson of Karl, 3rd Prince of Leiningen, half-brother of Queen Victoria), had four sons and one daughter; their son Karl married Grand Duchess Maria Kirillovna of Russia, daughter of Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia and Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (granddaughter of Queen Victoria via her son Prince Alfred)

Since 1806, the Princes of Hohenlohe-Langenburg were no longer reigning princes. The Principality of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was mediatized, annexed to another state while allowing certain rights to its former sovereign such as retaining titles, to the Kingdom of Württemberg in 1806. Württemberg was a County, a Duchy, and an Electorate before being recognized as Kingdom in 1806 by Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, in exchange for contributing forces to France’s armies. Between 1803 and 1806, the final years of the Holy Roman Empire, the vast majority of the states of the Holy Roman Empire were mediatized. These states lost their imperial rights and became part of other states. The number of states was reduced from about three hundred to just thirty-nine.

Heinrich XXVII Reuss of Gera and Elise, 1884; Credit – Wikipedia

On November 11, 1884 in Langenburg, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany Elise married Heinrich XXVII, the future 5th Prince Reuss of Gera, son of Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera and Duchess Agnes of Württemberg.

Heinrich XXVII and Elise had five children:

Elise with three of her children, before 1912; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1902, Elise’s father-in-law Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera became the Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. Heinrich XXIV, 6th and last Prince Reuss of Greiz succeeded his father in 1902 but was unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Heinrich XIV was the Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz until his death in 1913.

Elise with her husband Heinrich XXVII, circa 1910; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his father on March 29, 1913, Elise’s husband Heinrich XXVII became the 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and the Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. His reign was only five years long. After the German defeat in World War I, on November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII that granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

After his abdication, Heinrich XXVII and his wife Elise continued to live at Schloss Osterstein (link in German) in Gera. When the disabled Heinrich XXIV, the 6th and last Prince Reuss of Greiz died in 1927, the House of Reuss-Greiz became extinct and any claims to titles passed to Heinrich XXVII. Heinrich XXVII, the 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera died at the age of 70 on November 21, 1928, at Schloss Osterstein in Gera, Germany. Elise survived her husband by only four months, dying on March 18, 1929, aged 64, at Schloss Osterstein in Gera, Germany. Elise and her husband were buried in the family cemetery in the Park of Schloss Ebersdorf (link in German), now in Saalburg-Ebersdorf in Thuringia, Germany.

Tombs at Schloss Ebersdorf; Credit – https://www.saalburg-ebersdorf.de/touristinformation/sehenswertes/park

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. German Mediatisation. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_mediatisation> [Accessed 23 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Hohenlohe-Langenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hohenlohe-Langenburg> [Accessed 23 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Princess Elise Of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Elise_of_Hohenlohe-Langenburg> [Accessed 23 March 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan., 2020. Heinrich XXVII, 5th Prince Reuss Of Gera. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/heinrich-xxvii-5th-prince-reuss-of-gera/> [Accessed 23 March 2020].

Heinrich XXVII, 5th Prince Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz (Older Line), the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera (Younger Line), the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Gera: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XLII became Count of Reuss-Schleiz in 1784, and then also became Count of Reuss-Gera in 1802. In 1806,  the united county was raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line.  Between 1824 and 1848, the senior line of Gera gradually combined the territory of the surviving cadet branches (Lobenstein, Köstritz, and Ebersdorf).

On November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII and granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich XXVII, 5th Prince Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich XXVII, 5th Prince Reuss of Gera, the last reigning Prince of the Principality of Reuss-Gera, was born on November 10, 1858, in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was the eldest of the two children and the only son of Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera and Duchess Agnes of Württemberg.

Heinrich XXVII had one sibling, a younger sister:

Heinrich XXVII had one half-brother, born to Friederike Graetz in 1875. In 1890, four years after his mother died, Heinrich XXVII’s father morganatically married Friederike Graetz and gave her the title of Baroness von Saalburg. Heinrich XXVII’s half-brother was then styled as Baron von Saalburg.

  • Baron Heinrich von Saalburg (1875 – 1954), married Margarethe Groenwoldt, no children

Heinrich XXVII studied at the Witzum Gymnasium (in the German education system the most advanced of the three types of German secondary schools) in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony. From 1879 – 1880, he studied at the University of Bonn and the University of Leipzig. After completing his studies, Heinrich XXVII joined the Prussian Army as an officer of the Hussar Regiment of the Life Guards. He later became a captain and led the squadron. Heinrich XXVII retired from active duty in 1891 and was given the honor of wearing a regimental uniform but had no official position. In 1911, he was given the unpaid honorary title of General of the Cavalry. During World War I, Heinrich XXVII was assigned to the general command of the XI Army Corps of the German Army.

Princess Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Credit – Wikipedia

On November 11, 1884, Heinrich XXVII married Princess Elise of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, the daughter of Hermann, 6th Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Princess Leopoldine of Baden. Elise’s paternal grandmother was Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Heinrich XXVII and Elise had five children:

Elise with three of her children, before 1912; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1902, the father of Heinrich XXVII, Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera became the Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. Heinrich XXIV, 6th and last Prince Reuss of Greiz succeeded his father in 1902 but was unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Heinrich XIV was the Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz until his death in 1913.

Heinrich XXVII with his wife Elise, circa 1910; Credit – Wikipedia

When his father died on March 29, 1913, Heinrich XXVII became the 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and the Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. His reign was only five years long. After the German defeat in World War I, on November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII that granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

Heinrich XXVII during World War I; Credit – Wikipedia

After his abdication, Heinrich XXVII continued to live with his family at Schloss Osterstein (link in German) in Gera. When the disabled Heinrich XXIV, the 6th and last Prince Reuss of Greiz died in 1927, the House of Reuss-Greiz became extinct and any claims to titles passed to Heinrich XXVII. Heinrich XXVII, the 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera died at the age of 70 on November 21, 1928, at Schloss Osterstein in Gera, Germany. His wife Elise survived her husband by only four months. Both were buried in the family cemetery in the Park of Schloss Ebersdorf (link in German), now in Saalburg-Ebersdorf in Thuringia, Germany.

Tombs at Schloss Ebersdorf; Credit – https://www.saalburg-ebersdorf.de/touristinformation/sehenswertes/park

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XXVII. (Reuß Jüngere Linie). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XXVII._(Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngere_Linie)> [Accessed 22 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XXVII,_Prince_Reuss_Younger_Line> [Accessed 22 March 2020].
  • Uk.wikipedia.org. 2020. Генріх XXVII (Князь Ройсс-Ґери). [online] Available at: <https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%80%D1%96%D1%85_XXVII_(%D0%BA%D0%BD%D1%8F%D0%B7%D1%8C_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%81-%D2%90%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8)> [Accessed 22 March 2020].

Duchess Agnes of Württemberg, Princess Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Agnes of Württemberg, Princess Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

Duchess Agnes of Württemberg (Pauline Louise Agnes), wife of Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera, was born in Carlsruhe, Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, now Pokój, Poland, on October 13, 1835. She was the youngest of the four children and the younger of the two daughters of Duke Eugen of Württemberg and his second wife Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Agnes had three older siblings:

Agnes also had three elder half-siblings from her father’s first marriage to Princess Mathilde of Waldeck and Pyrmont who died in childbirth giving birth to her last child who died a few days later:

Agnes’ father, Duke Eugen of Württemberg; Credit – Wikipedia

Agnes’ father was Duke Eugen of Württemberg, son of Duke Eugen of Württemberg and Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern. Her father was the nephew of Friedrich I, the first King of Württemberg; Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, Empress Maria Feodorovna, the second wife of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia; and Elisabeth of Württemberg, the first wife of Franz II, Holy Roman Emperor (later Franz I, Emperor of Austria). Under the initial patronage of his aunt Empress Maria Feodorovna, Agnes’ father had a career in the Russian Army which continued during the reigns of his first cousins Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia and Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia. Duke Eugen fought in the Napoleonic Wars and attained the rank of General. After 1829, Duke Eugen did not take an active part in the Russian Army or Russian court life. He lived mainly in his estates in Silesia, now mostly in Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany, but he often visited Russia.

Agnes’ mother, Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Agnes’ mother Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was the daughter of Karl Ludwig III, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Countess Amalie Henriette of Solms-Baruth. One of Helene’s elder brothers Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg married Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Schloss Carlsruhe Castle; Credit – Wikipedia

Agnes grew up at Schloss Carlsruhe, then in Carlsruhe, Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Pokój, Poland. In 1649, a cadet branch of the House of Württemberg inherited land in the Duchy of Oels in Silesia. A hunting lodge was built in the area that later became Carlsruhe. According to legend, in 1745, Duke Karl Christian Erdmann of Württemberg-Oels got lost while hunting near the lodge, fell asleep in the forest, and had a dream about founding a city. Later, Karl Christian planned and built the residential city of Carlsruhe (now Pokój, Poland), following the architectural concept of Karlsruhe, then in the Electorate of Baden, later in the Grand Duchy of Baden, now in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg. He also built Schloss Carlsruhe. Karl Christian had no heir and left his properties and Schloss Carlsruhe to his cousin Duke Eugen of Württemberg, Agnes’ grandfather. After Silesia became part of the Kingdom of Prussia, the family retained ownership of their properties in Carlsruhe and Schloss Carlsruhe.

Agnes’ father inherited Carlsruhe and Schloss Carlsruhe upon his father’s death. Duke Eugen, Agnes’ father, built a theater and a chapel at Schloss Carlsruhe. He was a great patron of the composer Carl Maria von Weber, who became his secretary. In 1806, von Weber was named Kapellmeister (director of music) at Schloss Carlsruhe. Sadly, at the end of World War II, Schloss Carlsruhe was destroyed by the Red Army of the Soviet Union.

Agnes’ husband, Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 6, 1858, at Schloss Carlsruhe in Carlsruhe, Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, now Pokój, Poland, Agnes married the future Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera, son of Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera and Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf.

Agnes and Heinrich XIV had two children:

As Princess of Reuss-Gera, Agnes founded many organizations and institutes that bore her name, such as the Agnes School, a training institute for female servants in Gera, the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Gera. She was also an author and used Angelica Hohenstein as her pen name. Agnes died, aged 50, on July 10, 1886, at Schloss Osterstein in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera. She was buried at the Bergkirche St. Marien (link in German) in Schleiz, Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Agnes Von Württemberg (1835–1886). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_von_W%C3%BCrttemberg_(1835%E2%80%931886)> [Accessed 21 March 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Eugen Von Württemberg (1788–1857). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugen_von_W%C3%BCrttemberg_(1788%E2%80%931857)> [Accessed 21 March 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Karl Christian Erdmann (Württemberg-Oels). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Christian_Erdmann_(W%C3%BCrttemberg-Oels)> [Accessed 21 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Duchess Agnes Of Württemberg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchess_Agnes_of_W%C3%BCrttemberg> [Accessed 21 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Pokój, Opole Voivodeship. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pok%C3%B3j,_Opole_Voivodeship> [Accessed 21 March 2020].

Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz (Older Line), the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera (Younger Line), the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Gera: The House of Reuss began its rule circa 1010. Heinrich XLII became Count of Reuss-Schleiz in 1784, and then also became Count of Reuss-Gera in 1802. In 1806,  the united county was raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line.  Between 1824 and 1848, the senior line of Gera gradually combined the territory of the surviving cadet branches (Lobenstein, Köstritz, and Ebersdorf).

On November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII and granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera was born on May 28, 1832, in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Bavaria, Germany. He was the sixth of the eight children and the fourth and the only surviving son of the five sons of Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera and Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf.

Heinrich XIV had seven siblings but only his sister Anna survived childhood:

  • Prince Heinrich V Reuss of Gera (1821 – 1834), died in childhood
  • Princess Anna Reuss of Gera (1822 – 1902), married Prince Adolf of Bentheim-Tecklenburg (link in German), had four sons and three daughters
  • Princess Elisabeth Reuss of Gera (1824 – 1833), died in childhood
  • Prince Heinrich VII Reuss of Gera (1827 – 1828), died in infancy
  • Prince Heinrich XI Reuss of Gera (1828 – 1830), died in childhood
  • Prince Heinrich XVI Reuss of Gera (1835 – 1836), died in infancy
  • Princess Marie Reuss of Gera (1837 – 1840), died in childhood

Heinrich XIV attended gymnasium, in the German education system the most advanced of the three types of German secondary schools, in Meinigen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany. After finishing his studies in Meiningen, he joined the Prussian Army. On March 23, 1850, he was promoted to second-lieutenant. From 1850 – 1853, Heinrich XIV took a break from the army while he studied history and law at the University of Bonn, then called Rhine University, in the Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. He returned to the Prussian Army in August 1853, serving in the 1st Guards Infantry Regiment until 1859. After retiring from active duty, Heinrich XIV was taken over into the officers à la suite, princes and generals who were given a special honor. As an officer à la suite, Heinrich LXVII’s highest rank was general. He was entitled to wear a regimental uniform but otherwise had no official position.

Duchess Agnes of Württemberg; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 6, 1858 in Carlsruhe, Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, now Pokój, Poland, Heinrich XIV married Duchess Agnes of Württemberg, daughter of Duke Eugen of Württemberg and his second wife Princess Helene of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Heinrich XIV and Agnes had two children:

Schloss Osterstein; Credit – Wikipedia

From 1863, Heinrich XIV and his family lived at the newly restored Schloss Osterstein (link in German) in Gera, the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Gera. During the summer, the family was in residence at Schloss Ebersdorf (link in German). The Reuss-Gera family came into the possession of Schloss Ebersdorf after the German revolutions of 1848, when Heinrich LXXII, Prince Reuss of Lobenstein and Ebersdorf abdicated. Lobenstein and Ebersdorf then were united with Reuss-Gera.

Heinrich XIV in 1871; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon the death of his father Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera on July 11, 1867, Heinrich XIV became the 4th Prince Reuss of Gera. In 1871, upon the formation of the German Empire, the Principality of Reuss-Gera became one of the German Empire’s twenty-six constituent states. Despite the loss of foreign policy sovereignty, the constituent states remained sovereign in internal affairs

Heinrichstrasse in Gera circa 1900-1906, the electric tram can be seen in the photo; Credit – Wikipedia

The capital city Gera became an industrial center due to the growth of textile production and the development of machine-building factories and population growth increased significantly. During Heinrich XIV’s reign as the 4th Prince Reuss of Gera, a chain of stores was created, a municipal water system was established, an electric tram system began, and a sports organization was founded. The Principality of Reuss-Gera provided its population with a good education. In addition to the elementary schools, there were gymnasiums (in the German education system the most advanced of the three types of German secondary schools), girls’ schools, trade and construction schools, an agricultural college, a seminary, and a school for the deaf.

In 1886, Heinrich XIV’s wife Agnes died at the age of 50. Four years after the death of his first wife, on February 14, 1890, in Leipzig, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German federal state of Saxony, 57-year-old Heinrich XIV morganatically married 49-year-old Friederike Graetz. On May 28, 1890, Heinrich XIV gave his wife the title of Baroness von Saalburg. The couple had a son who was born fifteen years before the marriage:

  • Baron Heinrich von Saalburg (1875 – 1954), married Margarethe Groenwoldt, no children

In 1902, Heinrich XIV became the Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. Heinrich XXIV, 6th and last Prince Reuss of Greiz, succeeded his father in 1902 but was unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Heinrich XIV was the Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz until his death in 1913. His son and successor Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera then became Regent of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz until the German monarchies were abolished in 1918 at the end of World War I.

Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera died on March 29, 1913, aged 80, in Schleiz, Principality of Reuss-Gera. He was buried with his first wife at the Bergkirche St. Marien (link in German) now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XIV. (Reuß Jüngere Linie). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XIV._(Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngere_Linie)> [Accessed 20 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XIV, Prince Reuss Younger Line. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XIV,_Prince_Reuss_Younger_Line> [Accessed 20 March 2020].
  • Uk.wikipedia.org. 2020. Генріх XIV (Князь Ройсс-Ґери). [online] Available at: <https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%80%D1%96%D1%85_XIV_(%D0%BA%D0%BD%D1%8F%D0%B7%D1%8C_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%81-%D2%90%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8)> [Accessed 20 March 2020]. (Ukrainian Wikipedia)

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz (Older Line), the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera (Younger Line), the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Gera: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XLII became Count of Reuss-Schleiz in 1784, and then also became Count of Reuss-Gera in 1802. In 1806,  the united county was raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line.  Between 1824 and 1848, the senior line of Gera gradually combined the territory of the surviving cadet branches (Lobenstein, Köstritz, and Ebersdorf).

On November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII and granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on October 20, 1789, in Schleiz, then in the County of Reuss-Schleiz, later in the Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany, Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera was the fourth of the eight children and the third but second surviving of the six sons of Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince Reuss of Gera and Princess Caroline of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg.

Heinrich LXVII had seven siblings but only two survived childhood:

  • Princess Philippine Reuss of Gera (1781 – 1866), unmarried
  • Count Heinrich LVIII Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1782), died in infancy
  • Countess Ferdinande Reuss of Schleiz (1784 – 1785), died in infancy
  • Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera (1785 – 1854), his father’s successor, unmarried
  • Count Heinrich LXV Reuss of Schleiz (1788 – 1790), died in early childhood
  • Count Heinrich LXVIII Reuss of Schleiz (1791 – 1792), died in infancy
  • Count Heinrich LXXI Reuss of Schleiz (1793 – 1794), died in infancy

Heinrich LXVII had a career in the Prussian Army which he joined on February 28, 1805, as a lieutenant. From 1806 – 1809, he took a break from the Prussian Army while he studied in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony. In 1814, Heinrich LXVII fought in the Napoleonic Wars in Central Europe. He was promoted to Major in 1818.  In 1836, he retired from active duty and was taken into the officers à la suite, princes and generals who were given a special honor. As an officer à la suite, Heinrich LXVII received the ranks of colonel, major general, lieutenant general, and general of the cavalry over the years and was entitled to wear a regimental uniform but otherwise had no official position.

On April 18, 1820, Heinrich LXVII married Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf (1800 – 1880), the younger daughter of Heinrich LI, Prince Reuss of Ebersdorf and Countess Luise of Hoym.

Heinrich LXVII and Adelheid had eight children but only two survived childhood:

  • Prince Heinrich V Reuss of Gera (1821 – 1834), died in childhood
  • Princess Anna Reuss of Gera (1822 – 1902), married Prince Adolf of Bentheim-Tecklenburg (link in German), had four sons and three daughters
  • Princess Elisabeth Reuss of Gera (1824 – 1833), died in childhood
  • Prince Heinrich VII Reuss of Gera (1827 – 1828), died in infancy
  • Prince Heinrich XI Reuss of Gera (1828 – 1830), died in childhood
  • Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera (1832 – 1913), married Duchess Agnes of Württemberg, had one son and one daughter
  • Prince Heinrich XVI Reuss of Gera (1835 – 1836), died in infancy
  • Princess Marie Reuss of Gera (1837 – 1840), died in childhood

Upon the death of his unmarried brother Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera on June 19, 1854, Heinrich LXVII became the 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera. His reign was reactionary to the failed German Revolutions of 1848 which had demonstrated discontent with the traditional, autocratic political structure of the thirty-nine independent states of the German Confederation. Under Heinrich LXII’s government, his minister Eduard Heinrich von Geldern-Crispendorf (link in German) implemented a reactionary amendment to the constitution that limited the legislature’s power. During the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, Heinrich LXVII, as ruler of the Principality of Reuss-Gera, remained neutral but voluntarily agreed on June 26, 1866, that his principality would join the Prussian-led North German Confederation.

Schloss Osterstein; Credit – https://gera.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=50024

In 1848, the capital of the Principality of Reuss-Gera had moved from Schleiz to Gera. From 1859 to 1863, Heinrich LXVII oversaw the renovation of Schloss Osterstein (link in German) in Gera. In 1908, the wedding of Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and Princess Eleonore Reuss of Köstritz took place at Schloss Osterstein. After the end of the monarchies of the German Empire in 1918, the Reuss-Gera family used Schloss Osterstein as their residence until 1945. On April 6, 1945, Schloss Osterstein was destroyed during the bombing by the American Air Force. The ruins were demolished on December 9, 1962. Today, only the former castle keep from the 12th century, the 1857 Wolf Bridge leading to the castle, remains of farm buildings and the courtyard are all that remains of the original structure.

Castle Keep of Schloss Osterstein; Credit – Von Steffen Löwe – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4933602

Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera died on July 11, 1867, aged 78, at Schloss Osterstein in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera. He was buried at the Bergkirche St. Marien (link in German) now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany. His wife Adelheid survived him by thirteen years, dying on July 25, 1880, aged 80. She was buried with her husband.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Bg.wikipedia.org. 2020. Хайнрих LXVII (Ройс Млада Линия). [online] Available at: <https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A5%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BD%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%85_LXVII_(%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81_%D0%BC%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0_%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F)> [Accessed 19 March 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXVII. (Reuß Jüngere Linie). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_LXVII._(Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngere_Linie)> [Accessed 19 March 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Schloss Osterstein (Gera). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Osterstein_(Gera)> [Accessed 19 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_LXVII,_Prince_Reuss_Younger_Line> [Accessed 19 March 2020].

Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

NOTE: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz (Older Line), the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera (Younger Line), the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Gera: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XLII became Count of Reuss-Schleiz in 1784, and then also became Count of Reuss-Gera in 1802. In 1806,  the united county was raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line.  Between 1824 and 1848, the senior line of Gera gradually combined the territory of the surviving cadet branches (Lobenstein, Köstritz, and Ebersdorf).

On November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII and granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera was the second but the eldest surviving of the five sons and the third of the eight children of Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince Reuss of Gera and Princess Caroline of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg. He was born on May 31, 1785, in Schleiz, County of Reuss-Schleiz, later in the Principality of Reuss-Gera, now in Thuringia, Germany.

Only two of Heinrich LXII’s siblings survived childhood:

  • Princess Philippine Reuss of Gera (1781 – 1866), unmarried
  • Count Heinrich LVIII Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1782), died in infancy
  • Countess Ferdinande Reuss of Schleiz (1784 – 1785), died in infancy
  • Count Heinrich LXV Reuss of Schleiz (1788 – 1790), died in early childhood
  • Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Reuss of Gera (1789 – 1867), his successor, married Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf, had five sons and three daughters
  • Count Heinrich LXVIII Reuss of Schleiz (1791 – 1792), died in infancy
  • Count Heinrich LXXI Reuss of Schleiz (1793 – 1794), died in infancy

Heinrich LXII was educated at the Univerity of Erlangen, now in Erlangen and Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany, and the University of Würzburg, now in Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany. Upon his father’s death in 1818, Heinrich LXII became the 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera. He was an enthusiastic ruler and immediately set out to improve the education system of his principality. Heinrich LXII also did much to beautify Reuss-Gera, especially along the roads leading to Schleiz. In 1837, Schleiz Castle (link in German) was badly damaged in a fire and Heinrich LXII oversaw the renovations. However, in 1945, Schleiz Castle was destroyed by American bombing during World War II. The ruins were removed in 1950, leaving only the two damaged towers.

Schleiz Castle in the background overlooking Schleiz in 1908; Credit – Wikipedia

After the German revolutions of 1848, Heinrich LXXII, Prince Reuss of Lobenstein and Ebersdorf abdicated. Lobenstein and Ebersdorf then were untied with Heinrich LXII’s possessions. The capital moved from Schleiz to Gera. In 1849, the Principality of Reuss-Gera received a constitution, and a legislature was established in 1851.

Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera died on June 19, 1854, aged 69, in Gera, Principality of Reuss-Gera. He was buried at the Bergkirche St. Marien (link in German) now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany. Heinrich LXII never married and so he was succeeded by his brother Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Prince Reuss of Gera.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXII. (Reuß Jüngere Linie). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_LXII._(Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngere_Linie)> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXII, Prince Reuss Younger Line. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_LXII,_Prince_Reuss_Younger_Line> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Principality Of Reuss-Gera. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Reuss-Gera> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • Uk.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich LXII, 2Nd Prince Reuss Of Gera (Ukrainian Wikipedia). [online] Available at: <https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%80%D1%96%D1%85_LXII_(%D0%BA%D0%BD%D1%8F%D0%B7%D1%8C_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%81-%D2%90%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8)> [Accessed 10 March 2020].

Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince Reuss of Gera

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Gera: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XLII became Count of Reuss-Schleiz in 1784, and then also became Count of Reuss-Gera in 1802. In 1806,  the united county was raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line.  Between 1824 and 1848, the senior line of Gera gradually combined the territory of the surviving cadet branches (Lobenstein, Köstritz, and Ebersdorf).

On November 11, 1918, Heinrich XXVII abdicated his position as 5th Prince Reuss of Gera and as Regent abdicated for the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. The new government of Reuss-Gera made an agreement with Heinrich XXVII and granted him some castles and land. The territory encompassing the Principality of Reuss-Gera is now located within the German state of Thuringia.

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Coat of Arms of the Principality of Reuss-Greiz, Younger line; Credit – by Glasshouse using elements by Sodacan, Tom-L and Katepanomegas – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65186806

Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince Reuss of Gera was born on February 27, 1752 in Löhma, County of Reuss-Schleiz, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was the fourth of the five children and the second but the only surviving son of Heinrich XII, Count Reuss of Schleiz and Countess Christine of Erbach-Schönberg, daughter of Count Georg August of Erbach-Schönberg and Ferdinande Henriette of Stolberg-Gedern.

Heinrich XLII had four siblings who all died in infancy:

  • Countess Christine Sofie Henriette Reuss of Schleiz (1744 – 1745)
  • Count Heinrich XXXVI Reuss of Schleiz (1747 – 1748)
  • Countess Karoline Bernhardine Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1749)
  • Countess Christine Sofie Henriette Reuss of Schleiz (1757 – 1758)

Heinrich XLII’s mother Christine of Erbach-Schönberg died in 1769, when he was 17-years-old. His father married for a second time to Countess Christiane Ferdinande of Ysenburg and Büdingen the following year. Two children, Heinrich XLII’s half-siblings, were born from this marriage but they both died young:

  • Count Heinrich LVI Reuss of Schleiz (1772 – 1775)
  • Count Heinrich LVII Reuss of Scheliz (1774 – 1775)

On June 10, 1779, Heinrich XLII married Princess Caroline of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg in Kirchberg an der Jagst, Principality of of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Caroline was the daughter of Christian Friedrich Karl, Prince of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg and his first wife Princess Luise Charlotte of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who died due to complications after giving birth to Caroline’s younger sister. Caroline’s father married for a second time to Countess Philippine Sophie Ernestine of Ysenburg and Büdingen, the sister of the second wife of Heirnrich XLII’s father.

Heinrich XLII and Caroline had eight children but only three survived to adulthood:

  • Princess Philippine Reuss of Gera (1781 – 1866), unmarried
  • Count Heinrich LVIII Reuss of Schleiz (born and died 1782), died in infancy
  • Countess Ferdinande Reuss of Schleiz (1784 – 1785), died in infancy
  • Heinrich LXII, 2nd Prince Reuss of Gera (1785 – 1854), his father’s successor, unmarried
  • Count Heinrich LXV Reuss of Schleiz (1788 – 1790), died in early childhood
  • Heinrich LXVII, 3rd Reuss of Gera (1789 – 1867), his brother’s successor, married Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf, had five sons and three daughters
  • Count Heinrich LXVIII Reuss of Schleiz (1791 – 1792), died in infancy
  • Count Heinrich LXXI Reuss of Schleiz (1793 – 1794), died in infancy

When Heinrich XLII’s father died on June 25, 1784, he became Count Reuss of Schleiz. In 1802, when Heinrich XXX, Count Reuss of Gera died without an heir, Heinrich XLII also became Count Reuss of Gera. In 1806, Heinrich XLII received the title of Prince from Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, and his two counties were raised to the Principality of Reuss-Gera or Reuss Younger Line and Heinrich XLII was then titled 1st Prince Reuss of Gera.

The Principality of Reuss-Gera became a member of the Rhine Confederation, a confederation of German client states of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French in 1807. The allies opposing Napoleon dissolved the Confederation of the Rhine in 1813. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the German Confederation, an association of 39 German-speaking countries in Central Europe, was created. The Principality of Reuss-Gera was a member of the German Confederation.

Heinrich XLII, 1st Prince of Reuss of Gera died on April 17, 1818, aged 66, in Schleiz, Principality of Reuss-Gera. He was buried in the Princely Crypt at the Bergkirche St. Marien (link in German) now in Schleiz, Thuringia, Germany. His wife Caroline survived him by 31 years, dying on December 22, 1849, aged 88, in Schleiz, Principality of Reuss-Gera. She was buried with her husband at the Bergkirche St. Marien.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Reuss-Gera Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Reuß Jüngerer Linie. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reu%C3%9F_j%C3%BCngerer_Linie> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XLII, Prince Reuss-Schleiz Und Gera. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XLII,_Prince_Reuss_of_Schleiz> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Principality Of Reuss-Gera. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Reuss-Gera> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • Genealogics.org. 2020. Heinrich XLII, 1St Prince Reuss Of Gera. [online] Available at: <https://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00063961&tree=LEO> [Accessed 10 March 2020].
  • He.wikipedia.org. 2020. Heinrich XLII, 1St Prince Of Reuss Of Gera (Hebrew Wikipedia). [online] Available at: <https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9A_%D7%94%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9D_%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D,_%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9A_%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%99%D7%A1-%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A5_%D7%95%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%94> [Accessed 10 March 2020].

Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2020

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

Principality of Reuss-Greiz: The House of Reuss began their rule circa 1010. Heinrich XI, Count Reuss of Greiz, Lower-Greiz (Untergreiz) and Upper-Greiz (Obergreiz) was elevated to princely status in 1778 and then used the title of Prince Reuss, Older Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz.

Heinrich XXIV, the last Prince Reuss of Greiz, succeeded his father in 1902 but was unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Instead, a Regent ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1901 – 1913 and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918.

On November 11, 1918, the Regent, Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss of Gera (Younger Line) abdicated in the name of the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. After the abdication, Heinrich XXIV retained the right of residence of the Lower Castle in Greiz and lived there until his death. The territory that encompassed the Principality of Reuss-Greiz is now in the German state of Thuringia.

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Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz, the last Prince Reuss of Greiz, was born on March 20, 1878 in Greiz, Principality of Reuss-Greiz, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was the eldest of the six children and the only son of Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz and Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe, daughter of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Hermine of Waldeck and Pyrmont.

Heinrich XXIV had five younger sisters:

Heinrich XXIV’s five sisters – left to right – Hermine, Ida, Marie, Caroline & Emma; Credit – Wikipedia

As a result of a childhood accident, Heinrich XXIV had physical and mental disabilities. His parents knew that these disabilities would prevent their son from marrying and ruling the Principality of Reuss-Greiz. On September 28, 1891, Heinrich XXIV’s mother died from complications that occurred during the birth of her sixth child and fifth daughter. One can reasonably assume that Heinrich XXII and his wife Ida were hoping that each successive pregnancy would produce a healthy boy. Heinrich XXIV’s father considered his wife’s death as a divine sentence and refused to marry again, knowing that this decision would mean the end of the House of Reuss-Greiz. Because of Heinrich XXII’s conservative attitude, there was no question of changing the family law in favor of the rule of one of his daughters.

When Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince of Reuss of Greiz died from heart disease on April 19, 1902, his disabled son nominally succeeded him as Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. Two regents from the House of Reuss-Gera (also called the Younger Line) successively ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1902 – 1913 and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918, when the monarchy was abolished in 1918 at the end of World War I.

Unteres Schloss (Lower Castle); Credit – Von Wolfgang Pehlemann Wiesbaden Germany – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32945973

On November 11, 1918, the Regent, Heinrich XXVII, 5th Prince Reuss of Gera abdicated in the name of the disabled Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz. After the abdication, Heinrich XXIV retained the right of residence of the Unteres Schloss (link in German) (Lower Castle) in Greiz and lived there until his death.

Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz died on October 13, 1927, aged 49, in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany. He was buried with his parents at the Waldhaus Mausoleum (link in German) that his father had built in the forest near Greiz. By 1969, the Waldhaus Mausoleum had fallen into disrepair and the remains of Heinrich XXII, Ida, and their son Heinrich XXIV were taken to Werdau Crematorium, cremated, and placed in urns. The urns were reburied at the Neue Friedhof (New Cemetery) in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany. Since 1997, the resting place of the urns has been at the Stadtkirche St. Marien (link in German) in Greiz.

Upon the death of Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz (the Elder Line) in 1927, the House of Reuss-Greiz (the Elder Line) became extinct and claims to its titles passed to Heinrich XXVII, the 5th and the last reigning Prince Reuss of Gera. When he died in 1928, the claims to the titles of the House of Reuss-Greiz and the House of Reuss-Gera passed to his son Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss Younger Line. The childless Heinrich XLV, Hereditary Prince Reuss Younger Line, disappeared after he had been arrested in August 1945 by the Soviet military. He was legally declared dead in 1962 and the claims to the titles of the House of Reuss-Greiz and the House of Reuss-Gera went to the Head of House of Reuss-Köstritz where they remain today.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Reuss-Greiz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XXIV. (Reuß-Greiz). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XXIV._(Reu%C3%9F-Greiz) [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_XXIV,_Prince_Reuss_of_Greiz [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Principality of Reuss-Gera. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Reuss-Gera [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/heinrich-xxii-5th-prince-reuss-of-greiz/ [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].

Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe, Princess Reuss of Greiz

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Ida Mathilde Adelheid of Schaumburg-Lippe, the wife of Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz, was born on July 28, 1852, in Bückeburg, Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe, now in Lower Saxony, Germany. She was the fifth of the eight children and the third of the four daughters of Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and his first cousin Princess Hermine of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Ida and her sisters had a simple upbringing but were well-educated. They knew about how to run a household and could hold their own in discussions about philosophy and science.

Ida had four older siblings and three younger siblings:

Ida’s husband Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Note about the Reuss numbering system: All males of the House of Reuss were named Heinrich plus a number. In the Reuss-Greiz, Elder Line, the numbering covered all male children and the numbers increased until 100 was reached and then started again at 1. In the Reuss-Gera, Younger Line, the system was similar but the numbers increased until the end of the century before starting again at 1. This tradition was seen as a way of honoring Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI (reigned 1191 – 1197) who had benefitted the family. Therefore, the Roman numerals seen after names are NOT regnal numbers.

On October 8, 1872, 20-year-old Ida married 26-year-old Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz. Ida and Heinrich XXII had one son and five daughters. Their only son Heinrich XXIV would be unable to marry and be unable to rule because of his physical and mental disabilities as a result of an accident in his childhood. Heinrich XXIV would be nominally the 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz but two Regents from the House of Reuss-Gera (also called the Younger Line) successively ruled the Principality of Reuss-Greiz: Heinrich XIV, 4th Prince Reuss of Gera from 1901 – 1913 and then his son Heinrich XXVII, 5th and last Prince Reuss of Gera from 1913 – 1918, when the monarchy was abolished in 1918 at the end of World War I.

Ida’s son Heinrich XXIV, 6th Prince Reuss of Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Ida and Heinrich XXII’s children:

The five Reuss-Greiz sisters, left to right – Hermine, Ida, Marie, Caroline, and Emma; Credit – Wikipedia

From 1871 to 1873, Heinrich XXII built Jagdschloss Ida-Waldhaus, a hunting lodge in the forest near Greiz which he named after his beloved wife Ida. Heinrich XXII loved the tranquility of that forest so much that he decided to be buried there. In 1878, Heinrich XXII commissioned Eduard Oberländer, the master builder of Greiz, to build a Gothic-style chapel with a crypt. Completed in 1883, the Waldhaus Mausoleum (link in German) would first be used for Ida eight years later.

Waldhaus Mausoleum near Greiz; Credit – Wikipedia

Sadly, on September 28, 1891, Ida died, aged 39, from complications that occurred during the birth of her sixth child, a daughter, named Ida after her. Heinrich XXII wrote to his former mentor Baron Albert von der Trenk, “The sun of my earthly happiness set on September 28.”  Ida was buried in the Waldhaus Mausoleum her husband had built in the forest near Greiz. When Ida’s husband Heinrich XXII died in 1902 and when their son Heinrich XXIV died in 1927, they were also buried in the Waldhaus Mausoleum. By 1969, the Waldhaus Mausoleum had fallen into disrepair and the remains of Heinrich XXII, Ida, and their son Heinrich XXIV were taken to Werdau Crematorium, cremated, and placed in urns. The urns were reburied at the Neue Friedhof (New Cemetery) in Greiz, Thuringia, Germany. Since 1997, the resting place of the urns has been at the Stadtkirche St. Marien (link in German) in Greiz.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Reuss-Greiz Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Princess Ida of Schaumburg-Lippe. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Ida_of_Schaumburg-Lippe [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2020). Heinrich XXII, 5th Prince Reuss of Greiz. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/heinrich-xxii-5th-prince-reuss-of-greiz/ [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].
  • It.wikipedia.org. (2020). Ida di Schaumburg-Lippe. [online] Available at: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_di_Schaumburg-Lippe [Accessed 5 Mar. 2020].